UMass Lowell's Athletic Progression - Baseball and Basketball
Baseball: The New Recruits
In Lowell, UMass Lowell head baseball coach Nick Barese has been busy strengthening the team. The River Hawks are welcoming infielder Caden Angelo from Southington, Conn., infielder Brayden Cali from Taunton, left-handed pitcher Evan Clark from Cheshire, Conn., infielder Joseph DeLanzo from Nutley, N.J., left-handed pitcher Nolan Geisler from Bayonne, N.J., right-handed pitcher Jake LeFrancois from Worcester, infielder Rowan Masse from Manchester, Conn., infielder Zachary Scott from Lunenburg, and infielder/right-handed pitcher Jake Zawatsky from Billerica. The transfers include DeLanzo from Stony Brook, Masse from Old Dominion, and Scott from Dayton. The rest are freshmen. Coach Barese is excited about the depth they bring to key positions. "It’s been very exciting to see the newcomers this fall. The addition of our freshman class, along with some transfers, has really solidified the depth of our roster in key positions," he said. Zawatsky, who is 5-foot-10, will play at LeLacheur Park, not far from his Billerica home. He played at Austin Prep and also with the Nor’Easter Runbirds. A four-year letterwinner at Austin Prep, he captained the team as a junior and senior and was the 2022 Catholic Central League Rookie of the Year. He helped Austin capture the 2022 Div. 3 state championship and go 26-0.
The addition of these players is expected to enhance the team's performance and competitiveness in the upcoming season.
Women's Basketball: Recent Game and Team Dynamics
In Indianapolis, Ind., sophomore Rayne Durant from New Haven, Conn., scored 12 points as the UMass Lowell women's basketball team fell 69-44 to Butler in Hinkle Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon. Head coach Denise King was pleased to see some injured reserves suit up. "It was good to see some of our injured reserves suited up and available for today’s game," she said. Three players scored in double digits, showing that the offensive chemistry is progressing, providing multiple options for scoring. Durant also contributed five rebounds. Redshirt-senior Sydney Watkins from Indianapolis, Ind., and senior Alex Gitchenko from Ashdod, Israel, both recorded 10 points. Watkins added four steals, three rebounds, and three assists, while Gitchenko had three steals. Freshman Sille-Liis Mölder from Tallinn, Estonia, scored seven points with six rebounds and two assists. The River Hawks will now travel to San Juan, P.R., to compete in the Puerto Rico Clasico, facing UNC Wilmington on Friday at 5 p.m.
The team's performance in this game and their upcoming tournament will be interesting to follow.