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Nick Canelas previewed the weekend's action for the Daily Collegian: UMass hockey completes four-game set with Maine with weekend series at home
University of Massachusets Athletics
blog 2013 10
October 2013 Archives
The UMass hockey team takes on Maine for a second straight weekend with a pair of Hockey East games against the Black Bears at the Mullins Center this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2, at 7 p.m.
Cameron McDonough takes a look at freshman Alex Wakaluk's collegiate debut for UMass hockey last weekend at Maine as well as the 2011 debut of current junior netminder Steve Mastalerz.
Read: Freshman Alex Wakaluk learns from first game in net for UMass hockey
The UMass women's soccer team plays its final home match of the season this Saturday, Nov. 2, when the squad will host St. Bonaventure at 2 p.m. on Rudd Field. Prior to the match, seniors Grace Coombs, Brittany Moore and Lauren Skesavage will be honored with a Senior Day ceremony.
Check out Joey Saade's preview of the match for the Daily Collegian: Minutewomen look to close out regular season with victory on senior day
The Daily Collegian's Jesse Mayfield Sheehan previews field hockey's weekend as they take on Lock Haven and Saint Francis with hopes of clinching the top seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship.
Anthony Chiusano of The Daily Collegian wrote an article on the UMass men's soccer playoff hopes following their victory over George Washington on Sunday.
Here is all the game information you will need to follow the Minutemen as they host #21 Northern Illinois on Saturday at Gillette Stadium.
| No. 21 Northern Illinois (8-0, 4-0 MAC) at Massachusetts (1-7, 1-3 MAC) | |
| Date | Saturday, Nov. 2 at 12:00 p.m. (EST) |
| Location | Foxboro, Mass. | Gillette Stadium (68,756) |
| Tickets | 866-UMASS-TIX |  Ticket Info |
| TV | ESPN3.com | WGGB Fox 6 (Springfield) | Find In Your Area |
| Radio |  105.5 FM WEEI (Springfield), 1440 AM WVEI (Worcester); 95.9 FM WATD (South Shore); 91.1 FM WMUA (Amherst) Listen Online | Use the TuneIn App for Mobile Devices to listen |
| Online Video |  www.WatchESPN.com |
| Promotions | Heroes In Action Day |
| Live Stats |  |
| Social Media |  Twitter.com/UMassAthletics | Live Game Blog |
| MAC Teleconference | Molnar's Monday Conference Call Quotes (10/28) |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts Notes | Depth Chart | New Clips | 2013 Media Guide |
Join us tonight for the Bud Light UMass Football Show With Charley Molnar at the Hangar Pub & Grill on University Drive. The show will air tonight starting at 7 PM and can be heard live on 105.5 FM WEEI Springfield.
If you can't make it in person, you can listen live at http://player.tritonmedia.com/entercom/WWEIFM or on your mobile device by downloading the TuneIn App and going to 105.5 FM WEEI.
Tonight's special guests will be offensive tackle Anthony Dima and defensive safety Khary Bailey-Smith. Send in a question to be answered on the air at http://www.umassathletics.com/ot/ask-coach.html or Tweet your question to @ UMassSportsNet.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story on Khary Bailey-Smith and Rob Blanchflower earning praise from the weekly College Football Performance Awards.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story on quarterback Mike Wegzyn who will likely start on Saturday against Northern Illinois as A.J. Doyle recovers from injury.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story on the announcement on Wednesday that Jordan Broadnax, Steve Casali and Shakur Nesmith will all officially miss the remainder of the season due to injuries and are eligible to apply for medical redshirts. The trio joins John Robinson-Woodgett and Dalvin Battle as members of the program who are out for the season. Battle is still recovering from an injury suffered at Michigan in 2012.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story today on Brendon Levengood who will handle field goals and PAT's this weekend for UMass.
Mark Chiarelli of the Daily Collegian has a preview of this weekend's match-up between UMass and No. 21 Northern Illinois. Chiarelli calls the game, "UMass' toughest game of the season."
The Daily Collegian's Frank Corona wrote an article previewing the 2013 Cross Country Atlantic Championship taking place in Richmond, Va. this Saturday.
Both the Daily Collegian and the Springfield Republican have stories today on what the UMass defense must do against Northern Illinois' Heisman candidate quarterback Jordan Lynch who is as good running the ball as he is throwing it.
Dan Malone has a story featuring Northern Illinois head coach Rod Carey discussing what his team must do this weekend against UMass. The Huskies are 8-0 on the season and ranked No. 21 in this week's AP Top 25 poll.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican hands out his Week 9 helmet stickers following UMass football's loss to Western Michigan last Saturday with Rob Blanchflower, Lorenzo Woodley and Khary Bailey-Smith each receiving praise for their performances.
Inside Lacrosse 's Danielle Bernstein posted some photos from this year's Massachusetts Women's Lacrosse Competition Week. This year Tanner Guarino and Team Goldiggers came out on top.
Former UMass hockey netminder Jonathan Quick is 4-0 in shootouts this year for the Los Angeles Kings, stopping 10 of 11 shots, and led the league with 10 shootout wins in 2010-11, going 10-0.
Check out Lisa Dillman's notebook from the Los Angeles Times: Kings and Jonathan Quick are all-in with the shootout
Andrew Cyr of the Daily Collegian has a recap of rowing's impressive performance at the Head of the Fish on Saturday in Saratoga, N.Y. The Minutewomen captured eight first place finishes and three second place finishes.
Joey Saade of the Daily Collegian has a feature story on UMass women's soccer goalie Danielle Kriscenski who says she has always been a goalie since she was 10 months old.
Arthur Hayden of the Daily Collegian has a recap of the UMass women's cross country team tying for first at the CCSU Mini-Meet along No. 4 Providence over the weekend.
Tom Mulherin of the Daily Collegian has a feature on Brittany Moore who has emerged as one of the Minutewomen's top scoring threats recently. The converted defender has one of the team's best shots according to head coach Ed Matz.
Dick Baker of the Springfield Republican has a story on Ben Gallacher who transferred to UMass from Ohio State. Gallacher is one of four Minutemen who hail from Calgary.
Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette has a feature on Lorenzo Woodley's breakout performance on Saturday - particularly on the final UMass offensive drive that led to a touchdown with 22 seconds to go which pulled the Minutemen within one point.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story today on the progress the offense showed against Western Michigan last Saturday. He also mentions Khary Bailey-Smith and his versatility in making big plays on both defense and special teams.
The men's soccer team continued its winning ways at home, capturing a 2-1 victory over George Washington on Sunday. Matt Keys collected a goal and an assist, while Connor DeVivo had a score as well. The Minutemen travel to St. Bonaventure this weekend to face the Bonnies on Sunday at Noon.
Daily Collegian staff writer Jason Kates caught up with UMass field hockey head coach Carla Tagliente, senior defender Hannah Prince and sophomore goalkeeper Sam Carlino for a weekend recap. The Minutewomen won a thriller, 2-1 over Richmond on penalty strokes following double-overtime on Friday before taking a 3-1 victory from VCU on Sunday.
Just two days after defeating conference rival Richmond in a penalty shootout, the No. 12 Massachusetts field hockey team was victorious once again, this time defeating Virginia Commonwealth 3-1.
The Minutewomen (14-4, 5-0 Atlantic 10) used three different goal scorers to get the better of the Rams (8-9, 2-3 A-10), with senior Hannah Prince scoring the eventual game winner just two minutes into the second half.
Although her team got the win, UMass coach Carla Tagliente said the outcome of the game left a lot to be desired...
The rest of Kates' story can be found on the Daily Collegian website. The most up-to-date information on the field hockey program can be found through UMassAthletics.com.
After falling behind late in the fourth quarter, UMass was able to rally with a potential game-winning drive in the final minutes at Gillette on Saturday, but a missed two-point conversion try for the win with 22 seconds remaining gave the Broncos a 31-30 win on Homecoming.
Jeff Wagenheim has a feature today in the Boston Globe on the strides UMass has made since transitioning to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Dan Malone has a story today in the Republican on the benefit of UMass having a three-game home stand starting with Saturday's Homecoming contest against Western Michigan.
"Our guys are excited over this homestretch coming up, number one," Molnar said. "Number two is, the way the crowd was at that last game. Our players talked about it, have been talking about it. It made a difference, and we believe that this game will be an even better turnout with our fans. At least, we're hoping that it will be. We'll feed off of that.
"It's very important to me that our fans support our program. But it's equally important that we give the fans a football team that they want to support," Molnar said. "So, I'm trying to do my end to put a football team out there that, win or lose, they'll be proud of."
UMass football coach Charley Molnar ready for 3-game home stretch at Gillette Stadium | masslive.com
Jesse Mayfield Sheehan previews UMass field hockey's upcoming weekend for the Daily Collegian as the Minutewomen prepare for a challenging slate that includes Richmond on Friday, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. and VCU on Sunday, Oct. 27 at Noon. Both games will be played at Garber Field in Amherst, Mass., where admission is free.
The conclusion of Mayfield Sheehan's story can be found through the Daily Collegian website. More information on the field hockey program can be found through UMassAthletics.com.
The No. 12 Massachusetts field hockey team will host two of its toughest Atlantic 10 conference opponents this weekend, including its biggest rival in the league.
On Friday, the Minutewomen will host Richmond at 1 p.m., and on Sunday, the team will host Virginia Commonwealth at noon.
UMass (12-4, 3-0 A-10) has a long history of competing with the Spiders (10-5, 3-0) for dominance in the A-10. The two teams have won every conference championship dating back to 1996, with Richmond claiming seven titles in that period while the Minutewomen won 10, including last year's title, in which they defeated the Spiders, 5-0...The conclusion of Mayfield Sheehan's story can be found through the Daily Collegian website. More information on the field hockey program can be found through UMassAthletics.com.
Fans and alums, be sure to get to Gillette early and be ready for The Minuteman March to greet the team when they arrive to the stadium. Kick-off for the game is at 3 PM with the team arriving around 1 PM.
Help UMass to a Homecoming win as its 12th Man!
Just two days until the Homecoming Game at Gillette Stadium when UMass hosts Western Michigan. Here's all the game info you need to make the trip and enjoy the festivities!
| Western Michigan (0-8, 0-4 MAC) at Massachusetts (1-6, 1-2 MAC) | |
| Date | Saturday, Oct. 26 at 3:00 p.m. (EST) |
| Location | Foxboro , Mass. | Gillette Stadium (68,756) |
| Tickets | 866-UMASS-TIX | Ticket Info |
| TV | ESPN3.com |
| Radio | 105.5 FM WEEI (Springfield), 1440 AM WVEI (Worcester) ; 95.9 FM WATD (South Shore); 91.1 FM WMUA (Amherst) Listen Online | Use the TuneIn App for Mobile Devices to listen |
| Online Video | www.WatchESPN.com |
| Promotions | Homecoming Info | Special Football Homecoming Event Info |
| Live Stats | |
| Social Media | Twitter.com/UMassAthletics | Live Game Blog |
| MAC Teleconference | Molnar's Monday Conference Call Quotes (10/21) |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts Notes | Depth Chart | New Clips | 2013 Media Guide |
Nick Canelas of the Daily Collegian has a preview of UMass' Homecoming game against Western Michigan on Saturday.
Cameron McDonough of the Daily Collegian has a story on the UMass defense and its improvement over the last four games.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story on Trey Dudley-Giles and his explosive play-making ability on special teams as the Minutemen's kick-off and punt returner.
He's fearless with the ball in his hands," UMass coach Charley Molnar said. "And as I watch these kick returners across our schedule, I don't see many that are as fearless as Trey. He's got great vision, he's got a knack."
That fearlessness, coupled with an impressive burst and innate ability to find wiggle room in the chaos that accompanies most return opportunities, has helped Dudley-Giles grow into a weapon for the Minutemen.
Looking forward to seeing a great crowd at Gillette on Saturday afternoon as UMass takes on Western Michigan for Homecoming! Lots of pregame activities on tap including the Taste Of Amherst at the Alumni Association Tent which will including Antonios, The Hangar, White Hut, Moti and the Black Sheep Deli!
Andrew Zackman recapped UMass rowing's participation in the Head of the Charles Regatta for the Daily Collegian, highlighting the success of the lightweight four boat, which took second place at the prestigious race that hosts thousands of competitors over the two-day event.
The Massachusetts rowing team had the unique opportunity to race in the Head of the Charles Regatta this past weekend in Boston, competing in the world's largest two-day race which hosts over 9,000 competitors and more than 300,000 fans.
The Minutewomen had five boats race in both days of the regatta and had much better results in this year's race than last year, according to UMass coach Jim Dietz.
This year, the lightweight fours boat comprised of coxswain Emily Hajjar, Allanah Rubi-Mooney, Nicole Juul-Hindsgaul Emily Mann and Taryn Wilson finished in second place with a time of 19:59:851. That was over 10 seconds better than last year's time of 20:10:281, which put them in seventh place...
The full story can be found on the Daily Collegian website. More information on UMass rowing is available through UMassAthletics.com.
Arthur Hayden of the Daily Collegian has a recap of the tennis team's performance at the ITA Northeast Regional Championships. The Minutewomen were led by freshman Aarzoo Malik who advanced to the Round of 32.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story on how UMass punter Colter Johnson is still working to find his rhythm after having a minor surgery in the offseason. Overall, though, the punt coverage unit has been playing well according to head coach Charley Molnar.
"I know that Colter's disappointed at times with some of his punts. We expect great things from Colter," he said. "I believe, before this year is out, he'll get back into his rhythm and become the punter that Colter wants to be and we're expecting him to be."
Molnar believed that Johnson's issues were his and his alone to correct.
"I think our protection has been good, so that's really a high point right now in our special teams. He's had ample time to get the ball off," he said. "So, really, it's on Colter now to just take that next step forward, and I'm sure he will."
Jason Kates with the Daily Collegian spoke to UMass field hockey junior midfielder Renee Suter and head coach Carla Tagliente recently to discuss Suter's emergence as a scoring threat for the Minutewomen as Suter has provided 11 points on five goals and an assist in the previous four games.
MinuteFans can read the rest of the story through the Daily Collegian website. More information on UMass field hockey can be found through through UMassAthletics.com.
It all started for sophomore midfielder Renee Suter on Oct. 6 in a non-conference game against in-state rival Boston University.
With the No. 10 Massachusetts field hockey team trailing 1-0 in the second half, Suter stepped up and smashed two penalty corner goals to give her team the 2-1 lead, and eventually the win.
Suter, who has started 12 out of 16 games this season, now has five goals in four games and hopes to extend this offensive display well into Atlantic-10 play...MinuteFans can read the rest of the story through the Daily Collegian website. More information on UMass field hockey can be found through through UMassAthletics.com.
Join us tonight for the Bud Light UMass Football Show With Charley Molnar at the Hangar Pub & Grill on University Drive. The show will tonight starting at 7 PM and can be heard live on 105.5 FM WEEI Springfield.
If you can't make it in person, you can listen live at http://player.tritonmedia.com/entercom/WWEIFM or on your mobile device by downloading the TuneIn App and going to 105.5 FM WEEI.
Tonight's special guests will be kicker Brendan Levengood, punter Colter Johnson and defensive tackle Galen Clemons. Send in a question to be answered on the air at http://www.umassathletics.com/ot/ask-coach.html or Tweet your question to @UMassSportsNet.
Check out the highlights from UMass football's loss at Buffalo including Tajae Sharpe's amazing over-the-shoulder, one-handed catch along the sideline.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican hands out his weekly helmet stickers following UMass' loss at Buffalo. His top three players of the game were Tajae Shapre, Trey Dudley-Giles, and Blake Lucas.
Dan Malone has a story today highlighting UMass' improvement on defense over the course of the season and compared to 2012.
Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette has a story today previewing the week for UMass football against Western Michigan.
UMass hockey opened up its home schedule on a high note, sweeping its weekend pair vs. Michigan State and drawing a total of 12,358 fans to the Mullins Center combined over the two games with a record crowd of 4,500 students on Friday night.
Several media outlets had recaps of the victories:
FRIDAY:
Springfield Republican: UMass hockey treats home crowd of 7,078 to 3-1 home-opener victory over Michigan State
Daily Hampshire Gazette: UMass ices Michigan State in Hockey East-Big Ten Challenge
Daily Collegian: UMass hockey gets first win of the season in home opener
SATURDAY:
Springfield Republican: Power-play Bird Dogs lift UMass hockey to 5-2 win over Michigan State and weekend sweep
Daily Hampshire Gazette: UMass scores four power-play goals, skates past Michigan State
Daily Collegian: UMass rides four power play goals to victory over Michigan State
Also, check out the highlights from this weekend's action:
Rich Thompson of the Boston Herald has a feature on Justin Anderson who has been playing well over the course of the last four games with the Minutemen's switch to a 4-3 defense.
"With the 4-3 I'm on the edge, and I really enjoy being on the edge," said Anderson. "I'm not saying playing in the 3-4 bothered me much, but I have lot more freedom on the edge with the 4-3, so I welcomed the change.
"I'm just more comfortable on the edge and I like playing on the edge. I looking inside and seeing where everything is going and keeping the outside contained. I like to attack the tackle by getting off fast from the edge and go after the quarterback."
Behind a strong defensive effort that produced nine points, a grinding run game from Branden Oliver and three field goals, Buffalo defeated UMass 32-3 on Saturday afternoon at UB Stadium. The Minutemen will next turn their focus to Western Michigan in this Saturday's homecoming game at Gillette Stadium.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story on the challenges that Buffalo will pose against UMass on Saturday.
Jeff Wagenheim of the Boston Globe has a feature on UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower and the national attention he has received since returning to the Minutemen's line-up during the Vanderbilt game.
"It's all about the work ethic for me," said Blanchflower, who has 15 receptions in his shortened season for 156 yards, and whose 1,007 career yards are 146 shy of Milt Morin's school record for tight ends.
"There's always room for improvement. I had a couple of plays that stood out last weekend, and the stats looked good, but I didn't have a great game. A couple of those dropped balls haunted me."
So much so that on Sunday morning, while many teammates and UMass fans were still in bed dreaming the sweet dreams of victory, Blanchflower was back at work.
"I woke up early and got together with my coach at 8 a.m. to watch film," he said. "I'm making strides every day, but there's always another ball you can catch, another play you can make."
A year from now, he might be making those plays on Sundays.
As Kiper said of Blanchflower in his draft analysis, "Big tight ends who can run and catch the ball like wide receivers? Yeah, the NFL is buying right now."
Matt Vautour (@GazetteUMass) of the Daily Hampshire Gazette has a feature piece on sophomore guard Trey Davis. Here's an excerpt from the story and you can read the entire piece by clicking on the link below.
AMHERST -- After starting last year playing behind a guy who wasn't coming off the floor much, Trey Davis finished the year proving he could be more than just Chaz Williams' backup.
As he gets set to begin his sophomore year at the University of Massachusetts, Davis is more comfortable, confident and ready to contribute more. He'll get the chance. In addition to being the Minutemen's No. 2 point guard, Davis figures to spell Derrick Gordon at shooting guard and play alongside him in three-guard sets.
"Our best lineup might have Chaz, D.G. and Trey on the floor together," UMass coach Derek Kellogg said. "The more Trey keeps improving and elevating his play in terms of taking care of the ball and making the right decisions, I think he'll be playing more and more. He'll back up Chaz at point. Whether he comes off the bench or starts at that two spot remains to be seen. I'm comfortable either way."
Looking to follow along with UMass football's game at Buffalo on Saturday? Here is all the info you need to watch, listen, track or interact online as the Minutemen take on the Bulls.
| Massachusetts (1-5, 1-1 MAC) at Buffalo (4-2, 2-0 MAC) | |
| Date | Saturday, Oct. 19 at 3:30 p.m. (EST) |
| Location | Buffalo , N.Y. | UB Stadium (29,013) |
| Tickets | 866-UMASS-TIX | Ticket Info |
| TV | Time Warner Cable | ESPN3.com |
| Radio | 105.5 FM WEEI (Springfield), 1440 AM WVEI (Worcester) ; 95.9 FM WATD (South Shore); 91.1 FM WMUA (Amherst) Listen Online | Use the TuneIn App for Mobile Devices to listen |
| Online Video | www.WatchESPN.com |
| Promotions | n/a |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Social Media | Twitter.com/UMassAthletics | Live Game Blog |
| MAC Teleconference | Molnar's Monday Conference Call Quotes (10/14) |
| Game Notes | Massachusetts Notes | Depth Chart | New Clips | 2013 Media Guide |
If you missed the Bud Light UMass Football Show last night at the Hangar Pub & Grill, you can listen back to the podcast presented by the UMass Sports Network. In addition to Coach Charley Molnar, Josh Maurer and Matt Goldstein had fifth-year senior offensive tackle David Osei and redshirt junior linebacker Stanley Andre as the player guests.
Matt Stewart of the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise has a feature story on UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower who was named to the Mackey Award Mid-Season Watch List this week and was the organizations national Tight End of the Week. The yearly award is presented to the nation's top collegiate tight end.
Join us an hour earlier for the Bud Light UMass Football Show With Charley Molnar at the Hangar Pub & Grill on University Drive. The show will begin at a special time of 6 PM and will be hear live on 105.5 FM WEEI Springfield.
If you can make it in person, you can listen live at http://player.tritonmedia.com/entercom/WWEIFM or on your mobile device by downloading the TuneIn App and going to 105.5 FM WEEI.
Tonight's special guests will be linebacker Stanley Andre and offensive tackle David Osei.
Send in a question to be answered on the air at http://www.umassathletics.com/ot/ask-coach.html or Tweet your question to @UMassSportsNet.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a piece on Rob Blanchflower being named the John Mackey National Tight End of the Week just one day after he was also named to the award's mid-season watch list for the yearly honor.
On MassLive.com, Dan Malone re-publishes a story from Aug. 18 on how UMass and Buffalo are similar in how both Universities are working to forge new identities for their football programs as both made the transition from I-AA football to I-A football.
Nick Canelas of the Daily Collegian has a story today on how the UMass football team has re-focused its efforts to the Buffalo game this week after last Saturday's win over Miami.
In today's Daily Collegian, Nick Canelas takes a look at the freshmen duo of Steven Iacobellis and Ray Pigozzi who skated on UMass' second line with redshirt-junior Troy Power last weekend:
It's not too often that Steven Iacobellis and Ray Pigozzi aren't together. They're roommates, they're both freshmen and in a matter of weeks they've already become good friends.
One thing that brings the pair together is a very common interest: hockey. When they're in their dorm room, they're usually talking about it. When they're not, they're practicing and playing alongside one another on the same line for the Massachusetts hockey team.
In the Minutemen's first two games this season, Iacobellis and Pigozzi were placed on the second line with redshirt junior forward Troy Power, and their immediate chemistry was already noticeable.
The trio accounted for two of UMass' three goals this weekend in losses to Boston University and UMass Lowell.
Read more of Steven Iacobellis and Ray Pigozzi forming formidable freshman duo
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story today on how UMass will have to focus on Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack, while at the same time not giving opportunities to other defensive players.
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story on Rob Blanchflower being named to the Mackey Award Watch List - an annual award given to college football's best tight end.
Jeff Eisernberg (@JeffEisenberg) of Yahoo! Sports spent some time talking with senior guard Chaz Williams and his mother in the past couple of weeks and wrote the following article that appeared on the web site Tuesday.
Shortly before boarding a flight to Los Angeles in early August for the Adidas Nations Camp, UMass point guard Chaz Williams received a call he wasn't expecting.
A representative from a Turkish pro team offered Williams the chance to skip his senior year with the Minutemen and begin his pro career overseas. Some brief negotiations soon yielded Williams a contract offer worth $150,000 and an agreement that the team would pay for his mother Diane and three-year-old daughter Cheree to join him in Istanbul as well.
"It seemed like everything he asked for they kept giving to him," Diane Williams said. "He told them, 'My mom and my daughter need to come out here too.' They were like, 'Alright, we'll get plane tickets. He said, 'But where are we going to live?' They said, 'We'll hook your family up with their own flat and they'll have their own personal car.' When he told me all of that, I was like, 'Oh wow.' That was a pretty great offer out of the gate."
Read the full story at the link below.
Join us at The Hangar Pub and Grill tonight at 7 p.m. for the Bud Light UMass Hockey Show. Head coach John Micheletto is joined by new assistant coach Ryan Miller and junior forward Zack LaRue. Submit questions for our guests via email or tweet your questions @UMassSportsNet. If you can't make it out to The Hangar, listen live on WHMP (AM 1400/1240, FM 96.9).
Hockey Radio Information
Hockey Radio Information
With a rash of injuries at running back for the New York Giants, former UMass Minuteman Michael Cox is taking advantage of the opportunity. The Dorchester native is taking all the reps for the Giants at the beginning of this week as the team prepares for Minnesota next Monday.
Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette has a story on how UMass' experience and depth put the Minutemen in a better position to win more games this season as the balance of the MAC schedule plays out in the following weeks.
"Our team has more experience than it did a year ago," Molnar said. "We were new at that winning thing after that win over Akron. We didn't go out there thinking we had it figured out. We knew we had a lot of work to do. ... We didn't have the depth that we have today or the experience we have today. Those two things come as a matter of course as your team matures. We still have a ways to go from a maturity stand point and a depth standpoint, but we're in a better position today than we were in a year ago at this time."
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican hands out his weekly helmet stickers with Khary Bailey-Smith (10 tackles, 2 INT), Jamal Wison (146 total offense), Rob Blanchflower (98 yards receiving, 1 TD) each getting recognition.
The UMass men's lacrosse team traveled to Johns Hopkins for some fall ball action this past weekend, facing the host-Blue Jays and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Inside Lacrosse photographer Zach Babo was one the scene and has some great photos of the Minutemen in action against both teams.
Check out the full gallery through InsideLacrosse.com here. Photos 1-16 show UMass against Johns Hopkins while 35-47 cover the Minutemen vs. Rutgers. More information on UMass men's lacrosse is available through the new-and-improved UMassAthletics.com.
Check out the full gallery through InsideLacrosse.com here. Photos 1-16 show UMass against Johns Hopkins while 35-47 cover the Minutemen vs. Rutgers. More information on UMass men's lacrosse is available through the new-and-improved UMassAthletics.com.
Dan Malone has a story in the Springfield Republican today on the struggles this season for place kicker Blake Lucas. Lucas missed a pair of long-distance field goals in the Miami (Ohio) win, but was able to convert a 25-yard kick. This year, he has missed on four kicks of 44+ yards, however, he is a perfect 7-for-7 on PAT's (14-of-15 in two seasons).
"I have a lot of confidence in Blake," Molnar said during his weekly appearance on the Mid-American Conference coaches teleconference. "I think Blake has confidence in himself, and his teammates certainly have confidence in him."
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story on how this year's game with Buffalo is similar to the 2012 meeting in that the Minutemen were coming off wins on both occasions.
Draft guru Mel Kiper looks at several emerging NFL draft prospects in his weekly ESPN.com Insiders piece with Todd McShay. He had this to say about UMass tight end Rob Blanchflower.
Kiper: Rob Blanchflower, TE, UMass
Big tight ends who can run and catch the ball like wide receivers? Yeah -- the NFL is buying right now. And while Blanchflower drove me a little crazy Saturday, dropping three passes by my count as I watched the game, he's a pretty good player and I think he has a chance to be a third-day selection next May. He's about 6-5 and around 260 pounds, runs pretty well and what I like is the way he catches the ball, using his hands and not letting it get to his body.
Blanchflower has long arms, pretty good quickness for a guy his size, and runs well when he's in space. He has been a four-year starter, and last year had 43 catches. We'll see a number of tight ends taken again this year, and Blanchflower has a shot to be one of them.
College Football - Who is the best one-loss team left? - ESPN
A strong defensive effort with three interceptions alongside some timely offense lifted UMass to a 17-10 win over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday in front of 21,707 fans at Gillette Stadium. Check out the coverage of the win and highlights below.
If you can't make it to the game today, here's all the info you will need to keep track of the UMass football game vs. Miami (Ohio) which kicks off at 3:00 PM. For those fans on the go, you can watch the game on your mobile device using the WatchESPN app, listen using the TuneIn App, or following the Game Blog and use live stats as well from UMassAthletics. Don't forget to follow on Twitter and use the hashtag #GoUMass!
| Miami (0-5, 0-1 MAC) at Massachusetts (0-5, 0-1 MAC) | |
| Date | Saturday, Oct. 12 at 3:00 p.m. (EST) |
| Location | Foxboro , Mass. | Gillette Stadium (68,756) |
| Tickets | 866-UMASS-TIX | Ticket Info |
| TV | ESPN3.com |
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| Game Notes | Massachusetts Notes | Depth Chart | New Clips | 2013 Media Guide |
Here's a look at some of the morning previews as the UMass football team hosts Miami (Ohio) today at 3:00 PM at Gillette Stadium.
Check out the previews of UMass game on Saturday against Miami (Ohio) at Gillette Stadium. Kick-off is set for 3:00 PM and the game will feature the annual Band Day with over 70 high school bands joining the UMass Marching Band.
Mark Chiarelli has this UMass Hockey preview in today's Daily Hampshire Gazette. The Minutemen open the 2013-14 campaign tonight at #19 Boston University.
If last year was a fresh start for the University of Massachusetts hockey team, this season centers on cultivating a system already put in place by second-year coach John Micheletto.
"We talked a lot over the last year about resilience and not having a lot of ups and downs," Micheletto said. "That's an easy thing to talk about and understand, but it's a hard thing to implement sometimes."
UMass hopes to build off a 12-19-3 season that saw victories over Boston College, Boston University and New Hampshire. The Minutemen also finished 2-7-1 over the final 10 games and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
The team returns 16 upperclassmen, including nine seniors, something Micheletto hopes will accelerate the growing process. The familiarity is already paying dividends as UMass prepares to open the season at Boston University at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Read more of: UMass hockey looks to bounce back from tough 2012-13
Nick Canelas takes a look at UMass Hockey's scoring depth in this piece for the Daily Collegian Hockey Preview Issue:
With nine seniors, 16 upperclassmen and its three leading scorers from last season on the roster, one would think the Massachusetts hockey team is primed for success in 2013-14.
However, there's a reason why UMass failed to make the Hockey East Tournament last season and why it's yet again picked to finish second-to-last in the conference. Beyond the top forward line of Branden Gracel, Michael Pereira and Conor Sheary, there aren't a whole lot of reliable scoring options for the Minutemen.
There are players who are capable of contributing. But if last season - a season in which the Minutemen went winless in eight of their final 10 games - is any indication, the pressure will once again fall upon the first line to replicate its 2012-13 showing.
Read more of Canelas: Improved scoring depth essential for UMass in 2013-14
Cameron McDonough profiled goaltender Steve Mastalerz for the Hockey Preview Issue of the Daily Collegian. Mastalerz is UMass' lone returnee in net.
It was never a matter of if Steve Mastalerz would attend the University of Massachusetts. Rather, it was a matter of if he would get an offer to play for its hockey team.
And once he got the official offer to play for the Massachusetts hockey team, it was a relatively easy decision.
The reason why the junior goalie from North Andover was so focused on attending UMass was because it was in his blood. His grandmother raised his father, Jim, 20 minutes away from Amherst and his brother, John, started out the tradition of the Mastalerz family attending UMass when he came to Amherst two years before Steve did.
The idea of playing for the Minutemen also had a comfort level attached to it since he knew one of the assistant coaches, Mike Buckley, whose specific job was to work with the goalies. Mastalerz, at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, had worked with Buckley before and he was a "big influence" on why Mastalerz decided to come to UMass as well.
Read more of UMass goaltender Steve Mastalerz ready for new challenges in '13
Nick Canelas features one of UMass' nine newcomers, sophomore defenseman Ben Gallacher, in this piece from the Daily Collegian's Hockey Preview Issue:
Ben Gallacher is your everyday laid back guy from Alberta, Canada.
He's a college student who tries not to take life too seriously. He enjoys hanging out with friends and has a supportive family.
Just two years ago, he taught himself how to play the guitar by watching instructional videos on YouTube, and now it's simply become another relaxing hobby for him. He likes to percussively strum the tune of songs by alternative and indie folk artists such as Ben Harper and Bon Iver. It's nothing mainstream, but it's just the way he likes it.
"I'm not playing Avicii on my guitar," Gallacher said. "I'm an acoustic guy. It's really mellow."
Like many young Canadians, there's also another important hobby that Gallacher is more passionate about than anything else: playing hockey.
Read more of Ben Gallacher has a new chance at big dreams at UMass
Cameron McDonough takes a look at the opening weekend matchups for UMass hockey in this piece:
While this weekend will provide the usual nerves and excitement that accompany the season opener, it will also have an added element for Michael Pereira and the seniors for the Massachusetts hockey team.
"Nerves, excitement, bittersweet," Pereira said. "It's your last opening weekend."
And this is an important weekend right out of the box for the Minutemen, because rather than ease into Hockey East action with a slew of non-conference games against unranked opponents, they are opening at No. 19 Boston University on Friday before traveling to No. 1 UMass Lowell on Saturday for what will be a non-conference game against a conference opponent.
Read more of UMass hockey excited to start new season against No. 19 BU, No. 1 UML
Cameron McDonough takes a look at UMass' top line, which features its top-three returning scorers from a year ago: Branden Gracel, Michael Pereira and Conor Sheary:
The Massachusetts hockey team has its fair share of question marks heading into the season.
How will Year 2 of the John Micheletto era go?
Who will replace last year's seniors, especially on the second line?
Will Steve Mastalerz step up and be the No. 1 goalie?
And who will step up on defense and replace Conor Allen?
But there are few questions about who the first line will be.
Seniors Branden Gracel, Conor Sheary and Michael Pereira were all moved to the first line during the 2012-13 season by Micheletto and became an instant offensive force in the Hockey East.
Read more of UMass hockey looking for repeat from first line Matt Vautour takes a look at the goaltending battle for UMass and lone upperclassmen goaltender Steve Mastalerz:
University of Massachusetts junior Steve Mastalerz has played like a No. 1 goalie at times.
As a sophomore, Mastalerz stopped 21 shots in a 5-2 upset of then-No. 2 Boston College. It was one of a handful of strong showings during his first two years that showed his potential in goal. But injury-fueled inconsistency prevented him from stringing those types of performances together last season, as neither he nor fellow sophomore Kevin Boyle could ever really seize that No. 1 role.
Read more of UMass goalie Steve Mastalerz eager to hold on to No. 1 role Join us at The Hangar Pub and Grill tonight at 7 p.m. for the Bud Light UMass Football Show. Head coach Charley Molnar is joined by graduate student defensive lineman Justin Anderson and redshirt freshman running back Jamal Wilson. Submit questions for our guests via email or tweet your questions @UMassSportsNet. If you can't make it out to The Hangar, listen live on 105.5 WEEI Springfield.
Football Radio Information
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Daily Collegian staff writer Jason Kates caught up with UMass field hockey head coach Carla Tagliente and junior midfielder Renee Suter to recap the 3-1 victory at Boston University on Sunday. With the win, UMass improved to 9-4 on the season at the conclusion of the non-conference portion of the 2013 schedule. Suter produced two goals, including the game-winner, to lead to charge against the Terriers.
The No. 13 Massachusetts field hockey team scored three unanswered goals in the second half to defeat in-state rival Boston University 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in the final non-conference game of the season.
A two-goal performance from junior midfielder Renee Suter led the way for the Minutewomen (9-4), tallying her first collegiate multi-goal game. UMass coach Carla Tagliente was proud of the way her midfielder stepped up and played a crucial part in the victory...
The conclusion of the story can be found through the Daily Collegian website. More information on UMass field hockey is available on UMassAthletics.com.
Mark Chiareli of the Daily Collegian has a check-up on how the freshman class of men's basketball has been doing thus far. Quotes from head coach Derek Kellogg and fifth-year senior Sampson Carter provide a glimpse into how the six newcomers (4 freshmen, 1 transfer and 1 redshirting transfer) have been working with the seven returning letter winners.
Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette wrote a piece on the adjustment UMass' four freshman are undergoing during the early part of the preseason as they get acclimated to the speed and power of the Division I basketball.
Stephen Hewitt has joined the Maroon Musket writing corps and stopped by men's basketball practice last week to interview Seth Berger. The timing seemed to work out as it goes perfect with the first release of our Getting To Know... series for hoops. Here's a portion of the article and you can read it in it's entirety on their web site.
This summer, Seth Berger put on the "freshman 15" in a different way.
Commonly, the term - whether you want to believe it or not - refers to the 15 pounds that a college freshman will put on during their first year of college, and the causes no doubt vary from individual to individual, college to college.
And Berger's cause surely varies. From the beginning of July to mid-August this summer, the Massachusetts men's basketball team was together for a six-week strength and conditioning program at UMass. Berger, a freshman forward, took advantage, and added 15 pounds to his originally 195-pound frame, thanks to the help of Rich Hogans, also known as "Big Rich," the Minutemen's strength and conditioning coach.
"Big Rich can work some wonders," Berger said. "Being here for six weeks with the dieting and the workouts and stuff, it was tough, but it makes quite a difference."
While there's no perfect formula for predicting how a player will perform in a new league or on a new team, many believe that UMass sophomore transfer Derrick Gordon could be an X-factor in helping UMass return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998. Count Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) among the believers. He listed the Plainfield, N.J. native among his '20 under-the-radar transfers' for this season.
He writes...
Derrick Gordon, UMass: This 6-3 combo guard led Western Kentucky in both scoring and rebounding as the Hilltoppers advanced to the 2012 NCAA tournament. His presence next to Chaz Williams in the Minuteman backcourt has people in Amherst believing this will be the season that Derek Kellogg takes his alma mater to the field of 68.
There are a number of players on teams that appear on the Minutemen's schedule this year, including Gilvydas Biruta (Rhode Island), Alex Dragicevich (Boston College), Tyler Harris (Providence) and Jordan Sibert (Dayton).
With college basketball practices underway across the country, web sites and magazines have been releasing their team rankings and conference predictions in anticipation of the season. It seems the consensus among the outlets listed below and a half-dozen hoops magazines is that UMass should be in the top four of the Atlantic 10 race, along with defending champion Saint Louis, VCU and La Salle.
ESPN
ESPN's Jordan Brenner wrote the team preview that appears for ESPN Insider subscribers. He has UMass finishing fourth in the Atlantic 10.
He writes...
With Chaz Williams, UMass always has a chance. The 5-foot-9 senior is back for one more season after his sterling play (15.5 points, 7.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds per game) earned him all-conference honors in 2012-13. "He's done a real good job solidifying our program," coach Derek Kellogg says.
Williams, certainly, would love to finish his career with an NCAA bid. To do that, though, will require improvements from the guys around him. Most critically, Williams' ability to create for others won't matter if they can't knock down shots. And UMass has a serious lack of 3-point shooters. Raphiael Putney, a versatile 6-9 senior, hit 28 treys a season ago, but those came on 100 attempts. No other returning player hit more than a dozen. So Kellogg hopes that sophomore Trey Davis can contribute and that transfer Derrick Gordon, who averaged 11.8 PPG at Western Kentucky, can expand his range. Otherwise, he'll need a freshman -- perhaps Clyde Santee -- to help replace departed seniors Freddie Riley and Terrell Vinson, as well as Jesse Morgan, who was dismissed from the program.
If the outside shooting doesn't surface, UMass will have to rely on its press to create offense. Gordon, with his athleticism and aggressiveness, should be a great fit for the system, just like Putney. But when teams break the press, a second weakness is exposed -- UMass' half-court defense.
The Minutemen allowed 103 points per 100 possessions in conference games last season (ninth). "That's going to be a focus from Day 1," Kellogg says. "We're going to have some tough defensive practices and we really need to work on our defensive rebounding." Indeed, UMass allowed conference foes to rebound 33.2 percent of their own misses (10th). To change that, Cady Lalanne (8.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.4 BPG) will need to become a more consistent inside presence. And a healthier Sampson Carter -- he averaged 6.4 PPG and 4.3 RPG after returning from hip surgery -- will provide a boost, too.
If UMass can improve its D, a shooter or two emerges and Lalanne becomes the all-conference center Kellogg thinks he can be, this team has enough talent to reach the NCAA tournament. But the Minutemen are still a step behind the likes of St. Louis and VCU to contend for the conference crown.
Projected 2013-14 conference finish: 4th
CBS Sports
Below are the predictions for the A-10 as supplied by the six national writers for CBS Sports. Here is the link for the entire article which shows their choices for some of the larger leagues around the country.
| ATLANTIC 10 | ||||||
| FINISH |  GARY PARRISH |  JEFF BORZELLO |  MATT NORLANDER |  DOUG GOTTLIEB |  JERRY PALM |  JON ROTHSTEIN |
| 1. |  VCU | VCU |  UMASS | VCU | VCU | VCU |
| 2. |  STLOU | STLOU | VCU | STLOU | STLOU |  LASALLE |
| 3. | UMASS | LASALLE | LASALLE | UMASS | LASALLE | STLOU |
| 4. | LASALLE | UMASS |  GMASON | LASALLE | UMASS | UMASS |
| 5. |  DAYTON | DAYTON |  RICH | DAYTON | DAYTON | DAYTON |
| 6. |  STJOES | RICH | STLOU | STJOES | RICH | STJOES |
| 7. | RICH | STJOES | DAYTON | RICH |  RI | RI |
| 8. | GMASON | GMASON |  GWASH | GMASON | STJOES | GWASH |
| 9. | RI | RI | STJOES | RI | GMASON | RICH |
| 10. | GWASH | GWASH | RI | GWASH | GWASH | GMASON |
| 11. |  FORD | FORD |  STBON | FORD | STBON | FORD |
| 12. |  DUQ | DUQ | DUQ | DUQ | FORD | DUQ |
| 13. | STBON | STBON | FORD | STBON | DUQ | STBON |
College Chalk Talk
Writers Chris DiSano and Ian Nolan at College Chalk Talk provided their take on the Atlantic 10 and felt UMass would come in as the fourth place team. Their 140 character synopsis reads... UMass - Yes, Chaz Williams is still in school but the NCAA drought remains, now at 15 long years for the Minutemen. The senior could lead them back as his final act.
They also have Chaz as a first team all-conference choice and Derrick Gordon as one of their three impact transfers.
The duo also feels the Minutemen will make their return to the NCAA tournament, along with VCU, Saint Louis and La Salle.
College Sports Madness
College Sports Madness puts UMass as the No. 40 teams in the country and feels the Minutemen are worthy of a 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Dan Malone spoke with Chaz Williams and Cady Lalanne about the team chemistry and how the new player have meshed with the veterans in preparation for the highly-anticipated men's basketball season.
Dan Malone spoke with Derek Kellogg about the ability to leave wins and losses in the rear-view mirror while focusing on the next game or task in front of you.
"Every season, whether it's a success or whatever it is, we quickly turn the page," Kellogg said. "For me it's always what's next. We look back to make sure any pitfalls don't happen again and any good stuff we try to replicate and duplicate. But, really, as soon as the game ends, guys are home for a while and we started working again for this season."
Dan Malone has an article on the start of men's basketball practice and how the earlier start date adjusts how head coach Derek Kellogg and his staff approach the six weeks of workouts leading up to the Nov. 10 season-opener with Boston College.