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Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story today where he get the thoughts of men's basketball coach Derek Kellogg and football coach Mark Whipple on the departure of athletic director John McCutcheon. McCutcheon's 11-year tenure will come to an end on Feb. 20 at UMass as he takes over at UC Santa Barbara.
The Daily Collegian, Daily Hampshire Gazette and Springfield Republican all have stories on Bob Goodhue being announced as the interim athletic director for UMass. Also announced on Thursday was the creation of a 13-member search committee to find the next permanent A.D. to replace John McCutcheon who is leaving for the top job at UC Santa Barbara.
Today we have extensive coverage of yesterday's announcement that John McCutcheon would be leaving UMass to take over as the next athletic director at UC Santa Barbara. McCutcheon guided the UMass Department of Athletics for 11 years during one of the most historic overall periods of growth and transition.
- Matt Vautour: Search for next UMass athletic director a huge undertaking | GazetteNet.com
- UCSB Names New Athletic Director - Santa Barbara Independent
- College Notebook: UMass AD heads to UCSB | Boston Herald
- UM AD leaves for UCSB post | The Recorder
- John McCutcheon reflects on his time at UMass, admits its time for change : The Massachusetts Daily Collegian
- UMass Athletic Director leaving for California job | WWLP.com
- UMass: AD John McCutcheon takes same job at UC Santa Barbara - Sports - southcoasttoday.com - New Bedford, MA
- Athletic director John F. McCutcheon leaving UMass - Sports - The Boston Globe
- AD John McCutcheon leaving University of Massachusetts for same role at UC-Santa Barbara - ESPN Boston
- 'An Exceptional Leader' | The UCSB Current
- UMass Athletic Director to Take Post at UC Santa Barbara - WGGB.com ABC 40
- UMass athletic director John McCutcheon leaves Feb. 20 for same job at University of California-Santa Barbara | GazetteNet.com
- UMass' John McCutcheon officially announced as new AD at UC Santa Barbara | masslive.com
- UMass AD John McCutcheon's legacy will be written by others | masslive.com
- UCSB hires McCutcheon as new athletic director -- Presidio Sports
- McCutcheon Hired as New UCSB Athletic Director | Sports - KEYT
- UMass athletic director John McCutcheon to take job at UCSB : The Massachusetts Daily Collegian
- UMass athletic director John McCutcheon leaving for AD job at UC Santa Barbara | masslive.com
- UMass athletic director John McCutcheon leaves Feb. 20 for same job at University of California-Santa Barbara | GazetteNet.com
Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican spoke with John McCutcheon on Wednesday about his thoughts on the progress the UMass football program has made during the first year of Mark Whipple's return as head coach.
"We go to MAC opponents now and I can see in the administrators when the games are over - particularly this past week (against Toledo) - that they know they got lucky getting away with a victory. They know they were in a dogfight," he said. "We're as competitive as any team in the MAC and we have the vast majority of the team coming back for next year. That is going to bring some expectations and I think we welcome that with open arms.
"We're really positioned for future success."
Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette spoke with UMass Director of Athletics late this week on the NCAA's ruling on Big 5 autonomy and what that will mean for UMass as part of the Atlantic 10/Mid-American Conference/Hockey East with a specific focus on full-cost of attendance scholarships.
"It's not an overwhelming addition to our overall scholarship budget. We feel we can deal with it if that situation may arise," said McCutcheon, who said there would be several options of how to pay for the increased costs, but said it was premature to discuss them.
Over the last several days, UMass Director of Athletics John McCutcheon has spoken to several reporters on the conference search for UMass football, how the transition has been progressing over the last several years, and his overall assessment of the program.
In a lengthy interview with Ron Chimelis of the Springfield Republican on Wednesday, McCutcheon said he sees many aspects of growth to remain positive about including attendance growth and having games back at McGuirk Stadium this year.
The news that 2015 will be the final season for UMass football as an affiliate member with the Mid-American Conference made national headlines yesterday. The move is due to a contract clause that states if the MAC University presidents voted to make UMass a full conference member for all sports, then the Minutemen could either except the offer or decline it and let the remaining balance of the contract term finish. UMass chose not to become a full member and, therefore, the 2015 season will be the Minutemen's last in the MAC.
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Dan Malone of the Springfield Republican has a story discussing the return of UMass basketball to the NCAA Tournament and the journey that has taken place.
Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette has a story today on the long term goals of the UMass football program as a member of the FBS which mirrors the recent success of Northern Illinois.
"I think they're a great example of rewards at the end of the road," UMass Director of Athletics John McCutcheon said. "Whether it's Northern Illinois or some other schools who have been through the transition, there are examples. It just takes a while. It can be turned around, but there aren't any quick fixes. Hopefully the decisions will pay off at some point. The Red Sox going from worst to first is the exception not the rule."
Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette has a notebook which includes quotes from UMass Director of Athletics John McCutcheon on the plans for a new basketball practice facility and upgrades to McGuirk Stadium which will include a new fieldhouse and press box.
If things go according to plan, University of Massachusetts athletic director John McCutcheon could be a busy man on July 1, 2014.
That's the day the new basketball practice facility and football stadium upgrades are scheduled to be completed.
UMass has selected the architecture firm of Perkins and Will to design the new football facilities building and new press box for McGuirk Stadium.
"We're in the design process," McCutcheon said. "Of the bidders they demonstrated the best understanding of what we wanted to get done."
The athletic department is evaluating bids for the practice facility.
"The practice facility is still on track. We just received bids from design firms, but it's still on schedule and we're right in the middle of the process," McCutcheon said. "We'll work with the building authority to determine who we think will do the best job."
Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette has a piece on the excitement generated by UMass' NIT Semifinal run and the success in several other sports along with the transition of the football program to the Mid-American Conference.
"When you have the success that basketball has had and you see what the lacrosse programs are doing and some of our other teams combined with the momentum of our football transition, it's very positive," McCutcheon said. "You walk around (Madison Square Garden) and hear the things people are saying and it's gratifying."
Charley Molnar is introduced on Thursday as the next head coach of the UMass football team. Fans can watch the entire archived press conference here:
CBS3 and ABC40 both have coverage here as well:
Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette has an update on the coaching search for the new football head coach including an informative look at the roll the Black Coaches and Administrators organization plays in the process.
UMass' news that it was releasing Kevin Morris as head football coach made national headlines yesterday. The Minutemen completed their final year at the FCS level this past season and now turn their attention to moving up to the FBS level as members of the Mid-American Conference.
Boston Globe: Morris out at UMass
Boston Herald: UMass moves up without Kevin Morris
Associated Press:UMass fires football coach Morris
BC Sports: UMass releases coach ahead of MAC move
Daily Hampshire Gazette: UMass seeks 'momentum' in move to FBS
Springfield Republican: UMass AD McCutcheon cites lack of progress for releasing Morris
NBC22 Springfield:
Jeff Thomas of the Springfield Republican had this story late last week on UMass' transition to the FBS level and the MAC conference with quotes from Athletic Director John McCutcheon.
The move has been met with joy and a little bit of sorrow, most fans excited about the step up in competition on a weekly basis, but some upset that all the home games for the next two years will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, home of the New England Patriots.
"It's going very well, we're up over 800 new season tickets and most of those are early anticipation of next year,'' UMass director of athletics John McCutcheon said. "Our renewal rate is over 80 percent and that was three weeks ago for this season.
"Folks are excited about it, the response we've had in regards to our scheduling of FBS games has gone very well and we're just excited about what has happened with UMass football,'' he added.
Matt Vautour of the Daily Hampshire Gazette has an in-depth piece looking at the upcoming year with Athletic Director John McCutcheon and several major projects being undertaken by the UMass Athletic Department.
Fall officially arrived for John McCutcheon last week as he had the Game Tracker for the University of Massachusetts women's soccer team's 2-1 win over New Hampshire open on his computer as he worked in his office.
"It got my blood flowing a little bit," McCutcheon said.
After a tough year for the department in 2010-11, the University of Massachusetts athletic director was glad to have 2011-12 under way.
"I can't wait. I think we have improved. We want to see the effects of that on the court, on the field and on the ice. I think the coaches are excited about it, too," he said. "A lot of things probably didn't go the way they wanted it to last year and they probably have a bad taste in their mouths and they can't wait to get it out of there. I think everybody is looking forward to getting this year started."
The Together We're One Tour will head to Boston tonight for a free event at the UMass Club from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. We hope to see you all out there. Matt Vautour had some insight on the event in today's Daily Hampshire Gazette.
MARKETING FOR THE FUTURE - Morris will be a featured guest as part of Maroon Night tonight at the UMass Club, 225 Franklin St. in Boston.
Anyone interested in attending may register online at https://secure.www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/UMS/events/UMS2314494.h...
It's the fourth of five "Together We're One" events designed to help promote the upgraded football program.
"The outpouring of support has been outstanding. We expect more of the same Thursday," Morris said.
UMass athletic director John McCutcheon said the summer event tour is just the beginning of increased marketing efforts by the department in connection with the football upgrade.
"We'll start to gear up the campaign to make people aware and increase season tickets. We have a lot of work ahead of us for sure. We need to get people excited and get down to the business of preparing for 2012," McCutcheon said. "We'll be doing a number of different things. We're looking at anything and everything. We're looking at advertising campaigns, special market campaigns. We're out meeting with various groups around the state and the response has been very positive."
Masslive.com has two more feature pieces on the UMass football move to the FBS level and the MAC. Check them out here including a video tour of McGuirk Stadium.
Continue reading Masslive With Two Features On UMass Football.
Join us for the weekly UMass Sports Luncheon as Athletic Director John McCutcheon will be the featured speaker. He will talk about UMass' upgrade to FBS and the MAC for football and be available for questions. Join us at the Campus Center Room 1009 starting at 12 Noon. Call 413-545-4290 for more information.
Women's track and field jumper Stephanie Aguguo and women's lacrosse attacker Jackie Lyons will be honored as the UMass co-athletes of the week. This is the second week in a row that Aguguo has been named an athlete of the week.
Business West has a pair of stories on UMass football and its upgrade to FBS and MAC.
Continue reading Business West Features On UMass Football Upgrade.
After years of debate and speculation. UMass is moving its football team up to the FBS, formerly called Divisioin I -A With that move comes another, UMass will play its future home games in Foxborough. "I'm glad to see them make it finally where they should be", says Amherst's Al Ohlson. Watch the full story from NBC22.
In the Springfield Republican, Ron Chimelis has a story on the upgrades to McGuirk Stadium and how UMass will return to play several games at McGuirk Stadium starting in 2014. "We are in a transitional period. By 2014, the plan is to have an upgraded campus facility that could host some games,'' Athletic Director John McCutcheon said.
Read the full story here: UMass football could play on campus again, but not before 2014.
Continue reading Republican Follow-Up On UMass Facility Upgrades.
The University of Massachusetts athletic department put plans for its new football facilities on display Friday in the program's temporary offices in the Slobody Building on University Drive. The plans are part of the upgrade by UMass to Bowl Subdivision football. The two-story building will house a locker room, a weight room, a sports medicine facility, an equipment room, coaches offices and meeting rooms. It will be built in the north end zone of McGuirk Stadium, where there is currently a small parking lot. Read the full story in the Daily Hampshire Gazette: UMass unveils plan for new football facility, press box at McGuirk Stadium.
Continue reading Gazette Story On Football Plans For Facility Upgrades.
Here are a few stories on the end of the men's basketball season. UMass wraps up 2010-11 with a 15-15 record and will not participate in postseason play.
• Daily Hampshire Gazette: Minutemen end hoop season, focus on next year
• Springfield Republican: End of rumors: McCutcheon says that basketball coach Derek Kellogg will return
• Springfield Republican: An offensive offense to blame for UMass basketball struggles
• The Examiner: Minutemen's season comes to a merciful end
Continue reading Updates On The End Of The Basketball Season.
Read Matt Vautour's fascinating story about the FCS playoff picture in the Daily Hampshire Gazette. He got an inside glimpse of how some of the discussions might go among the NCAA committee from UMass Athletic Director John McCutcheon, who served on the committee for the last five years.
Continue reading Gazette Breaks Down FCS Playoff Positioning.
The Boston Globe has a front page story comparing the football programs at UMass and UConn. It has lots of detail and information.
Continue reading Globe: UMass Has An Eye On UConn Play Book.
The business goals of Saturday's Colonial Clash seem sure to be reached. All that remains for the University of Massachusetts football team is the not-so-small goal of beating New Hampshire at Gillette Stadium.
The first college game at the stadium in Foxborough looks almost certain to draw more than 25,000 fans. UMass athletic director John McCutcheon deemed the project a success.
"If we got between 25,000 and 30,000, we'd be very pleased. That looks to be about where we'll be at.''
The largest crowd ever to watch UMass play another Football Championship Subdivision school is 23,454 for the 2006 NCAA semifinal at Montana. That seems sure to be surpassed.
Read the Springfield Republican.
Continue reading Republican: Gillette Crowd Approaching 30,000.
The Daily Hampshire Gazette has a story on the way the Colonial Clash came into being. Check it out.
New Hampshire Athletic Director Marty Scarano was skeptical at first when Associate Athletic Director Steve Metcalf first informed him of Gillette Stadium's interest in having the UNH football team play a game there. "I wasn't sure we'd want to give up a home game," Scarano said. "The more we talked, the more it made a lot of sense. I thought it was a great opportunity for UNH." Phil Buttafuoco had been making a similar pitch to University of Massachusetts Athletic Director John McCutcheon. "It came together simultaneously for both of us," McCutcheon said. "When they were interested and we were interested it made sense for us to do a two-year deal and work on it together."
Continue reading Gazette: Gillette Presents Unique Opportunity.