By MATT VAUTOUR
When the UMass basketball team makes its first conditioning run of the 2016-17 school year Thursday morning, coach Derek Kellogg hopes the Minutemen have some company.
Kellogg invited students, fans, and anybody else to run with the Minutemen, Thursday at 7 a.m. The team will start outside Berkshire Dining Commons and run the approximately two-mile loop through campus. Runners of all levels are encouraged and invited to join at points throughout the run.
“It’ll be good for our team to run through some different places around campus,” Kellogg said. “We’ll be working on our endurance and doing it in a fun, energetic way.”
Kellogg said the team will repeat the runs on Tuesday and Sept. 20 as well.
“I hope this catches on. The first day came up quickly, but I’m hoping as it moves forward we can move it to the afternoon and it gets more accessible to people,” Kellogg said. “It might be an opportunity to help somebody get into shape where one day a week they can work out and come down and run with the team. That might get them started. Everyone is more than welcome.”
Kellogg hoped participating would make the fan-team relationship feel more interactive.
“We want them not just to be supporters, but to feel like a part of what’s going on,” Kellogg said. “I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from what the guys have done in the community. You always have to make sure you’re representing yourself and your team in whatever you do.”
PRACTICE LOOMING — The team can begin occasional practices beginning this week as well. Other than Brison Gresham, who is battling a hip injury, the entire team is expected to practice.
Kellogg said Gresham, who split last year between two high schools, would likely have to wait longer before the NCAA determined his academic eligibility.
Kellogg said from all indications, he believed the rest of his incoming freshmen would be declared eligible and that the process would go quickly.
DRINK WITH THE COACHES — Kellogg and director of basketball operations Lou Roe, as well former NBA guard and Springfield native Travis Best, will serve as celebrity bartenders at the Student Prince in Springfield, Thursday night from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30. All tips and 10 percent of sales will go to the Springfield Boys and Girls Club.
JDRF WALK — The Minutemen will take part in the annual Juvenile Diabetes Walk on Oct. 16 at Six Flags.
Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage