The first annual All Mass Media Team
This group of five student athletes represents the stars on our campus who were exemplary this season. As a department, this year was one of the greatest in Beacons history. All told, the Beacons won three conference championships and other teams advanced much farther in tournaments than expected. Some teams made great improvements, such as men’s and women’s basketball, and will be going into 2013-14 with sky-high expectations. These five stars represent a fraction of the many fantastic athletes and coaches that made this great year possible.
Krista Ledin, Women’s Soccer
This one’s a no-brainer. The sophomore forward followed up her amazing rookie year with an even better sophomore campaign. Ledin led a Beacons squad that won both the regular season LEC championship and LEC tournament, the first in the history of the program. The ladies fought to an 18-3 record, with highlight wins including an 8-1 thumping of Plymouth State and a 1-0, 2-OT thriller over University of New England. Ledin scored 26 goals in 20 games to lead the LEC in scoring, and added 12 assists on her way to some unprecedented honors. She was the first athlete in UMass Boston Women’s Soccer history to be named to the All America Team, while also winning ECAC regional player of the year, and LEC player of the year.
Ledin has two years left to further pad her stats, but she’s well on her way to a hall of fame career here at UMass Boston. Hopefully the ladies will advance farther in the NCAA tournament next year after their first round exit in 2012 at the hands of Ithaca.
Mike DeGrazia, Men’s Hockey
The men’s hockey team was arguably the biggest surprise in the athletic department this year, and the senior forward was at the center of their incredible season. DeGrazia spent a large portion of the season leading the nation in scoring per game, and finished the year with 17 goals and 18 assists.
DeGrazia was very versatile for the Beacons. He could provide scoring when it was needed and also spread the puck around and find the open man. The Beacons went 19-6-2 this year before exiting the ECAC tournament in the 2nd round at the hands of Babson. They reached their highest national ranking in program history, 11, and have a very bright future. The senior played a large part in all of that success.
Kyle Szatrowski, Baseball
After throwing the first no-hitter in Beacons history last year, the sophomore pitcher has had a phenomenal 2013 campaign. The lefty has been a rock for the Beacons, with a 5-1 record over seven starts and 51 innings pitched. Szatrowski has been stingy all season, with an earned run average of 1.95. The Beacons have been a bit shaky offensively this season, so Szatrowski has been key in keeping this club afloat. He is undoubtedly the MVP of a team going through transitions, the biggest of which is moving into their new home at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton.
Shannon Thompson, Volleyball
Thompson’s four-year career at UMass has been outstanding. She is a sure-fire Beacons hall-of-famer. Thompson’s senior year was arguably her best for a Beacons squad that never had a home court, due to construction in the Clark Center. Despite the adversity, they not only won the LEC tournament, but won the NCAA east region and had the opportunity to play in the Elite Eight in Michigan, where they lost to Christopher Newport. Thompson was integral in that run, with a team leading 436 kills and 259 digs, good for 2nd on the Beacons. Not surprisingly, Thompson received the ECAC Offensive Player of the Year award and was honored as the top volleyball player in New England by the New England Volleyball Association.
Although Thomspon is graduating, the mark that she’s left on this program will be felt for many years. She’s the volleyball department’s most notable perennial powerhouse.
Kirsten Morrison, Women’s Basketball/ Volleyball
Morrison, a sophomore out of North Reading, is most certainly the Bo Jackson of UMass Boston. It seems that no matter what she tries, she’s the best at it. (There’s a rumor that she’s won awards at ballroom dancing, but we haven’t confirmed those.) One of the most crucial pieces on the LEC champion volleyball team, Morrison had 183 kills as a follow up to her outstanding, rookie of the year campaign last year. On the basketball court, she led the way for a much improved Beacons team that went 14-12. She was 2nd on the team in scoring with 13.9 points per game and rebounding with 8.8 rebounds per game. She also served as a mentor for LEC rookie of the year Olivia Murphy over the course of this season. Morrison has two more years in the Clark Center, and with her multitude of talents, it’s possible that she might make this list next year playing hockey and soccer.
Coach of the year: Amy Zombeck, women’s soccer
Coach Zombeck was at the helm for the ladies this year, and she led them to a season for the ages, going 18-3 and winning the LEC championship. The season was the greatest in the history of the program and the team won 15 more games than they did in Zombeck’s debut season seven years ago.
Rookie of the year: Olivia Murphy, women’s basketball
Murphy was a great find for the Beacons this season. She led the 14-12 team in scoring with 14.5 points per game and won the LEC rookie of the year award in a runaway. She has emerged as one of the leaders for a very improved squad that should be a contender next year.
