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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Klausner to Play on U.S. Maccabiah Softball Team in Israel
February 27, 2017 | Softball
The Maccabiah is the world's largest Jewish athletic competition in the tradition and values of Maccabi, emphasizing the centrality of the State of Israel in the life of the Jewish people. The Maccabiah takes place every four years in Israel. "The Jewish Olympics" as they are often called, are Maccabi World Union's largest and most famous enterprise. More information can be found here.
A pitcher who has also seen time in the infield, Klausner was 7-5 in the circle last year and has pitched in 45 games over the first three seasons of her career. She'll be playing for a familiar face, as Princeton assistant coach Nicole Arias was chosen last summer as the team's head coach.Arias played for the U.S. Maccabi softball team in the World Maccabiah Games in 2009 and 2013 in Israel as a player-coach. She also played in the 2007 Pan American Maccabi Games in Buenos Aires. Her teams won gold all three times with Arias as the starting third baseman.Â
"As an athlete, competing in both the Pan American and World Maccabiah games is truly breath taking and an experience I will always remember," Arias said. "I left for these games with the mindset to compete and earn a gold medal, which I did. But I returned home with something way more valuable, a sense of Jewish pride, a love for Israel and gaining life long friends from all around the world.
"It is an honor to lead the next generation of Jewish softball players to the homeland of Israel to compete in the 20th world Maccabiah Games. My goal is to not only have my team leave Israel as gold medalists, but more importantly, to leave the Maccabiah with the lifelong friendships they will create with their teammates and Jewish athletes from around the world. I hope to give these women an experience that will strengthen their love for Israel and their Jewish heritage."
The games will run July 4-18 in Israel. Before that, Klausner, Arias and the Tigers are set to begin their 2017 season Friday in Houston.