Happy Friday! Week one of school is done and the UMass-Holy Cross football matchup is one day away. This afternoon, basketball coach Derek Kellogg will be holding outdoor workout sessions with the team at the Horsehoe basketball courts under the Southwest Towers be sure to come out at 1 p.m. to see your Minutemen. Just Take A Minute has stories on Kellogg taking part in a court dedication down in Springfield in addition to various football stories. Also, check out the feature on hockey's Topher Bevis.
The Sports Network wrote their weekly FCS Top 25 preview, which includes a preview of #4 UMass at Holy Cross.
Click here for UMass game notes while you can find Holy Cross' notes here.
Its Hall of Fame Induction Weekend down in Springfield and as part of the ceremonies, a basketball court was dedicated at the Lower Liberty Heights. Derek Kellogg and senior Tony Gaffneywere on hand for the event.
The New England Hockey Journal profile UMass senior hockey defenseman Topher Bevis' effort to raise money for cancer. Topher lost his mother Patty to brain cancer at the age of 12 and has since (along with his family), developed a Patty Fund, in her honor.
UMassAthletics.com Feature To Check Out: The UMass women's soccer media guide is now available online! Click here
to download it or to buy a hard copy!
Don't miss this: Football is back in action on Saturday at Holy Cross. Come cheer them onto victory in hostile territory! If you can't make it to Worcester, you can catch the game on Charter TV 3 in Central Massachusetts or through live streaming video on UMass All-Access!
Thursday, Sept. 4
Thursday means its time for the Bud Light UMass Football Show. Be sure to listen tonight at 7 p.m., or join us at the Hangar Bar & Grill for the show. Its expected that Josh Jennings and Tony Nelson will be the guests along with Coach Don Brown. Don't forget to Ask Coach Brown, send your questions now for the UMass head man. Thursday will also feature an announcement on the UMass men's basketball roster which has been finalized now that school is in session. Stayed tuned to UMassAthletics.com for the official release. The women's soccer team has its home opener vs. New Hampshire. If you can't join us at Rudd Field, then please watch online through All-Access.
Various outlets had stories on the UMass-Holy Cross basketball series which was announced on Wednesday. Here is coverage in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, and Republican.
Let's take a look at what other people are saying about UMass.
In New Hampshire, football coach Sean McDonnell has high praise for Don Brown and his Minutemen. "In our division UMass has got to be the people that you look at," McDonnell said. "They've got a lot of people returning on defense, a great quarterback, and that's what you win with in this league."
Out in the land of the Cheeseheads, Wisconsin-Green Bay released its men's basketball schedule and head coach Tod Kowalczyk talked about UMass coming to play the Phoenix on their homecourt. "I like the fact that we have a quality opponent in UMass coming to town. I like that our season-ticket holders know they're going to see a nationally known team."
Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano (who had two sons at UMass on Saturday as part of the Albany football team) commented on Brandon London's addition to the Phins for the season. He said, "London's a big strong receiver that can do some jobs, some jobs on special teams that way and help us."
Former UMass catcher Frank Curreri played left field in the final baseball game played in Tuscon as the Sidewinders Triple-A team is moving to Reno.
UMassAthletics.com Feature To Check Out: Get scores and headlines directly on your cell phone via text messages. Sign up now for the UMass Alerts Service. The feature also has ritor.com/javascript/wysiwyg/tiny_mce/themes/advanced/langs/en.js">ingtones and wallpaper for your cell phone.
Don't miss this: The men's basketball roster will be finalized and released on Thursday. Check back during the day for the official info.
Wednesday, Sept. 3
It's Wednesday! The first day of classes is in the books and the week is halfway over. The women's soccer team is hard at work preparing for their home-opener on Thursday vs. New Hampshire while field hockey is doing the same for their Friday tilt at Dartmouth.Football is looking ahead to a road game at intrastate rival Holy Cross and men's soccer is gearing for their first game at Rudd Field since last season's National Quarterfinal win over Illinois-Chicago! Wednesday means the second Sports Luncheon
of the year. Come out and celebrate the outstanding weeks from Tony Nelson and Prince Ofosu as they will be honored as the inaugural 2008-09 Athletes of the Week.
For those of you watching SportsCenter Tuesday morning, you would have heard UMass football mentioned on air! They announced the new FCS poll in which the Minutemen climbed to fourth in the nation.
Click DraftInsiders.com to read all about UMass quarterback Liam Coen who is on the Walter Payton Award Watch List. His story is right under that of current Baltimore Ravens starting quarterback and former CAA football star from the Delaware Blue Hens, Joe Flacco.
Holy Cross is playing up Saturday's football game as one of their biggest of the season on homecoming.
More media outlets write about new Miami Dolphins wide receiver and UMass' very own Brandon London.
The Daily Collegian has various articles on UMass football, men's soccer, women's soccer and field hockey including previews of several sports.
The Worcester Telegram makes a mention of former UMass football star Steve LaMay who is friends with current New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Congratulations to the UMass women's tennis team for earning
ITA Academic All-American status for the 10th year in a row.
Former UMass hockey player Obi Adubaimpressed at the Elmira Jackals' third annual pro placement camp and has earned an invite to training camp in October. The Jackals are the East Coast Hockey League affiliate of the Ottawa Senators.
CBS.com senior writer Gary Parrish writes a piece
about how small things can begin a ripple effect within NCAA basketball coaching ranks. He plays out a number of scenarios, including how Derek Kellogg found his way back to his alma mater!
Slam Online ranks former UMass All-American Marcus Camby as the 48th best player in the NBA today. Click here to read their reasoning.
The Boston University student newspaper writes about the disappointment of the Terriers' crushing 3-2 overtime loss to UMass in men's soccer.
UMassAthletics.com Feature To Check Out: School's in session, here's your chance to join the Maroon Platoon.
Its the first day of classes at UMass. The students are back and the campus is buzzing. No better time to check out UMass Athletics. Today's Just Take A Minute has news about television coverage of this weekend's football game at Holy Cross on WCTR in Central Massachusetts. The football team up to No. 4 in both polls. The Daily Collegian has extensive coverage on all UMass teams with its first printing on Tuesday.
UMass football will have it first of at least eight televised games this weekend as the Minutemen travel to Holy Cross to face the Crusaders. The game will be aired in Central Massachusetts on WCTR Charter Channel 3. The station covers east from Barre to west of Southborough and Dunstable. Here is the coverage map.
In addition to the game on television, the UMass-Holy Cross game will be aired on national radio through WCKY, a 50,000-watt station based in Cincinnati. It will air on a delay on Saturday. Frank Santore, Jr., calls the action. Of course the game will be carried by the UMass Sports Network live from Worcester through the state of Massachusetts.
UMassAthletics.com Feature To Check Out: Check out the UMass Fan Poll which is updated regularly. The current poll focuses on how often you visit the website.
Don't miss this: Look for a possible announcement about the final men's basketball game to be added this week Check back to UMassAthletics.com for the latest as the week progresses.
Monday, Sept. 1
Happy September! ... Happy Labor Day! What a way to end the weekend for UMass' teams. Sunday provided amazing fireworks as the No. 13 men's soccer team capped a miraculous comeback to beat Boston University, 3-2 in double overtime, before nearly 6,000 fans at Nickerson Field in Beantown. The field hockey team also got its first victory with a 3-0 whitewash of the Quinnpiac at Garber Field. The football team opened with a solid 28-16 victory over Albany on Saturday night in the first game under permanent lights at McGuirk Stadium. That game drew more than 15,000 fans. So over the weekend, close to 23,000 fans watched UMass teams compete. What great exposure!
London was a lucky one, as he was waived by the Giants, but the Dolphins were there to pick him up. On the flip side the following former Minutemen were cut on Saturday's NFL cut-down day: Steve Baylark (Cardinals), Jeremy Cain (Titans), James Ihedigbo (Jets) and Marcel Shipp (Texans).
In a basketball piece, the Poughkeepsie Journal has a story on Marist playing against Memphis where UMass connections will be very present with the coaching staffs. The article mentions that former UMass coach John Calipari and Memphis will face five of his former assistants this season including the Minutemen and Derek Kellogg. Coach Cal said: "The only problem is we're playing too many of my former assistants this year, and I really don't like it. However, I am doing it because it is financially good for their programs, and if playing them helps their programs grow, I will do it."
The UMass men's soccer loss to Holy Cross last Friday night in Worcester was written about in the Telegram & Gazette. The game was played before an HC record 868 soccer fans.
UMassAthletics.com Feature To Check Out: The first Bud Light UMass Football Show has been linked as a podcast. You can also find new podcast links under the "Podcasts" tab under All-Access in the third.
Don't miss this: Every Monday starting this week, The Voice of the Minutemen Josh Maurer will be putting together a weekly wrap-up podcast of UMass Athletics featuring highlights from football and other UMass teams. The link will be active midday, be sure to check it out. Also on Monday, look for the announcements of the first CAA Players of the Week, UMass' Tony Nelson and Josh Jennings are top candidates for league honors after impressive showings in the win over Albany.
