UMass hockey: Cole O’Hara, Minutemen lock down Maine for vital 5-1 victory

Two goals from Cole O’Hara led the No. 16 UMass hockey team to a 5-1 win against No. 5 Maine on Friday at the Mullins Center.

Women’s basketball: Amherst and Smith advance in Div. 3 tournament and will square off Saturday for first time since 2007 (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

NORTHAMPTON — Two years away from the NCAA Division 3 Women’s Basketball Tournament felt like an eternity for Amherst College and head coach G.P. Gromacki.

Div. 4 girls basketball: No. 3 South Hadley cruises into Final Four for third time in four years following 55-34 win over No. 6 Carver (PHOTOS)

By RYAN AMES

SOUTH HADLEY – The South Hadley girls basketball team used lengthy runs in the second and third quarters to power past Carver, 55-34, during its quarterfinal victory in the MIAA Division 4 state tournament on Friday.

Div. 2 girls basketball: Defending state champion Medfield eliminates Northampton in quarters, 82-43

The defending state champions very much looked the part Friday night.

UMass basketball: Minutewomen eliminated by Saint Louis in Atlantic 10 second round, 67-57

The UMass women’s basketball team went one-and-done in its final Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament after falling to Saint Louis, 67-57, Thursday night at the Henrico Sports Event Center in Glen Allen, Virginia.

UMass hockey: Huge weekend pair with Maine on tap to close Minutemen’s regular season

By RYAN AMES

As the great Michael Buffer would say, ‘Let’s get ready to rumble!’

Women’s basketball: Smith, Amherst could set up all-Pioneer Valley NCAA tourney showdown

By GARRETT COTE

NORTHAMPTON — The Smith College women’s basketball team once again earned the right to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Division 3 Women’s Basketball tournament following its fifth straight NEWMAC tourney championship. The Pioneers have hosted Round of 64 and Round of 32 games for the past three seasons, so this winter makes it four in a row.

High schools: Top-seeded Williston cruises past St. Paul’s, into NEPSAC Class A semis (PHOTOS)

By RYAN AMES

EASTHAMPTON – The Williston Northampton boys basketball team took care of business in its NEPSAC Class A first-round playoff win against St. Paul’s on Wednesday at The Sabina Cain Family Athletic Center. The top-seeded Wildcats thumped the eighth-ranked Big Red, 82-61, and were led by Preston Edmead’s 31 points as Williston advanced to the semifinal round for the first time in two years.

UMass men’s basketball: Minutemen can’t finish off late rally in 73-72 loss to St. Bonaventure

It came down to the wire at the Reilly Center on Wednesday. 

UMass basketball: Minutewomen to open Atlantic 10 tourney against Saint Louis

By GARRETT COTE

After defeating George Washington in their regular season finale on Feb. 26, the UMass women’s basketball team completed a turnaround for the ages and earned the No. 7 seed in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament.

“Instilling an expectation of success:” How Greg Carvel became UMass hockey program’s all time winningest coach

By RYAN AMES

‘Winning’ and ‘UMass hockey’ were like oil and water before Greg Carvel arrived in Amherst.

UMass football: Minutemen announce schedule for 2025 season, will open MAC slate Oct. 4 against Western Michigan

The UMass football team and Mid-American Conference announced the release of their official schedules for the 2025 season on Wednesday. 

Div. 4 girls basketball: Cara Dean, Kate Phillips send No. 3 South Hadley past No. 14 Littleton in Round of 16 (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

SOUTH HADLEY — Paul Dubuc thought he wrote Cara Dean’s name down on the board as part of the list of starters for the third quarter on Tuesday night. Dean, a sophomore, is a regular in the South Hadley girls basketball team’s starting lineup. Dubuc turned to his bench and asked, “where’s Cara,” after the first possession of the second half. She was sitting down waiting patiently to get subbed back in.

MIAA tourneys: Emme Calkins, No. 9 Northampton handle No. 8 Westwood for spot in Div. 2 Elite 8

After making a run to the state semifinals a year ago, the Northampton girls basketball team is once again in the mix for a Final Four berth.

Boys basketball: Rockport upsets No. 3 Granby 51-46 in Div. 5 Round of 16 (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

GRANBY — A see-saw first half between the No. 3 Granby boys basketball team and No. 19 Rockport ended with an 8-2 Rams run thanks to a pair of Cody Breault 3-pointers. Granby headed to the locker room ahead 29-23. The two sides traded field goals out of the break to make it 31-25, then Vikings guard Josiah Whitley took over.

Smith College, Amherst College placed in same pod for NCAA Division 3 Women’s Basketball Tournament

By GARRETT COTE

NORTHAMPTON — After walking through the ground-level door of Ainsworth Gymnasium, up a flight of stairs and through the first-floor doors, you’re immediately met with five trophies staring right back at you. The two on the end are NEWMAC championship trophies. The three in the middle? A pair of Division 3 Women’s Basketball Final Four trophies and a national-runner up one.

Fit to Play with Jim Johnson: March Madness and The Screaming Coaches

March Madness starts in two weeks and we’ll be watching a lot of basketball. I’ve been watching basketball for over 75 years, starting with my All American father when I was just a boy. Later, I followed my brother who was the point guard on a great high school team. With all this legacy, I thought I would be good at basketball as well, but that was not to be. I could run, jump, and shoot, but when I got on the court with nine other guys, I felt like I was in the middle of Hwy 91 without a car. Not so for many of the players we will see in the coming weeks. I continue to be amazed by the skill of today’s players, their ball handling and speed is truly amazing.

Women’s basketball: Smith College holds off pesky MIT, captures 5th consecutive NEWMAC title (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

NORTHAMPTON — Each member of the Smith College women’s basketball team climbed up the ladder to cut down a piece of the net on the home side of Ainsworth Gymnasium following the No. 1 Pioneers’ 79-66 victory over No. 6 MIT in the NEWMAC championship game on Sunday afternoon.

Amherst’s 4x400-meter relay team captures title at 37th annual New England Interscholastic Indoor Track & Field Championships

By GARRETT COTE

BOSTON — The Amherst Regional girls 4x400-meter relay team will go down in history as one of the best units western Massachusetts has ever seen.

UMass hockey: Minutemen grab huge road win at UMass-Lowell, Greg Carvel becomes winningest coach in program history

By RYAN AMES

LOWELL – The road warriors strike again.