University of Massachusets Athletics
Three Named UMass Student-Athletes of the Week
March 03, 2020 | General, Men's Lacrosse, Women's Basketball, Women's Track & Field, Athletics Department
Members of women's basketball, men's lacrosse, women's track and field recognized
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass Sports Luncheon Committee announced women's basketball senior Hailey Leidel, men's lacrosse redshirt senior Billy Philpott and women's track and field senior Jada Harris as the UMass Student-Athletes of the Week on Tuesday. The trio will receive recognition at the weekly UMass Sports Luncheon on Wed., March 4 from Noon - 1 p.m. The luncheon will be held at the Berkshire Dining Common and is open to the public.
Leidel averaged 18 points per game in a 2-0 week for the Minutewomen as she claimed sole possession of second place on the UMass career scoring list (1,817). She had 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in a Feb. 26 win at Saint Joseph's. Then, fittingly during Senior Day on Feb. 29 vs. Rhode Island, she poured in a season-high 26 points, aided by a 54 percent (6-of-11) mark from three-point land. She also had three rebounds, four assists and a steal in the Rhody win. The two victories propelled the Minutewomen to the No. 5 seed in the A-10 Tournament, the highest since 2005-06.
Philpott led UMass to its 13-10 upset of No. 1 Yale on Saturday with career highs of five points and four goals. He had three points (two goals, one assist) during Massachusetts' six-goal run spanning the first and second quarters. The Sandwich, Massachusetts, native added his third and fourth goals of the game in the second quarter as UMass built an 11-2 lead. Philpott scored on his only shot and grabbed one groundball at UMass Lowell on Tues., Feb. 25. His goal at UMass Lowell jumpstarted the UMass offense in the second half and pushed the lead to 9-7 after Lowell began the third quarter with three straight scores. The win over No. 1 Yale marked the first over the top-ranked team in the nation in team history.
Harris helped UMass to its fourth Atlantic 10 indoor title in program history and the first since 2016, individually scoring 28 points. She claimed two of UMass' four gold medals on the final day of action at the A-10 Championships, winning high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 8 inches, and once again matching the meet record with the top time in the 60 meter hurdles final at 8.45 seconds. That brought her total to three medals for the meet, including a silver in long jump on Saturday to earn her Most Outstanding Field Performer recognition. On Saturday her long jump performance of 19 feet 3.5 inches broke a 34-year-old record, besting Pam Hughes' mark of 19 feet, 1.75 inches from 1986.
Philpott and the men's lacrosse team play next on Tues., March 3 against Albany on Garber Field at 3 p.m. Women's basketball continues its season later that evening in the Atlantic 10 Championship First Round at the Mullins Center against No. 12 seed St. Bonaventure on Tues., March 3 at 7 p.m. The ECAC Championships are up next for women's track and field, with competition beginning Sat., March 7 at 10 a.m.
Follow Massachusetts Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@UMassAthletics).
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Leidel averaged 18 points per game in a 2-0 week for the Minutewomen as she claimed sole possession of second place on the UMass career scoring list (1,817). She had 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in a Feb. 26 win at Saint Joseph's. Then, fittingly during Senior Day on Feb. 29 vs. Rhode Island, she poured in a season-high 26 points, aided by a 54 percent (6-of-11) mark from three-point land. She also had three rebounds, four assists and a steal in the Rhody win. The two victories propelled the Minutewomen to the No. 5 seed in the A-10 Tournament, the highest since 2005-06.
Philpott led UMass to its 13-10 upset of No. 1 Yale on Saturday with career highs of five points and four goals. He had three points (two goals, one assist) during Massachusetts' six-goal run spanning the first and second quarters. The Sandwich, Massachusetts, native added his third and fourth goals of the game in the second quarter as UMass built an 11-2 lead. Philpott scored on his only shot and grabbed one groundball at UMass Lowell on Tues., Feb. 25. His goal at UMass Lowell jumpstarted the UMass offense in the second half and pushed the lead to 9-7 after Lowell began the third quarter with three straight scores. The win over No. 1 Yale marked the first over the top-ranked team in the nation in team history.
Harris helped UMass to its fourth Atlantic 10 indoor title in program history and the first since 2016, individually scoring 28 points. She claimed two of UMass' four gold medals on the final day of action at the A-10 Championships, winning high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 8 inches, and once again matching the meet record with the top time in the 60 meter hurdles final at 8.45 seconds. That brought her total to three medals for the meet, including a silver in long jump on Saturday to earn her Most Outstanding Field Performer recognition. On Saturday her long jump performance of 19 feet 3.5 inches broke a 34-year-old record, besting Pam Hughes' mark of 19 feet, 1.75 inches from 1986.
Philpott and the men's lacrosse team play next on Tues., March 3 against Albany on Garber Field at 3 p.m. Women's basketball continues its season later that evening in the Atlantic 10 Championship First Round at the Mullins Center against No. 12 seed St. Bonaventure on Tues., March 3 at 7 p.m. The ECAC Championships are up next for women's track and field, with competition beginning Sat., March 7 at 10 a.m.
Follow Massachusetts Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@UMassAthletics).
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Players Mentioned
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
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