By Rebecca Danvers

Sophomore Melissa Baptista led Tufts’ quarterfinal win over Scranton with 23 points.

The Tufts University women’s basketball team competed in their first-ever national title game on Monday, April 4, in Indianapolis. The Jumbos entered the tournament as a 7-seed but have emerged as the Cinderella story in Division III.

Melissa Baptista is a Somerville resident and graduate of Somerville High School who is now a sophomore starter for the Jumbos. Baptista has been a dominant force in the playoffs, helping Tufts advance to their first Division III title game by scoring 23 of the Jumbos’ 57 points to defeat Scranton in Elite Eight tournament play.

In the semi-final, Baptista scored 14 points and led the Jumbos with 12 rebounds. Tufts University played defending national champion Thomas More College at the Indiana Pacers’ arena on Monday, the day between the women’s Division I Final Four and championship games.

At six feet tall, Baptista is said to be an exceptionally fast forward with a good outside shot, a superior rebounder, tough defender, and selfless teammate. Her emergence this year as a leader on and off the court has helped power the team to the title game. “She does things athletically that others simply can’t do,” says Carla Berube, Baptista’s coach.

Baptista is not only an impressive athlete but also a successful student and active participant in life on campus, where she has helped found Athletes of Color, a club that facilitates dialogue about the unique experiences of athletes of color.

A first generation Brasilian-American, Baptista is also involved in the Association for Latin American Students, United for Immigrant Justice, and the Tisch College Community Research Center at Tufts.

Last summer, Baptista studied at the Tufts European Center in Talloires, France. Prior to the start of her first year, Melissa participated in the Bridge to Liberal Arts Success at Tufts (BLAST) program, which is designed to support students who may be the first in their family to go to college.

Berube describes Baptista as the embodiment of a Tufts scholar-athlete, someone who contributes in the classroom, in the community, and on the court. “As good as Melissa has been, I’m expecting even greater things from her as we look ahead to her junior and senior years,” she says.

Unfortunately, Monday night’s matchup with Thomas More College ended in a loss for Tufts with a final score of 63–51. Nonetheless, the team celebrates a brilliant season, with Baptista leading the way throughout.