University of Massachusets Athletics
Frimpong-Boateng, Torra Named Athletes Of Week
July 28, 2003 | Men's Track & Field
May 7, 2003
AMHERST, Mass. - Senior sprinter Kwesi Frimpong-Boateng (Accra, Ghana), a member of the University of Massachusetts men's outdoor track and field squad, and freshman righthanded pitcher Matt Torra (Pittsfield, Mass.), a member of the baseball team, have been named this week's Dinn Brothers UMass Athletes of the Week, for competition taking place from April 28-May 4.
Frimpong-Boateng won the 100-meter dash at last weekend's Atlantic 10 Conference Championship, in a meet and UMass school record time of 10.30. His time eclipsed the meet record of 10.31 set by Virginia Tech's Andre Davis (now a member of the National Football League's Cleveland Browns) in 1998, and Adrian Zullo's school mark of 10.43 set in 1999. Frimpong-Boateng then came back to win the 200-meter dash in another Atlantic 10 meet and UMass school record time of 20.90, which bettered Davis' 1998 meet record of 20.95 and Steve Chase's 1968 school record of 20.9.
For his efforts, Frimpong-Boateng became the first Minuteman to ever be named the Outstanding Track Performer at the Atlantic 10 Championship, as UMass finished third at the meet. He was also named the Eastern College Athletic Conference Performer of the Week. Frimpong-Boateng and the Minutemen return to action at the New England Championship, to be held in Durham, N.H., from May 8-10.
Torra picked up a pair of victories against Atlantic 10 foes last week, while throwing two nine-inning complete games. He began the week with a complete game in the 7-2 victory over Temple on Monday, April 28, striking out a career-high nine batters. Torra allowed only two unearned runs and two walks against the Owls, while scattering 10 hits. He came back to throw another complete game in the 1-0 win over St. Bonaventure on Sunday, May 4. Torra allowed only three hits to the Bonnies, while striking out six without allowing any runs or walks. He also threw 1/3 inning of scoreless relief against Boston College on Thursday, May 1, to give him 18-1/3 innings pitched on the week without allowing any earned runs.
Torra, who now stands 5-3 on the season with a 3.57 ERA and 39 strikeouts, was also named Pitcher of the Week by both the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the Atlantic 10 Conference. The baseball team, which currently has a 21-16 overall record and is tied for first place in the Atlantic 10 East Division with a 12-6 mark, returns to action this afternoon, when it plays host to Northeastern in a 3:00 p.m. game at Earl Lorden Field.