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University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass NewsStand: Latest Headlines
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Welcome to "UMass NewsStand," a daily listing with links to stories from around the country on the Minutemen and Minutewomen. While we'll try to have most stories to you early each morning, be sure to check back throughout the day as we add links at all hours when we find them.
We hope you enjoy the links below to some the top stories from September of 2003. Please note that these links take you to pages which are not a part of UMassAthletics.com, and we apologize if the links no longer direct you to the proper page.
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
FOOTBALL: Cobbs out for rest of season
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - Splitting his time between wide receiver, tailback, cornerback and kick returner, R.J. Cobbs was expected to leave the field rarely this season. Instead, he never made it onto it. University of Massachusetts football coach Mark Whipple announced Monday that Cobbs won't play this season. . .
FOOTBALL: Whipple suspends top back
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
AMHERST - The University of Massachusetts football team will not have the services of its biggest offensive threat at all this year. Sophomore R.J. Cobbs will not play this year for the Min- utemen. He was suspended yesterday for the year by coach Mark Whipple for academic reasons. . .
Monday, September 29, 2003
FOOTBALL: Minutemen expecting extra leg work
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - Sitting in the postgame press conference after Saturday's 31-26 win over James Madison, University of Massachusetts junior wide receiver Jason Peebler was well aware that coach Mark Whipple might add some extra running to the Minutemen's practice schedule this week. . .
FOOTBALL: Shades of 1998 as 'O' comes alive
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Andrew Merritt
AMHERST - No rings are being cast, and no banners are being sewn yet, but the similarities between the 2003 and 1998 editions of Massachusetts Football are striking already, especially when it comes to the guys given the job of scoring. . .
FOOTBALL: Minutemen must improve
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
AMHERST - On Sunday mornings in the college football season, all that matters is the bottom line. The University of Massachusetts has had its problems the last two weeks, but the bottom line is it beat Maine 24-16 two weeks ago and prevailed against James Madison 31-26 on Saturday. . .
Saturday, September 27, 2003
FOOTBALL: 2002 Loss Nags At Dukes
Harrisonburg Daily News-Record / By Mike Barber
AMHERST - The frustration still lingers and the loss still smarts, a year later. Last season, Massachusetts edged James Madison's football team 14-7 on the Dukes' homecoming. Twice in that game - at the end of each half - JMU had the ball inside the 1-yard line and came up empty. . .
FOOTBALL: Whipple happy to be home again
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - The weather outlook is mediocre with potential light rain in the forecast. But drizzle aside, University of Massachusetts football coach Mark Whipple will be glad to be playing in Amherst. After taking his team to Kansas State and Maine the last two weekends, the idea of familiar surroundings is appealing. . .
FOOTBALL: 'Sleeper' opponent concerns UMass
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
AMHERST - James Madison was picked to finish eighth by the coaches and media of the Atlantic 10 in the preseason football poll, but Mark Whipple knows better. The University of Massachusetts coach says he thinks the Dukes will be that one sleeper team the A-10 seems to produce each season. . .
Friday, September 26, 2003
FOOTBALL: UMass wary of defensive Dukes
Boston Herald / By John Connolly
AMHERST - The UMass football team hopes to ride the momentum of last week's key road victory against Maine when it hosts Atlantic 10 foe James Madison tomorrow at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst. "We're back at home and we haven't been at home since our opener," UMass recruiting coordinator Paul Gorham said. . .
FOOTBALL: Dukes await Minutemen
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - Heading into its fourth game of the season, the team is 2-1. It beat a lesser I-AA team in week one, lost to a top-level I-A team in week two and won a nail-biting Atlantic 10 game on the road in week three. The offense is led by a first-year running back who helped allow the incumbent starter move to another position while the defense revolves around a talented and steady group of linebackers. . .
MEN'S SOCCER: Streak on the line
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Becky Horowitz
AMHERST - The Massachusetts men's soccer team looks to extend its winning streak to five as it travels to Durham, N.H. Saturday to take on the Wildcats. It is the last chance for the Minutemen (5-2) to work out the kinks before conference play begins and the road to an Atlantic 10 championship commences. . .
WOMEN'S SOCCER: Week of rest comes to an end
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Todd Foster
AMHERST - Dealing with key injuries and a three-game losing streak on their hands, the Massachusetts women's soccer team needed a break after a disappointing start. With coach Jim Rudy out of his office yesterday, the squad was given the day off to lick its battle wounds after a highly physical 1-0 loss to Central Connecticut on Wednesday. . .
Thursday, September 25, 2003
FOOTBALL: Minutemen look to true freshmen
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
AMHERST - To redshirt or not to redshirt, that is the question that troubles college football coaches each season. Can he help as a freshman? Is he ready? Is the season worth using up a year of his eligibility? Or has it reached the point where the coach doesn't have a choice but to play him. . .
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
FIELD HOCKEY: Tough Husky squad hosts Minutewomen
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Brendan Hall
AMHERST - The Massachusetts field hockey team (2-6) will surely have its work cut out for it this afternoon, when it travels to Boston to face the No. 13 Northeastern Huskies (6-3) at the Wentworth Institute. Coming off of a heartbreaking overtime loss to Providence on Saturday, the Minutewomen have lost four straight going into today's game, a position they didn't want to get in to at this point in the season. . .
WOMEN'S SOCCER: Back to work
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Matt Stewart
AMHERST - It's been a week since the Massachusetts women's soccer team has taken the pitch. And it still might not be enough time to heal all the wounds the Minutewomen have suffered during the young season. The Maroon and White is still faced with the same key players out on the disabled list as it prepares for tonight's match-up against the red-hot Central Connecticut State Blue Devils. . .
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
MEN'S BASKETBALL: Lappas hopes learning experience translates to postseason berth
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - The University of Massachusetts wasn't trying to create as much suspense as possible around its men's basketball schedule. It only seemed that way. With the first game of the season less than two months away, the long-awaited 2003-04 UMass men's basketball schedule was finally released Monday. . .
MEN'S BASKETBALL: UMass basketball slate will go local
Springfield Republican / By Ron Chimelis
AMHERST - A handful of opponents from power conferences remain, but the 2003-04 University of Massachusetts men's basketball schedule has a distinctly New England flavor. The Minutemen will play Vermont, Maine and Hartford in non-conference games at the Mullins Center, Central Connecticut State at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Connecticut at the Hartford Civic Center and Rhode Island in home-and-away Atlantic 10 Conference contests. . .
FOOTBALL: Baylark solidifies UMass' running attack
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - Prior to the season, Steve Baylark was little more than a name on the roster to most University of Massachusetts football fans. Running back was certainly a strength with Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year R.J. Cobbs (1,067 yards) and Raunny Rosario (758 yards) returning, but Baylark wasn't even on the Minutemen's radar screen yet. . .
Monday, September 22, 2003
FOOTBALL: Former Amherst Regional teammates reunite
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
ORONO, Maine - As their respective football teams walked off the field at Alfond Stadium Saturday, Amherst Regional alumni Marcus Williams and James Ihedigbo found each other for a few moments. . .
FOOTBALL: Resiliency key to win
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Mike Marzelli
ORONO, Maine - Steve Baylark, playing in place of the "academically disciplined" R.J. Cobbs and the injured Raunny Rosario, rushed for 23 yards in the first half. Steve Costello, playing special teams in place of Cobbs, fumbled a punt deep in Maine territory, and was subsequently beaten on a fade route by Christian Pereira for the Black Bears' first touchdown just three plays later. . .
FOOTBALL: 'D' carrying most of load for UMass
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
ORONO, Maine - Until the University of Massachusetts football team's offense comes of age, the defense is going to have to carry the weight. But it may need a lot more time on the sidelines, to avoid collapsing under the load. . .
Sunday, September 21, 2003
ATHLETICS: Chancellor directs athletics
Springfield Republican / By Ron Chimelis
AMHERST - With all due respect to Thorr Bjorn, a fine man and dutiful University of Massachusetts employee, calling him an interim athletic director is a bit misleading. At UMass, Bjorn is much more "interim" than "athletic director," a point made clear last week when, upon his selection, chancellor John Lombardi immediately let it be known that Bjorn would have no significant role with the Division I-A football task force. . .
Saturday, September 20, 2003
FOOTBALL: Maine, UMass collide in key A-10 showdown
Bangor Daily News / By Pete Warner
ORONO, Maine - With only scattered remnants of hurricane Isabel scheduled to pass through Maine Friday night, the state's college football teams should be blessed with a decent day for Saturday's action.Massachusetts (1-1) at Maine (2-1), Alfond Stadium, Orono, 6 p.m. . .
FOOTBALL: Season begins with Maine
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
ORONO, Maine - University of Massachusetts football coach Mark Whipple has been targeting Saturday's game at Maine for some time. He's even violated the coaching law that says never to talk about a game until it's the next one on your schedule. . .
FOOTBALL: With UMass, it's more than rivalry
Portland Press Herald / By Jerry Lauzon
ORONO, Maine - No pep talks are necessary to get the University of Maine football team ready for Massachusetts. A longtime nemesis to the Black Bears, the Minutemen halted Maine's eight-game win streak in 2002 and have a 35-13-1 advantage in this rivalry. It's also Family and Friends Weekend at Maine, with the football game serving as the central event. Game time at Alfond Stadium is 6 p.m. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass faces Maine rush
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
ORONO, Maine - A mere week after playing the toughest opponent in program history, the University of Massachusetts football team now plays what coach Mark Whipple says is the most important game of the season. The Minutemen (1-1) open their Atlantic 10 conference schedule tonight against two-time defending champion Maine (2-1) at Alfond Stadium. . .
Friday, September 19, 2003
ATHLETICS: Lombardi lays down plan for athletics
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Andrew Merritt and S.J. Port
AMHERST - Chancellor John Lombardi addressed the faculty senate yesterday, and included in his remarks was a plan for both the Massachusetts Athletic Department and the UMass football team's attempt to enter the ranks of Division I-A - a move that has been discussed in some form for nearly 10 years. . .
CROSS COUNTRY: UMass prepares for Owen Invite
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Matt Barstown and Leah Wyner
AMHERST - The University of Massachusetts cross-country team is back in action tomorrow, coming off a second place finish in last weekend's home opener. The Minutemen will travel to New Britain, Conn., where they will compete in the Ted Owen Invitational. . .
FIELD HOCKEY: Home turf a welcome sight
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Paula Aden
AMHERST - Coming off a series of three straight road losses in Louisiana and Cambridge, Mass., the Massachusetts field hockey team (2-5) will finally return to home turf tomorrow at 2 p.m., when it hosts Providence College at Garber Field in non-conference play. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass gears up for Maine
Boston Herald / By John Connolly
BOSTON - How UMass rebounds from its 38-7 loss to Division 1-A powerhouse Kansas State will be of paramount interest when the Minutemen travel north to take on Maine tomorrow night in Orono. "We did some good things (against Kansas State) and that's what we're accentuating to the kids," UMass assistant coach Paul Gorham said. . .
FOOTBALL: Defending A-10 champs host UMass
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - Throughout the preseason the University of Massachusetts players and coaching staff talked about winning the Atlantic 10 crown. Step one is in the defending champions' backyard. Orono, Maine isn't further away than last week's opponent Kansas State, it just seems that way. . .
FOOTBALL: Settle I-A issue now or never
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Cheryl B. Wilson
AMHERST - Chancellor John V. Lombardi told the Faculty Senate Thursday that the question of Division I-A football for the University of Massachusetts must be settled quickly and a committee will report by November. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass ponders top-tier football
Springfield Republican / By Patrick Johnson
AMHERST - The latest feasibility study of big-time college football at the University of Massachusetts will accomplish one of two things when the final report is presented in November, Chancellor John V. Lombardi told faculty yesterday. . .
MEN'S SOCCER: Siena is penultimate warmup for Atlantic 10
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Bob McGovern
AMHERST - As the Atlantic 10 season approaches, the Massachusetts men's soccer team is firing on all cylinders. Before the Minutemen (4-2) can start the conference slate, they'll travel to Loudonville, N.Y. tomorrow for a 1 p.m. clash with the Siena Saints. . .
Thursday, September 18, 2003
ATHLETICS: Bjorn named UMass interim A.D.
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - For the next several months, Thorr Bjorn is getting a sneak peak at his dream job. Chancellor John Lombardi named Bjorn, 35, the University of Massachusetts' interim athletic director Wednesday. . .
ATHLETICS: Interim status fine for now
Springfield Republican / By Ron Chimelis
AMHERST - The new interim athletic director at the University of Massachusetts said he does not consider the school a steppingstone, but also has no problem knowing that he won't be considered for the permanent job. "I think UMass is a great place to be," said Thorr D. Bjorn, who was named to the interim position by Chancellor John V. Lombardi yesterday. . .
FOOTBALL: Kickin' it off
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Andrew Merritt
AMHERST - Forget 51-7 over Central Connecticut State. Forget 7-3 over Kansas State in the first quarter, as well as the final lopsided result in favor of the Wildcats. For the Massachusetts football team, the season starts now. . .
FOOTBALL: Will team pay price for game?
Springfield Republican / By Ron Chimelis
AMHERST - This Saturday night, the University of Massachusetts football team will learn the final results of last week's game against Kansas State. The Minutemen play Maine, and once the score and injury lists are added up, we'll learn whether last week's 38-7 loss amounted to anything more than UMass simply renting out its players for one day, as if they were indentured servants, in return for a big payoff. . .
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
ATHLETICS: UMass' Bjorn to be interim AD
Boston Globe / By Mark Blaudschun
AMHERST - After a week of canvassing the on-campus candidates, the University of Massachusetts is expected to name associate athletic director Thorr Bjorn the interim athletic director in the next few days, according to sources within the UMass athletic department. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass' Whipple deals with big-time frustration
Boston Globe / By Joe Burris
AMHERST - It costs $3.25 million for the University of Massachusetts to field a football team annually, and last Saturday its contest against seventh-ranked Kansas State assured the Minutemen more than one-tenth that amount -- a guaranteed $350,000 payday. . .
MEN'S SOCCER: Going to the dogs
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Bob McGovern
AMHERST - After a respectable performance in last weekend's University of Massachusetts Adidas Classic, the Massachusetts men's soccer team is riding high going into today's match up against Boston University. . .
WOMEN'S SOCCER: Hurting Minutewomen take on BU
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Matt Stewart
AMHERST - Just as it seemed the Massachusetts women's soccer team's health couldn't get any worse, another key starter fell victim to an injury. In Sunday's 1-0 loss to Syracuse, sophomore forward Adair Blyer went down on an apparent knee injury. . .
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
FOOTBALL: Bruised Minutemen still want to play I-A teams
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
AMHERST - They lost the game, they felt the officiating was biased, and the wounded are many, but University of Massachusetts football coach Mark Whipple said the Minutemen will continue to schedule Division I-A teams. "I'm glad it's over," Whipple said yesterday on the weekly Atlantic 10 coaches' conference call. . .
Monday, September 15, 2003
FOOTBALL: Ready or not, Bears are next
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
MANHATTAN, Kan. - The scoreboard at the far end of the field still displayed the 38-7 score that his team had lost to Kansas State by, but University of Massachusetts coach Mark Whipple had already put that game on the back burner. . .
FOOTBALL: K-State provides UMass with model for future
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Andrew Merritt
MANHATTAN, Kan. - KSU Stadium emerges slowly, and from a mile away, you'd never believe it houses Big XII football. But once you get within the gates, it's clear that you've entered the big time. Two large grandstands, one with a second deck, a press box the size of most found in NFL stadiums, and enough stat boards to keep even the craziest junkie satisfied. . .
Saturday, September 13, 2003
FOOTBALL: It could get ugly
Boston Globe / By Paul Harber
MANHATTAN, Kan. - For Massachusetts, the cleat is on the other foot today in Manhattan, Kan. After beating Central Connecticut State like a drum, 51-7, last weekend, UMass will be the percussion instrument when it squares off against Kansas State (3-0). . .
FOOTBALL: Big-12 challenge awaits UMass
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
MANHATTAN, Kan. - With a Big-12 schedule that includes Nebraska, Texas and Colorado, Kansas State wasn't just looking for an easy game when head coach Bill Snyder scheduled the University of Massachusetts I-AA football program for Saturday (2 p.m.) in Manhattan, Kan. . .
FOOTBALL: Wildcats face a Division I threat in UMass QB
Kansas City Star / By Howard Richman
MANHATTAN, Kan. - If things had turned out differently, Jeff Krohn might have gotten to know Kansas State a lot sooner. Krohn is the senior quarterback for Massachusetts, which faces the difficult task of taking on No. 7 K-State at 1:10 this afternoon at KSU Stadium. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass foe depleted, but still formidable
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
MANHATTAN, Kan. - The University of Massachusetts football team's defense has already received a break against Kansas State. Now, the offense could use a good turn in today's game at Manhattan, Kan. . .
Friday, September 12, 2003
CROSS COUNTRY: UMass ready for opener
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Matt Barstow & Leah K. Wyner
AMHERST - This Saturday marks the beginning of the University of Massachusetts' cross country season. Both teams will compete against Maine, Vermont and Central Connecticut on their home course, the only chance for the Maroon and White to race at home. . .
FIELD HOCKEY: For Shea, Harvard means more
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Becky Horowitz
AMHERST - A trip to Harvard has meaning beyond wins and losses for Patty Shea. On Sunday Shea, coach of the Massachusetts field hockey team, will be reunited with her former roommate and teammate at the University of Massachusetts, Harvard coach Sue Caples. Shea and the Minutewomen (2-3) take on the Crimson (1-0) at Jordan Field at 2 p.m. . .
FOOTBALL: Motivated Minutemen set for K-State
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
MANHATTAN, Kan. - University of Massachusetts coach Mark Whipple joked earlier this week about not wanting to even play Saturday's 2 p.m. game at Kansas State. But as he sat in the coaches' locker room at McGuirk Stadium watching the Bill Snyder Kansas State Coaches Show via satellite on College Sports TV, Whipple was clearly enjoying the preparation for the No. 7-ranked team in I-A. . .
FOOTBALL: Arizona State transfer Krohn set to lead UMass
Kansas State Collegian / By David Skretta
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Every team needs a trigger-man. Quarterback Ell Roberson will miss Saturday's game with an injury he sustained late in the second quarter against McNeese State. . .
FOOTBALL: University of Massachusetts full of weapons
Kansas State Collegian / By David Skretta
MANHATTAN, Kan. - K-State's tour of Division I-AA continues this week when the Wildcats face the University of Massachusetts at KSU Stadium. UMass, ranked No. 10 in I-AA, is coming off a 51-7 win against Central Connecticut State last weekend. . .
FOOTBALL: Stiff test awaits UMass
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
AMHERST - For the second straight season, the University of Massachusetts football team will have to compete with inexperience players doing all the running. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass coach isn't eager to tee it up with Wildcats
Wichita Eagle / By Jeffrey Parson
AMHERST - Massachusetts coach Mark Whipple has dreamed of a trip to Kansas -- for a golf outing. Whipple would rather be in Hutchinson playing Prairie Dunes on Saturday instead of in Manhattan playing Kansas State. . .
MEN'S SOCCER: Start your engines
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Bob McGovern
AMHERST - The Massachusetts men's soccer team has been making tune-ups all summer since losing three vital cogs to graduation. This weekend's University of Massachusetts Adidas Classic is the perfect place to see how the engine is running. . .
Thursday, September 11, 2003
ATHLETICS: UMass set to name an interim AD
Boston Globe / By Mark Blaudschun
AMHERST - The search for a successor to Ian McCaw as the University of Massachusetts athletic director is expected to be a two-step process, with the first part the naming of an interim AD from within the university system in the next few days, an athletic department official said. . .
FOOTBALL: Underdog UMass out to pull rank
Boston Herald / By John Connolly
BOSTON - Seventh-ranked Kansas State has pulverized its first three opponents this season by an average of 48 points. Next up for the Wildcats? UMass. Coach Bill Snyder's Wildcats have belted California (48-8), Troy State (41-5) and McNeese State (55-14) and will get their shot at the Division 1-AA Minutemen Saturday at 2 p.m. in Manhattan, Kan. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass looks into 1-A jump
Manhattan Mercury / By Mark Janssen
AMHERST - Mark Whipple says "Kansas State" looks great on the UMass schedule. But then comes the actual week of the Minutemen vs. Wildcat game, and Whipple says, "Then things change." Then the reality sets in that UMass, the No. 10 team in Division I-AA football, will play Kansas State, the No. 6/7 team in Division I-A football. . .
FOOTBALL: A daunting task
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Andrew Merritt
AMHERST - KSU stadium is a first-rate college football facility, with all sorts of amenities and a large scoreboard that holds all the pertinent information about the game being played. But if you really want to know how Saturday's game between Massachusetts and Kansas State is going, just take a look at Mark Whipple, Tom Masella, and the rest of the UMass bench after the first quarter. . .
FOOTBALL: What the Minutemen must do
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Mike Marzelli
AMHERST - So you want to play with fire, scarecrow? It's the question Massachusetts football coach Mark Whipple had to have been asking himself when he added powerhouse I-A National Championship contender Kansas State to his non-conference schedule, for they are without a doubt the toughest opponent to ever appear on the Minutemen's docket. . .
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
ATHLETICS: McCaw looks back before departing
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - One day after being introduced as the new athletic director at Baylor, departing University of Massachusetts A.D. Ian McCaw was still calling UMass "we" and Baylor "they" as he began to make the transition. . .
ATHLETICS: Few roots take hold at UMass
Springfield Republican / By Ron Chimelis
AMHERST - If nothing else, the state of transition within the University of Massachusetts athletic department has been a boon for the housing market. "We're building a house in South Deerfield," UMass athletic director Ian McCaw said yesterday, one day after accepting the athletic director's position at Baylor University. . .
WOMEN'S SOCCER: Rolling to Durham
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Matt Stewart
AMHERST - The Massachusetts women's soccer team is on a roll. After claiming a 2-1 victory in their season opener against Quinnipiac, the Minutewomen traveled down to Kingston, R.I. for their first Atlantic 10 showdown of the season. There, they downed the Rams with an impressive 4-1 win. . .
Tuesday, September 9, 2003
ATHLETICS: McCaw new Baylor AD
Boston Globe / By Joe Burris
WACO, Texas - A year after being named the University of Massachusetts's fifth permanent athletic director, Ian McCaw yesterday resigned to take the AD post at tragedy-marred Baylor University. The appointment came less than a week after the Waco, Texas, school contacted McCaw, who interviewed for the position Sunday and, after meeting with the AD search committee, was offered the job that evening. . .
ATHLETICS: Odds are long that gamble will pay off
Boston Globe / By Mark Blaudschun
WACO, Texas - Ian McCaw made a career decision yesterday. He left the University of Massachusetts and went to Baylor University.From UMass to UMess. That's not an exaggeration. McCaw's role as an athletic director has been to be Dr. Fix It. He was an interim athletic director at Tulane, went to Northeastern and did some housecleaning, then moved to UMass last summer and was trying to move the Minutemen from Division 1-AA to 1-A football status. . .
ATHLETICS: Hoping for stable times
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
WACO, Texas - For Baylor, hiring University of Massachusetts Athletic Director Ian McCaw looks like a good first step toward ending that school's considerable turmoil. But at UMass, losing him is another blow to an athletic department desperate for some stability. . .
ATHLETICS: McCaw leaves UMass for Baylor
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
WACO, Texas - Ian McCaw's tenure as athletic director at the University of Massachusetts proved to be a short one. Just over a year after he was hired at UMass, McCaw, 40, shocked other athletic officials at the school in announcing his departure to become athletic director at Baylor University, which is in turmoil after the shooting death of men's basketball player Patrick Dennehy. . .
ATHLETICS: McCaw resigns as UMass athletic director
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Andrew Merritt
WACO, Texas - University of Massachusetts Athletic Director Ian McCaw was hired away to the same position at Baylor University yesterday, in an abrupt decision. "We are very pleased that Ian McCaw is Baylor's new director of athletics," Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. said. . .
ATHLETICS: UMass loses athletic director
Springfield Republican / By Ron Chimelis
WACO, Texas - In a stunning move that ended his career at the University of Massachusetts after less than 14 months, athletic director Ian McCaw accepted a similar position at Baylor University yesterday. McCaw, 40, was introduced at the Waco, Texas university, where he takes over an athletic program ravaged by tragedy and scandal. . .
ATHLETICS: Who can blame McCaw?
Springfield Republican / By Ron Chimelis
WACO, Texas - Just when you think you know somebody, he goes off and takes a job at Baylor University. A hasty farewell, therefore, to Ian McCaw, who saw the University of Massachusetts athletic director's position as his dream job, a chance to return to a school where he earned his master's degree. . .
FOOTBALL: Minuteman offense suffers major blow
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - The news Monday on the injury front wasn't good for the University of Massachusetts football team. According to UMass coach Mark Whipple, running back Raunny Rosario, who appeared to suffer a knee injury on Saturday, and wide receiver Greg Scott, who sat out the second half with his arm in a sling, are both expected to be out four to six weeks. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass kickers meet test
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
AMHERST - The University of Massachusetts football team answered one question with its 51-7 win over Central Connecticut State Saturday - the kicking game looks sound. Three first-year players handled all the kicking duties and excelled, going 8 for 8 on point after touchdown kicks, punting for a 44.3 average and hitting all but one kickoff for touchbacks. . .
Monday, September 8, 2003
FOOTBALL: Baylark takes the spotlight
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Mike Marzelli
AMHERST - Five years after winning a national title in his inaugural season in Amherst, Mark Whipple found himself in a bit of a predicament Saturday at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. . .
Saturday, September 6, 2003
FOOTBALL: Familiar first foe for UMass
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - The script is remarkably similar. A year ago, the University of Massachusetts football team opened its season against Central Connecticut. The Blue Devils had already played once and were pounded by Maine 52-3. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass wants a worthwhile effort
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
AMHERST - Central Connecticut State University isn't expected to provide the University of Massachusetts football team with much of a challenge, but you won't hear Mark Whipple say that. . .
Friday, September 5, 2003
FIELD HOCKEY: Road warriors
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Matt Stewart
AMHERST - The Massachusetts field hockey squad is packing its bags for this weekend's road trip to Louisville, Ky. The Minutewomen hope to end their two game slide as they take on a pair of highly talented teams. . .
FOOTBALL: Minutemen kick off season Saturday
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - A week after watching most of the college football world kickoff the 2003 season, the University of Massachusetts gets its chance. Amidst high expectations of a special season, the Minutemen begin their quest to return to the Division I-AA Playoffs Saturday when they host Central Connecticut State at 1 p.m. at McGuirk Stadium. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass likes chances
Springfield Republican / By Jeff Thomas
AMHERST - Mark Whipple isn't a believer in preseason polls and will not boast or brag about his University of Massachusetts football team. Despite UMass having been selected to finish third in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll and ranked nationally anywhere from fifth to 17th, Whipple will say this will be the team that returns UMass to the postseason. . .
WOMEN'S SOCCER: One year later
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Sean Holmes
AMHERST - On Sept. 5, 2002, the members of the Massachusetts Women's soccer team experienced a day of intense and overwhelming emotion. They attended a memorial service for their deceased friend and teammate Stephanie Santos, and hours later, with their hearts still heavy, took the field against a loaded Rhode Island team. . .
Thursday, September 4, 2003
ATHLETICS: Beer may be sold at Mullins Center
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - With the sale of beer already approved for Minutefan Park outside University of Massachusetts football games, beer at basketball and hockey games could be next. It's still in the exploratory stages, but the school is considering making beer available at the Mullins Center. . .
FIELD HOCKEY: Minutewomen pose solid threat
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Matt Stewart
AMHERST - After building a very respectable program over the last few years, Massachusetts field hockey coach Patty Shea observed the Minutewomen perform an off year of sorts in 2002. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass closes in on opener
Boston Herald / By John Connolly
BOSTON - There's an old football adage that holds that most teams improve considerably from Week 1 to Week 2. If it's true, when UMass opens up its season Saturday at McGuirk Alumni Stadium, it can expect Central Connecticut to display a visible improvement over last week's 70-20 drubbing at the hands of the University of New Hampshire. . .
FOOTBALL: Whipple pressures freshmen kickers
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - With practice winding down midway through preseason camp, University of Massachusetts football coach Mark Whipple put the fate of his team's legs and lungs in the hands of - or better yet on the foot of - freshman kicker Michael Torres. . .
FOOTBALL: Minuteman football ready for Blue Devils
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Andrew Merritt
AMHERST - With the 2003 football season just days away, the Massachusetts football team is ready to play. Enough talk, enough prediction, enough questions about a squad that hasn't played an official down in 10 months. . .
Wednesday, September 3, 2003
ATHLETICS: Facelift for Minuteman
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Andrew Merritt
BOSTON - The more things change, the more they stay the same. On July 23, upon arguably the most well-known sporting stage in the state, Fenway Park, the brand new Massachusetts athletic logos and word marks were unveiled. . .
ATHLETICS: Welcome to UMass sports
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Andrew Merritt
AMHERST - The sea of metaphors that describe the state of UMass sports is vast. From the changing of leaves and uniforms, to the cooling winds of autumn and budget cuts, there is a bounty of imagery that describes the current situation faced by UMass athletes, coaches, and fans. . .
MEN'S BASKETBALL: Briggs released, recruit added
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Mike Marzelli
AMHERST - Stephen Briggs, a 6-foot-9-inch, 220-pound redshirt freshman from Houston, Texas, was dismissed from the Massachusetts basketball program by head coach Steve Lappas July 23 for a second unspecified violation of team rules. . .
FOOTBALL: UMass returns 15 starters
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - There have been high expectations for this year's University of Massachusetts football team since early last year. Fifteen starters return from a team that went 8-4 a year ago and narrowly missed the Division I-AA Playoffs. . .
FOOTBALL: A talented bunch
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Mike Marzelli
AMHERST - The sun was shining brightly in the high sky over McGuirk Alumni Stadium, as a cluster of reporters had gathered around Massachusetts football coach Mark Whipple in the south end zone as Football Media Day trudged along through the sickening New England humidity. . .
FOOTBALL: Buck is the trend
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Mike Marzelli
AMHERST - For a second consecutive season The Sporting Network, presenters of the Buck Buchanan Award given to the nation's top defensive player in Division I-AA, is trying to draw attention to an individual member of the Massachusetts football team. . .
FOOTBALL: This attack is worthy of recognition
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Andrew Merritt
AMHERST - After a number of dropped passes and missed opportunities, it was difficult for Mark Whipple to come up with anything positive about this year's offense after a late-August scrimmage. . .
MEN'S SOCCER: Uphill climb on the pitch
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Bob McGovern
AMHERST - While planning the course for the 2003 season, the Massachusetts men's soccer team noticed it was without captain, navigator and nearly half of its scoring. After losing Jeff Deren, the all-time leading scorer at the University of Massachusetts, the Minutemen find themselves with a major hole on offense. . .
WOMEN'S SOCCER: No strangers to a struggle
Massachusetts Daily Collegian / By Todd Foster & Sean Holmes
AMHERST - Adversity is something an athlete will face physically, emotionally and mentally throughout the ups and downs of a trying season. The Massachusetts Women's soccer team experienced incredible adversity last season trying to overcome a difficult schedule and critical injuries while the tragic death of a close friend was still fresh on their minds. . .
Tuesday, September 2, 2003
FOOTBALL: R.J. OK going 2-way
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - In the small hallway between the players' and coaches' locker rooms at McGuirk Stadium lives the University of Massachusetts football program's unofficial wall of honor. . .
Monday, September 1, 2003
FOOTBALL: Blue Devils lose big to A-10 teams
Daily Hampshire Gazette / By Matt Vautour
AMHERST - The Central Connecticut football program might want to stop scheduling Atlantic 10 opponents. The outcomes haven't been pretty. The Blue Devils' last five games against teams from that league resulted in five losses by a combined score of 256-35. . .