University of Massachusets Athletics
Four Named UMass Student-Athletes Of The Week
April 21, 2026 | Men's Track & Field, Rowing, Women's Track & Field
Gaskins and Acquah of men's track, Van Nynatten of women's track and Happs of rowing will be honored on Wednesday.
AMHERST, Mass. – Godot Gaskins and Matthew Acquah of men's track, Coco Van Nynatten of women's track and Sarah Happs of rowing earned UMass Student-Athletes of the Week, presented by UMassFive College Credit Union. The four will be honored at the UMass Sports Luncheon this week.
The luncheon takes place on Wednesday, April 8, at noon in the Berkshire Room of the Berkshire Dining Commons. Cost to attend is $17 (15.30 for UMass Alumni).
Happs helped lead Massachusetts rowing at the Holy Cross Invite, where the Minutewomen faced off against Holy Cross, MIT, Boston College, and Sacred Heart.
Happs, who rows in the stern pair of the First Varsity Eight (1V8+), plays a critical role in the boat. She carries the rhythm set by the stroke seat and translates it throughout the crew, a responsibility that demands both technical precision and composure under pressure. Her effort helped lead the 1V8+ to victory in dominant fashion, crossing the finish line in a time that shattered the 6:30 barrier (as with a runner breaking 4 minutes, the 6:30 barrier in rowing is a major benchmark). The accomplishment is of major significance not only because of its importance in the sport, but also because it marks the first UMass crew to break the 6:30 mark in over seven years, and the first time a Mid-American Conference (MAC) crew has cracked that threshold.
At the Georgia Tech Invite this past weekend, Godot Gaskins had one of his finest performances, including a record breaking time in the 400m run. With a finish of 46.28 in the event, Gaskins placed second, and also broke the Massachusetts Men's Outdoor Track Program record. His time also ranks best in the conference, and 48th in the Division I East Region.
At the Georgia Tech Invitational over the weekend, Matthew Acquah excelled in the triple jump, placing second at the meet with a leap of 49'9.25". The Natick, Mass. native extended his lead in the conference to remain in the top spot, while also breaking the men's outdoor program record. Acquah ranks seventh in the Division I Northeast Region and 41st in the DI East Region.
At the Georgia Tech Invitational over the weekend, Coco Van Nynatten had the finest performance of her young career, taking second in the women's discus throw with a toss of 160'8". Van Nynattens throw broke the women's outdoor program record, and moved her up to fourth-best in the Mid-American Conference. Her throw ranks eighth in the division one northeast region.
The luncheon takes place on Wednesday, April 8, at noon in the Berkshire Room of the Berkshire Dining Commons. Cost to attend is $17 (15.30 for UMass Alumni).
Happs helped lead Massachusetts rowing at the Holy Cross Invite, where the Minutewomen faced off against Holy Cross, MIT, Boston College, and Sacred Heart.
Happs, who rows in the stern pair of the First Varsity Eight (1V8+), plays a critical role in the boat. She carries the rhythm set by the stroke seat and translates it throughout the crew, a responsibility that demands both technical precision and composure under pressure. Her effort helped lead the 1V8+ to victory in dominant fashion, crossing the finish line in a time that shattered the 6:30 barrier (as with a runner breaking 4 minutes, the 6:30 barrier in rowing is a major benchmark). The accomplishment is of major significance not only because of its importance in the sport, but also because it marks the first UMass crew to break the 6:30 mark in over seven years, and the first time a Mid-American Conference (MAC) crew has cracked that threshold.
At the Georgia Tech Invite this past weekend, Godot Gaskins had one of his finest performances, including a record breaking time in the 400m run. With a finish of 46.28 in the event, Gaskins placed second, and also broke the Massachusetts Men's Outdoor Track Program record. His time also ranks best in the conference, and 48th in the Division I East Region.
At the Georgia Tech Invitational over the weekend, Matthew Acquah excelled in the triple jump, placing second at the meet with a leap of 49'9.25". The Natick, Mass. native extended his lead in the conference to remain in the top spot, while also breaking the men's outdoor program record. Acquah ranks seventh in the Division I Northeast Region and 41st in the DI East Region.
At the Georgia Tech Invitational over the weekend, Coco Van Nynatten had the finest performance of her young career, taking second in the women's discus throw with a toss of 160'8". Van Nynattens throw broke the women's outdoor program record, and moved her up to fourth-best in the Mid-American Conference. Her throw ranks eighth in the division one northeast region.
Players Mentioned
Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
/ Rowing
Throws
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