Freshman goalie Owen Salanger making immediate impact for UMass men's lacrosse

By RYAN AMES

UMass men’s lacrosse head coach Greg Cannella needed more saves. In the first game of the season against then-No. 13 Army on Feb. 8 at Garber Field, the Minutemen found themselves down 6-0 after the first 15 minutes. Graduate student goalie Tyler Bluse surrendered all six goals on 11 shots from the Black Knights during that opening quarter, putting UMass in an early hole.

UMass women’s basketball team gives up lead and falls to Buffalo in WNIT second round

The UMass women’s basketball team was in the driver’s seat entering the fourth quarter of its WNIT second round game with Buffalo on Sunday afternoon. Playing its future MAC foe, the Minutewomen led by 16 (61-45) entering the fourth quarter and looked as if they had another postseason win in the bag.

NCAA Div. 3 Women’s Ice Hockey: Amherst College defeats Colby, 4-1, heads to Final Four

By RYAN AMES

AMHERST — For the second time in three years, the Amherst College women’s hockey team is Frozen Four bound.

NCAA Div. 3 Women’s Basketball: Smith College falls to NYU in title game, 77-49

By GARRETT COTE

Not even three minutes into the NCAA Division 3 women’s basketball national championship game, it was clear Smith College had its hands full with undefeated NYU — the reigning Div. 3 champions which held a 61-game winning streak entering Saturday. The Pioneers were well aware of just how dominant the Violets are considering they lost to them in last year’s title game, but after NYU ripped off the game’s first nine points, the journey to the top of the mountain became even steeper.

Smith College reaches Div. III National Championship Game for second straight year following 49-47 victory over Wisconsin-Oshkosh

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

It’ll be a rematch in the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball National Championship game. 

Amherst College women’s hockey to host Colby in quarterfinal matchup on Saturday

By RYAN AMES

AMHERST — A week of rest and recovery should help the No. 2 Amherst College women’s hockey team in its quest for the Division III NCAA Tournament Championship title, which begins with a quarterfinal round matchup against No. 8 Colby on Saturday at Orr Rink.

UMass women’s basketball: Minutewomen cruise past Stonehill, 86-40, in opening round of WNIT

By RYAN AMES

AMHERST – Freshman Yahmani McKayle’s triple-double powered the UMass women’s basketball team past Stonehill, 86-40, during the opening round of the WNIT on Thursday at the Mullins Center.

UMass Hockey: Standout forward Cole O’Hara in the mix for Hobey Baker Award

By RYAN AMES

I’ll admit it, I didn’t think UMass hockey forward Cole O’Hara would be a legitimate Hobey Baker Memorial Award candidate. When it was announced on Jan. 22 that O’Hara and Aydar Suniev were two of the more than 90 nominees in all of college hockey, I didn’t think much of it at the time.

Smith College heads to Final Four to face familiar foe University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

By GARRETT COTE

For the third consecutive season, the Smith College women’s basketball team is headed to the NCAA Division III Final Four. The Pioneers held their send off outside of Ainsworth Gymnasium on Tuesday afternoon, as they walked through a crowd of supporters and onto their team bus, which headed to the airport where they took off for Virginia.

Former Smith College hoop stars turned coaches help team in quest for first national title

By GARRETT COTE

NORTHAMPTON — Ally Yamada and Sofia Rosa sat on the floor of Ainsworth Gymnasium behind the group of 16 Smith College women’s basketball players as Pioneers assistant coach Jen MacAulay broke down film on Smith’s NCAA Division III Final Four opponent, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, on Monday afternoon.

Briefs: Smith Academy’s ‘Falcon 5K’ set for April 12

On Saturday, April 12, the Smith Academy Booster Club is hosting the “Falcon 5K,” starting at Smith Academy, located at 34 School St. in Hatfield, at 9 a.m.

UMass Minutewomen earn WNIT berth

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — The stellar turnaround of Mike Leflar and his UMass women’s basketball team has earned them a chance to play postseason basketball, as their final season representing the Atlantic 10 isn’t over quite yet.

Behind the scenes as the Mullins Center staff hosts basketball, hockey games in same day

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — On two separate occasions this winter, Mullins Center staff spilled onto Jack Leaman Court as soon as the final horn sounded to end a UMass men’s basketball game. They aren’t typically in a huge rush to break down equipment, especially if the next event to take place in the arena is another basketball game, but the Minutemen hockey team had a game about five hours later – they needed to change the hardwood to the ice in time for warm-ups.

Div. 4 girls basketball: Cathedral head coach has high praise for South Hadley following state championship game

By GARRETT COTE

LOWELL — South Hadley girls basketball head coach Paul Dubuc said his team didn’t show up to the Tsongas Center for a moral victory. That very well could be true, but the Tigers did one thing that no other team in Division 4 had done in the postseason: put up a fight against No. 1 Cathedral.

Amherst track contingent impresses at New Balance Indoor Nationals in Boston

Members of the Amherst Regional indoor track and field team earned the opportunity of a lifetime thanks to strong showings throughout the season, as a handful of ‘Canes competed in the New Balance Nationals in Boston over the weekend.

Div. 4 girls basketball: Powerhouse Cathedral holds off South Hadley for second straight year in state championship game (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

LOWELL — It felt like history had repeated itself at the Tsongas Center on Sunday afternoon. A year ago, the South Hadley girls basketball team got off to a hot start before ultimately falling to No. 1 Cathedral in the MIAA Division 4 state championship game on the third Sunday of March.

FINAL FOUR BOUND! Smith College takes down Gustavus Adolphus for third straight NCAA Div. 3 Final Four berth

A 22-point game from Ally Landau helped the Smith College basketball team advance past Gustavus Adolphus, 61-50, in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division 3 women’s tournament on Saturday.

UMass hockey: Minutemen battle back, but Boston University’s Cole Eiserman nets OT winner in 3-2 Hockey East quarterfinal win

By RYAN AMES

BOSTON – The No. 14 UMass hockey team fell to No. 9 Boston University in overtime, 3-2, during the quarterfinal round of the Hockey East Playoffs on Saturday at Agganis Arena.

NCAA D3 women’s basketball: Hannah Martin, Smith take down unbeaten Bowdoin for spot in Elite Eight

By GARRETT COTE

Smith College is ‘elite’ once again.