Men’s Basketball
Coach Harris and the Beacons basketball team are off to one of their best starts in years. While Coach Harris still hasn’t had a full year of recruiting under his belt, he’s still been able to excel with the pieces already in place. Newcomer and Senior, Michael Campbell, has been on fire since he hit the court. Coach Harris will likely be increasing his minutes as the sixth man, or potentially moving him into the starting line-up.
In the past three games, the Beacons record is 2-1, with a close loss to Pine Manor College. The team doesn’t have another game scheduled until early in January. Tuesday, January fifth, the Beacons are set to take the court at Clark Gymnasium in a local derby against another Boston school, Tufts University. Following this match, the University of Massachusetts Boston faces off against Little East opponents in 12 straight conference matches. Harris is tasked with the challenge of preparing his team for this vital stretch of seasonal play. It will be a painstaking grind, but under the guidance of Coach Harris, the Beacon core of Magras, Allen, Barnes, Powers, and Campbell, should be well-equipped for the job.
Women’s Basketball
The Beacons are off to an incredible start this season. Interim Head Coach Kristina Baugh has been an incredible edition to the coaching staff. Under her leadership the Beacons could develop into a top contender in the Little East Conference. Starting the season, UMass Boston hit the ground running, mounting up a total of six straight wins. Despite the fast start, the Beacons have been in a slump in the past three games. UMass Boston’s record is now 6-3 overall, and 0-2 in conference.
Despite the losses, the Beacons have been in the game until the fourth quarter or overtime. In UMass Boston’s most recent game, the Beacons were winning throughout the first three quarters. Eventually, Keene State went on a late push and outscored UMass Boston in the fourth, putting the game into overtime. In overtime the Beacons were unable to keep up their play, scoring only five points against Keene’s 17. The final box score was UMass Boston – 56, Keene – 68.
If the Beacons want a shot at the NCAA tournament, they need to start winning in conferences. Senior Captain Olivia Murphy (forward) will have to keep up her play. When Murphy performs well, the Beacons are virtually unstoppable as she is potentially the best player in the Little East Conference. Sophomore Guard Katie Mathieu, Junior Guard Chantel Jordan, and Junior Guard Taje Burston will also need to be key contributors if the Beacons want to contend for an LEC title.
Men’s Hockey
Once again, UMass Boston’s hockey is a top contender in the nation. After the first 11 games of the season, the Beacons have a record of 9-1-1. In conference play, UMass is still perfect at 6-0. If the Beacons keep it up, they will likely get an automatic bid for NCAA tournament play.
Currently, the Beacons are ranked fifth in the nation by D3Hockey.com in their Top 15 DIII poll. Head Coach Peter Belisle’s squad is performing above and beyond expectations this year, dominating opponents within the New England Hockey Conference. The team is arguably off to the best start in the history of the program. Recently, Mike Miller was named the NEHC player of the week after recording a hat trick in their recent victory over Wentworth Institute of Technology. Junior Captain Albee Daley’s leadership has been instrumental in guiding the Beacons to their championship aspirations.
The Beacons have about a month off until their next conference match against SUNY Brockport, January 2, at home. UMass Boston has a remainder of 10 conference games before the season’s conclusion. Only time will tell if the Beacons can maintain perfection, but ultimately, the team looks ready to make history.
Women’s Hockey
UMass Boston Women’s Hockey is off to a rocky start this season with a total record of 5-6. Fortunately, despite the losing record, the Beacons have maintained a solid record in conference with four wins and two losses. If the Beacons want to be a top team in New England, they need to develop some prolonged consistency. So far, the biggest win streak for the team has been just three games. Hopefully, moving into January, the Beacons can find their form and go on a winning run.
Interim Head Coach Lindsay Berman seems to be gaining control of the reigns as of late, but it’s taken her some time to adjust to her new position. In the past five games, Berman helped lead her team to a total of three wins, two of which were in conference matches. If Berman can maintain the same conference success moving forward, then the Beacons will be a real post-season threat.
Beacon Update
December 14, 2015