Monday's Just Take A Minute: Your Daily UMass Update

June 29, 2009

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   Monday, June 29

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Welcome back to another week of UMass Athletics after a big weekend for several current and former Minutemen and Minutewomen. Former hoopsters Tony Gaffney and Gary Forbes will have a chance to make their NBA dreams come true as they both earned spots on summer league rosters for Los Angeles and Philadelphia, respectively. Also over the weekend, the UMass women's lacrosse team was well represented as assistant coach Acacia Walker helped Team USA to the FIL Women's Lacrosse World Cup Championship title. Team Ireland, in its first year of World Cup competition, finished fifth with former defensive standout Jackie Rosenzweig and rising senior Merritt Cosgrove playing major roles. Also today we have a story with connections to the football team's game at Michigan AND former voice Bob Behler, updates from Major League Lacrosse, and a very nice feature on athletic trainer Jenn Brodeur.

A day after the NBA draft, Tony Gaffney has joined the World Champion L.A. Lakers for the NBA Summer League. Also getting back to the pro ranks is Gary Forbes who signed on with the Philadelphia 76ers. Steven Sanchez has a nice story on Gaffney which ran in the Enterprise News and the Taunton Daily Gazette. Ron Chimelis of the Sprinfield Republican also wrote a story on the underdog overachiever.

Congrats to women's lacrosse associate head coach Acacia Walker who helped Team USA to the 2009 FIL Women's Lacrosse World Cup Gold Medal with a win over Australia on Saturday. Walker was joined on the team by former assistant coach Sarah Albrecht. The pair are part of five UMass alums who have played for Team USA. It is the first time since 1989 that a member of the UMass lacrosse program has been a part of the gold medal USA team. Team Ireland finished fifth overall in the tournament with former defensive standout Jackie Rosenzweig and rising senior Merritt Cosgrove playing key roles. Complete coverage including archived video of the games can be found at Jack Reid is profiled at the Examiner.com. His huge defensive presence in the MLL has helped the Boston Cannons to a three-game win streak.

Kudos to UMass assistant athletic trainer Jenn Brodeur who was honored at the National Athletic Trainer's Association conference. Brodeur was cited as one of 16 athletic trainers nationally for her contributions to athletic training and the association. Ron Coderre of the Norwich Bulletin has a nice piece on Brodeur.

The Boston Globe has a good feature story on new St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo who was a graduate assistant coach at UMass. While in Amherst, Spagnuolo earned his master's degree in Sports Management.

This piece is a little dated, but it looks like former voice Bob Behler's Boise State Broncos are angling for a spot in the Big House in 2010. Michigan is looking for a home-opening opponent and it could be the Broncos. UMass will play in front of the largest crowd ever in program history in Ann Arbor on Sept. 18, 2010.

If you are looking for some summer soccer action, be sure to check out the Western Mass Pioneers which feature UMass alums Jeff Deren and Chris Brown. On the women's side of the pitch, rising senior keeper Lauren Luckey is also playing this summer for the New England Mutiny of the Women's Premier Soccer League.

UMassAthletics.com Feature To Check Out: It's summer time and that means summer camp. Be sure to sign the kids or grandkids up for one of UMass' many summer camps. The camps are great fun and are staffed by some of the best coaches and players in the country!

Don't miss this: Ron Villone and the Washington Nationals begin a three-game road trip to the Florida Marlins tonight. You can check out Villone's Bio which includes a video of the former UMass great making a bare-handed play against Pittsburgh for an out at first base.

Look Back To The Week Of: June 22-26 | June 15-19 | June 8-12 | June 1-5 | May 25-29 | May 18-22 | May 11-15 | May 4-8 | April 27-May 1 | April 20-24 | April 13-17 | April 6-10 | March 30 -Apr. 3 | March 23-27 | March 16-20 | March 9-13 | Mar. 2-6 | Feb. 23-27 | Feb. 16-20 | Feb. 9-13 | Feb. 2-6 | Jan. 26-30 | Jan. 19-23 | Jan. 12-16 | Jan. 5-9 | Dec. 29, 2008-Jan. 2, 2009 | Dec. 22-26 | Dec. 15- 19 | Dec. 8-12 | Dec. 1-5 | Nov. 24-28 | Nov. 17-21 | Nov. 10-14 | Nov. 3-7 | Oct. 27-31 | Oct. 20-24, 2008 | Oct. 13-17, 2008 | Oct. 6-10, 2008 | Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2008 | Sept. 22-26, 2008 | Sept. 15-19, 2008 | Sept. 8-12, 2008 | Sept. 1-5, 2008 | Aug. 25-29, 2008 | Aug.18-22, 2008

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