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University of Massachusets Athletics
A Fitting Ending for the Seniors
A Fitting Ending for the Seniors
 |  Get involved in saluting our athletes and support the Varsity M Club! |
By RYAN NADEAU
The Maroon & White
The Varsity M Club Senior Banquet was a fitting way to conclude the collegiate athletic careers of the University of Massachusetts senior student-athletes. The seniors had the rare opportunity to get together as one large group. Coaches, administrators, alumni, family and friends got a chance to say `thanks' and show their appreciation to these student-athletes as a group before they depart the university.
This year marked the fourth annual senior banquet since the Varsity M Club was resurrected in 1997 under the direction of Assistant Athletic Director for Student Employment and Alumni Affairs Mike Hodges. This year also marked the largest crowd yet to attend the banquet. Over 250 people attended the May 15 banquet in the Campus Center.
UMass Athletic Director Bob Marcum began the evening by thanking the senior student-athletes for their contributions to the university. Marcum also wished them well in all future endeavors and let them know that they will always be welcomed back to UMass with open arms.
Bob Behler from the Lazer 99.3 and WHMP 1400 AM was the emcee. It was Behler's unenviable task to list off this year's accomplishments and introduce the head coach and seniors from all 29 sports at UMass.
"It's a fitting way to honor our seniors," said head field hockey coach Patty Shea. "It really is a great event and an excellent way to carry on the proud tradition of UMass athletics. I think we should all be thankful for the Varsity M Club and all its efforts to help build a bridge between our past and present athletes."
The Varsity M Club presented all 130 senior athletes who had earned a varsity letter with a ring and a letter certificate. Each gold-plated ring was personalized with the athlete's name and sport.
"The banquet is a way of saying `thank you' to the athletes for all their time and effort toward UMass athletics," said Hodges. "The Varsity M Club is a great way to keep our athletes involved in this university. It provides a connection."
The Varsity M Club Senior Banquet linked past athletes with this year's seniors by inviting a number of alumni back to present rings. It was a nice added touch to a special evening.
"There was a constant theme with almost every athlete's speech," said Hodges. "They all spoke of how they learned more than just the importance of winning and losing while they were here."
After coming on stage to receive their rings, one senior from each team spoke on behalf of his or her teammates.
Hockey player R.J. Gates spoke about how all the seniors will put on their resumes that they were a varsity athlete at UMass from 1997-2001. He said that they would write the years 1997 and 2001, but that the biggest part of the experience is the dash.
"The dash leaves out everything in between your freshman and senior years," said Gates. "It leaves out everything between your first class and your last game. It leaves out all the wins and losses, and believe me we have a lot of losses. It leaves out all the times you spent on the bus with your teammates. The laughs, the cries, the hiring of a new coach who is going to turn this program around. It leaves out the time you had to help a recruit when his head was in a bucket somewhere.
"And finally seniors, it is now our time to depart, but we can always look back to that dash and remember what it really was like to be a student-athlete at UMass for four years."
Fay Naber, of the women's lacrosse team, spoke about how it is important to thank the people around you who have always been there to support you.
"Thank all the people around you that you have met in your time here at UMass that have made your time enjoyable," said Naber. "Thank your parents for standing out in the pouring rain to watch you play. Thank your coaches for taking the time and effort to put you in these seats tonight. Thank your friends for supporting you at your games and matches. And last but not least, thank your teammates for pushing you that extra inch."
Chris Gabrielli, of the ECAC co-champion men's lacrosse team, reflected on a great season and an up-and-down four-year career.
"This team might not have met the approval of the NCAA, but all we need is the respect of each other, our coaches and our parents," said Gabrielli. "That's all we really need. So as far as I'm concerned the NCAA missed out on us."
Andrew Leis, from the ECAC champion men's gymnastics team, spoke of what it means to have been an athlete at UMass.
"Being a varsity athlete is a real special thing," said Leis. "It takes hard work, dedication and determination. I feel though I, along with my senior classmates, have matured a lot in our time here, and I owe much of it to being an athlete. Being on the men's gymnastics team here at UMass has been one of the best experiences of my life."
Volleyball players Jenni Drennan and Rebecca Hason, who are both from California, joked about how everyone wondered why they would leave sunny California for Massachusetts.
"Actually we're not leaving yet. We enjoyed it so much, we're going to stay another year," said Drennan, who is coming back to UMass in the fall. "I just want to thank everyone for making my four years here the best."
After all the seniors were presented with their rings, Hodges closed out the evening by once again thanking all the seniors for their contributions to the athletic department and the university.
The Varsity M Club would like to salute all 130 seniors for building upon the fine tradition of UMass athletics and wish them all good luck in their future endeavors.
The Maroon & White
The Varsity M Club Senior Banquet was a fitting way to conclude the collegiate athletic careers of the University of Massachusetts senior student-athletes. The seniors had the rare opportunity to get together as one large group. Coaches, administrators, alumni, family and friends got a chance to say `thanks' and show their appreciation to these student-athletes as a group before they depart the university.
This year marked the fourth annual senior banquet since the Varsity M Club was resurrected in 1997 under the direction of Assistant Athletic Director for Student Employment and Alumni Affairs Mike Hodges. This year also marked the largest crowd yet to attend the banquet. Over 250 people attended the May 15 banquet in the Campus Center.
UMass Athletic Director Bob Marcum began the evening by thanking the senior student-athletes for their contributions to the university. Marcum also wished them well in all future endeavors and let them know that they will always be welcomed back to UMass with open arms.
Bob Behler from the Lazer 99.3 and WHMP 1400 AM was the emcee. It was Behler's unenviable task to list off this year's accomplishments and introduce the head coach and seniors from all 29 sports at UMass.
"It's a fitting way to honor our seniors," said head field hockey coach Patty Shea. "It really is a great event and an excellent way to carry on the proud tradition of UMass athletics. I think we should all be thankful for the Varsity M Club and all its efforts to help build a bridge between our past and present athletes."
The Varsity M Club presented all 130 senior athletes who had earned a varsity letter with a ring and a letter certificate. Each gold-plated ring was personalized with the athlete's name and sport.
"The banquet is a way of saying `thank you' to the athletes for all their time and effort toward UMass athletics," said Hodges. "The Varsity M Club is a great way to keep our athletes involved in this university. It provides a connection."
The Varsity M Club Senior Banquet linked past athletes with this year's seniors by inviting a number of alumni back to present rings. It was a nice added touch to a special evening.
"There was a constant theme with almost every athlete's speech," said Hodges. "They all spoke of how they learned more than just the importance of winning and losing while they were here."
After coming on stage to receive their rings, one senior from each team spoke on behalf of his or her teammates.
Hockey player R.J. Gates spoke about how all the seniors will put on their resumes that they were a varsity athlete at UMass from 1997-2001. He said that they would write the years 1997 and 2001, but that the biggest part of the experience is the dash.
"The dash leaves out everything in between your freshman and senior years," said Gates. "It leaves out everything between your first class and your last game. It leaves out all the wins and losses, and believe me we have a lot of losses. It leaves out all the times you spent on the bus with your teammates. The laughs, the cries, the hiring of a new coach who is going to turn this program around. It leaves out the time you had to help a recruit when his head was in a bucket somewhere.
"And finally seniors, it is now our time to depart, but we can always look back to that dash and remember what it really was like to be a student-athlete at UMass for four years."
Fay Naber, of the women's lacrosse team, spoke about how it is important to thank the people around you who have always been there to support you.
"Thank all the people around you that you have met in your time here at UMass that have made your time enjoyable," said Naber. "Thank your parents for standing out in the pouring rain to watch you play. Thank your coaches for taking the time and effort to put you in these seats tonight. Thank your friends for supporting you at your games and matches. And last but not least, thank your teammates for pushing you that extra inch."
Chris Gabrielli, of the ECAC co-champion men's lacrosse team, reflected on a great season and an up-and-down four-year career.
"This team might not have met the approval of the NCAA, but all we need is the respect of each other, our coaches and our parents," said Gabrielli. "That's all we really need. So as far as I'm concerned the NCAA missed out on us."
Andrew Leis, from the ECAC champion men's gymnastics team, spoke of what it means to have been an athlete at UMass.
"Being a varsity athlete is a real special thing," said Leis. "It takes hard work, dedication and determination. I feel though I, along with my senior classmates, have matured a lot in our time here, and I owe much of it to being an athlete. Being on the men's gymnastics team here at UMass has been one of the best experiences of my life."
Volleyball players Jenni Drennan and Rebecca Hason, who are both from California, joked about how everyone wondered why they would leave sunny California for Massachusetts.
"Actually we're not leaving yet. We enjoyed it so much, we're going to stay another year," said Drennan, who is coming back to UMass in the fall. "I just want to thank everyone for making my four years here the best."
After all the seniors were presented with their rings, Hodges closed out the evening by once again thanking all the seniors for their contributions to the athletic department and the university.
The Varsity M Club would like to salute all 130 seniors for building upon the fine tradition of UMass athletics and wish them all good luck in their future endeavors.