Sports
UMass basketball: Matt Cross announces he’s transferring to SMU for final year of eligibility
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — The decision every UMass men’s basketball fan has been waiting for was finally made on May 6.Minutemen star and First Team All-Atlantic 10 forward Matt Cross — the backbone of UMass’ team for the past two seasons — has committed to SMU, he...
The Real Score: Curveballs and casinos rarely save cities
By BRETT ALBERT
About 10 years ago, the two major urban centers of central and western Massachusetts decided to engage in new regional industrial policy to spur on their local economies. Worcester and Springfield had been effectively hollowed out by decades of...
Defying the odds: Hadley’s Owen Earle back competing less than two years removed from horrific accident
By GARRETT COTE
Lying flat on his back in the middle of a field at Four Rex Farm in Hadley, Owen Earle stared straight into an endless stretch of overcast sky, raindrops gently splashing him.Although he didn’t feel much pain, he knew there was no getting up.“I had...
Breaking down the financial implications for UMass athletics after move to the Mid-American Conference
CONNOR PIGNATELLO
When UMass joins the Mid-American Conference for the 2025-26 academic year, athletic director Ryan Bamford expects the school will bring in more revenue than it did when competing in the Atlantic 10.“This will allow us to grow our revenues to the...
Guest columnist Karen List: A legend made in Iowa
By KAREN LIST
The thousands of women who played high school basketball in Iowa over the years look at the adulation surrounding University of Iowa star Caitlin Clark and think: “That’s about right.”Clark, as you probably know, is the NCAA Division 1 all-time...
UMass basketball: Minutewomen’s two leading scorers Alexsia Rose, Kristin Williams headed to transfer portal
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — As of Monday afternoon, two UMass women’s basketball guards have entered the transfer portal, looking to take their talents elsewhere.Senior Alexsia Rose and junior Kristin Williams have hit the portal following a disappointing 5-27...
UMass basketball: Josh Cohen, Robert Davis Jr. first Minutemen to enter transfer portal
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — One of the first dominoes to fall is a massive one for the UMass men’s basketball team.Minutemen forward Josh Cohen has entered the transfer portal, ESPN’s Jeff Borzello reported late Monday morning. The 6-foot-10 senior has one year of...
Men’s basketball coach Frank Martin supporting UMass’ decision to join MAC: “They believed in me, and they haven’t lied to me since I’ve been here”
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — From a basketball perspective, Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said it was a no-brainer to add UMass to his conference.The men’s basketball program was perhaps the most appealing of the school’s athletic teams given its...
A moving MAC moment: UMass formally introduced as 13th member of the Mid-American Conference
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — After more than a week since the news first broke, University of Massachusetts athletic department officials held a press conference on March 7 to celebrate their joining the Mid-American Conference.UMass Chancellor Javier Reyes, director of...
UMass confirms sports programs moving to the Mid-American Conference as it becomes 13th member
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — As of Feb. 29, it was officially official.The UMass athletics department press release at 3:30 p.m. that day confirmed its move to the Mid-American Conference (MAC) as a full member, as the baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and...
Amherst girls capture runner-up finish at MIAA Nordic Ski Championships (PHOTOS)
By GARRETT COTE
WOODFORD, Vt. — The Amherst girls Nordic ski team didn’t just feel like underdogs all season long — they were underdogs.Often overlooked given the geographical location, the Hurricanes were ready to display their talents on the biggest stage, at the...
Amherst College women’s basketball coach Gromacki fastest in NCAA history to reach 600 wins
By GARRETT COTE
Dynasty isn’t a term that gets thrown around loosely – that word holds a ton of weight in the sports world. It takes a lot of success over an extended period of time to call something a dynasty.But that’s exactly what South Deerfield native G.P....
“Nice call, ref”: High school referee ranks shrink amid abuse by fans, low pay
By GARRETT COTE
A couple weeks ago, I sat inside Smith Academy’s Sherry Webb Gymnasium in Hatfield to cover a girls basketball game between the Falcons and Duggan Academy of Springfield. As the game progressed, the displeasure from supporters only grew louder — and...
UMass basketball: Matt Cross leads balanced Minutemen past Saint Louis for first A-10 road wi
Matt Cross led four players in double figures, scoring 19 points to propel the UMass men’s basketball team to an 84-73 Atlantic 10 Conference victory over Saint Louis on Saturday night at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Mo.The Minutemen won on the road...
UMass basketball: Minutewomen set for opener against Saint Peter’s with entirely new look
By HANNAH BEVIS
There are lots of question marks still surrounding the UMass women’s basketball team this year, but one thing is certain — this season’s squad is going to look a lot different than last year. Head coach Mike Leflar replaced former head coach Tory...
Class B volleyball: Frontier’s Western Mass. title streak reaches 18 in a row with win over Baystate Academy (PHOTOS)
By GARRETT COTE
CHICOPEE — Sean MacDonald’s illustrious career coaching the Frontier girls volleyball team just added another achievement to an ever-expanding list of them, and the already jam-packed trophy case outside Goodnow Gymnasium in South Deerfield will have...
Cross country: Amherst girls capture Class A title (PHOTOS)
By HANNAH BEVIS
WESTFIELD – Every cross country team needs at least five runners to score, but ideally they should have seven. The sixth and seventh runners are the ‘break in case of emergency’ runners; their places are only counted in scoring if two teams tie.On an...
UMass football: Amherst’s Shane Robles living the walk-on dream playing for his hometown Minutemen
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — Shane Robles sat wide awake in his room deep into the September night. There was no way he would get a good night’s rest — too much anxiety and impatience filled his body. As each minute passed, he knew he was closer to finding out whether...
“I’m like a proud uncle”: Richard Hogans helping train, grow undefeated Amherst football players
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — The smile on Richard Hogans’ face shined brighter than the Saturday morning sun as he stood on the hill overlooking Amherst Regional High School’s Community Field.That smile was apparent all morning as he watched Jameson Dion run rampant on...
Boys cross country preview: Amherst eyeing another big season
By HANNAH BEVIS
Every so often, a high school team has all the pieces fall into place at the right time. They have enough veteran leadership on the team to keep them grounded, promising young athletes to step up and boost the rest of the squad, and solid coaching...
