UMass hockey: Pair with Boston University left for Minutemen before winter break

By RYAN AMES

A pivotal Hockey East set awaits the UMass hockey team as it’ll face off against No. 11 Boston University for two games over the next five days — the first coming Saturday night on the road.The Minutemen (7-6-2) have just one Hockey East win in seven...

Greenfield Pickup celebrates 40 years of ultimate Frisbee

By AMALIA WOMPA

GREENFIELD — What began as just a few friends playing at the Green River Swimming and Recreation Area has turned into an inter-generational group of ultimate Frisbee players who meet, rain or shine, at the Greenfield Community College fields on a...

UMass football: Behind the discussions that led to the Minutemen hiring Joe Harasymiak

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — Rutgers defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak spent most of Thanksgiving Day watching film and planning an effective scheme to use against Michigan State. When he finally got home that night, he bypassed turkey and gravy and reached for his...

Keeping Score with Chip Ainsworth: UMass football gets its man

Good morning!Last week in this space UMass money man John Kennedy defended embattled athletic director Ryan Bamford, who I blamed for the football team’s terrible record (18-82) since he was hired.Kennedy’s comments didn’t go over well on social...

College soccer: Mohammed Nuhu’s PK lifts Amherst College past Middlebury, into NCAA Div. III national championship game

By RYAN AMES

One more to go.The Amherst College men’s soccer team advanced to the NCAA Division III title game after beating Middlebury, 2-1, during the Final Four semifinal Thursday night in Las Vegas.The Mammoths secured two second-half goals versus the Panthers...

UMass basketball: Minutewomen rout Northeastern 80-51, halt 3-game skid

After dropping three games in a row, the UMass women’s basketball team was very much in need of a bounce back performance on Thursday night.The Minutewomen certainly got that – and then some.UMass stormed out to a 26-8 lead after one quarter and...

Bulletin board: Day 4 Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Hunting Season

Snowy conditions to start the day produced low numbers Thursday on Day 4 of Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Hunting Season.Franklin County stations reported just 29 deer checked on a day where snow led to school delays and cancelations. Gould’s Sugarhouse...

UMass basketball: Minutemen's struggles continue in 73-69 loss to Central Connecticut State

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — It may be time to lower expectations for the 2024-25 UMass men’s basketball team.The Minutemen have had a tough start to the year – a five-game skid sandwiched in between their season-opening win over New Hampshire and a pair of sluggish...

Bulletin Board: Day 3 of Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Hunting Season

Day 3 of Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Hunting Season brought in fewer tags at Franklin County spots on Wednesday.Here’s the list of checks from three area stations (Gould’s Sugarhouse did not report by deadline):Orange Gun Club (10)Michael Grover,...

UMass hockey: Daniel Jencko’s return to the lineup sparking Minutemen up front

By RYAN AMES

Daniel Jencko returned to the UMass hockey lineup with a bang on Nov. 29.After missing seven games due to injury, Jencko tallied his second goal of the season against Army at Mullins Center, helping the Minutemen pick up their seventh victory of the...

On The Ridge with Joe Judd: The thrill of the hunt

Every year when whitetail deer season approaches, I’m again reminded of a story that was one of my best hunts ever. It culminated in a better understanding of the purest essence of deer hunting, rather than the emotion of any success or failure we...

UMass football: Longtime Springfield College coach Mike DeLong talks former player, new Minutemen hire Joe Harasymiak: “He’s really ready for this”

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — Joe Harasymiak had head coaching in his blood, that much was clear from the early stages in his life. That’s all he ever wanted to be when he grew up. And by time he got to college to play defensive back for head coach Mike DeLong at...

UMass to hire former Rutgers defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak as next head football coach

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — The wait is over, and the UMass football team has found its next head coach.As first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Wednesday morning and confirmed in a press release by UMass athletics, Rutgers defensive coordinator Joe Harasymiak is...

Bulletin Board: Day 2 Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Hunting Season

Another dry day greeted hunters for Day 2 of the Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Hunting Season on Tuesday.Erving’s Chad Jackson checked two deer at Bitzer Hatchery in Montague, including a 163-pound, 10-point buck – the largest deer checked during Day 2...

UMass athletics: Men’s soccer, field hockey tourney runs highlighting final A-10 seasons

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — There may be plenty of reasons for UMass fans to lament the athletic department over the past two weeks – a third-straight disappointing football season and a subpar men’s basketball start (3-5 record) among the results-based reasons outside...

Bulletin board: Day 1 of the Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Hunting Season

Sunny skies and cool temperatures greeted local hunters for opening day of the 2024 Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Hunting Season on Monday.Area checking stations were steady, highlighted by 32 deer reported at Gould’s Sugarhouse in Shelburne.The largest...

UMass football: Amid coaching search, pair of blunders has athletic department in the spotlight

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — In the midst of trying to hire a new head football coach, the University of Massachusetts athletic department can’t seem to get out of its own way.While Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford hasn’t addressed the fanbase since firing former head...

Fit to Play with Jim Johnson: Lessons of the playground

There was a vacant lot on the corner of 10th Street and Avenue H. I learned to play there, meeting up daily with other children in the neighborhood after school. There is something irreplaceable about unsupervised play; many lessons are learned. We...

UMass soccer: Minutemen continue Cinderella NCAA tourney run with 1-0 win over Virginia in Sweet 16

Three up, three down for the UMass men’s soccer team in the NCAA Division I tournament.The Minutemen’s Cinderella season continued as they defeated No. 11-ranked Virginia 1-0 in the Sweet 16 for their third win of the big dance.UMass (13-3-5) applied...

Chad Chatlos of TurnkeyZRG talks UMass football head coaching search: “If you get it right, this is a five, six, seven, eight-year type decision”

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — With Saturday’s 47-42 loss to UConn at McGuirk Alumni Stadium concluding the 2024 UMass football season, all eyes – if they weren’t already – now turn to the Minutemen’s head-coaching vacancy.And helping UMass Director of Athletics Ryan...