Tag: Alicia Kutil

Kutil Sets Career Scoring Mark at UMass Dartmouth

Alicia Kutil
Former Franklin High standout Alicia Kutil broke a 32-year-old career scoring record at UMass Dartmouth in a win against Eastern Connecticut. With a late three Kutil surpassed the old mark of 1,323 points for her career. (Paris Felogloy/UMass Dartmouth)

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Five years ago, former Franklin High standout Alicia Kutil nearly stepped away from her dream of playing college basketball when she transferred from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. to UMass Amherst. In search of the right fit for her personally, Kutil’s basketball career was given a second chance by UMass Dartmouth, which had recruited her during her time at Franklin.

Just two weeks ago, Kutil, now a senior captain for the Corsairs, took a cross-court pass and fired up a three-pointer from the left wing in the final minute of a comfortable win against Little East Conference (LEC) rival Eastern Connecticut. With that three, Kutil became the all-time leading scorer in the program’s history.

Not every path to success is a straight line.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Kutil in a phone conversation the day before UMass Dartmouth faced Eastern Conn. in the LEC semifinal. “I’m still kind of in shock about. On senior night they talked about it before me and my family walked out and I think that’s when it hit me. It’s crazy! I really never thought in a million years that would be me.”

As a senior at Franklin, Kutil made the choice to go to school and play in Virginia rather than her second choice of UMass Dartmouth. She quickly realized that it was not the right fit and she wanted to come back home. “I ended up quitting basketball. I thought I was burnt out and that it wasn’t for me anymore,” she explained, “but I’ve played basketball all my life and I felt really lost my freshman year.”

After transferring to UMass Amherst to get a taste of a big school atmosphere, Kutil went to a Franklin game to watch her sister Aubrey play. UMass Dartmouth coach Matt Ducharme also made an appearance, sitting down right next to Kutil’s grandfather and starting a conversation that would eventually lead to Kutil heading to the South Coast the next fall.

“Coach Ducharme recruited me even though I wasn’t playing basketball,” Kutil said. “Matt played a huge role in bringing me back.” It also helped having several former Hockomock League rivals already on the Corsairs roster, including former North Attleboro standout Meg Ronaghan, who was putting together a stellar collegiate career in Dartmouth. “I think it really made me appreciate certain people in my life, especially my family,” Kutil added. “My grandparents, cousins go to games and seeing how much it impacts their lives and how much they enjoy watching me play makes me think, why did I ever want to go so far away.”

It turned out to be the perfect fit. Kutil jumped right into the rotation for the Corsairs, playing in 27 games and averaging more than seven points and four rebounds per game in her first year and being named to the LEC All-Rookie team. In her second year Kutil started 25 games and averaged nearly nine points a game and last winter she earned second team All-LEC honors scoring 14.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game to lead the Corsairs to the semifinal of the LEC Tournament.

She entered this season 136 points away from 1,000 for her career, a mark that Kutil missed by fewer than 100 points at Franklin. This has been a stellar season for the senior, who is averaging more than 19 points and nearly nine rebounds per game, and she quickly achieved the 1,000-point milestone. Even with that in the rearview mirror, Kutil said that she never put any focus on the school’s 32-year-old career scoring mark of 1,323.

Kutil entered the Eastern Conn. game just 24 points shy of the all-time mark, but playing a rival in an important LEC contest she wanted to put the record aside to ensure the Corsairs got the win. UMass Dartmouth built and sustained a double digit lead for the majority of the game and during the fourth quarter Ducharme told Kutil to go for it and get the record in front of the home crowd.“If it was a close game I think it would have been a different circumstance,” Kutil said.

Her first effort at the record-breaking shot did not go as planned. “I score a basket and I go to shoot a three and I air-balled it so bad and everyone is dying laughing,” Kutil admitted. “I was cracking up and I was so embarrassed.” With 38 seconds left, Kutil took another try at the record. She said, “I ended up hitting another three down the stretch, which it was a terrible shot and I would’ve gotten benched if it was a tight game.”

No one was worried about shot selection at the moment. The game was stopped to honor Kutil’s achievement and the former record-holder Cathy Johnson joined Kutil in a ceremony on the floor, passing the torch to the program’s new top scorer.

“She was super-sweet and she gave me a big hug and told me she was proud of me and that she was glad she could be there to see it. It meant a lot to me,” Kutil said. She added that she’s not expecting her name to be on top of the banner for too long, as junior Nakira Examond has already passed the 1,000-point mark and will likely set a new record next season. “I’m taking it in while it’s there,” Kutil joked. “I’m more than happy for her to smash that record next year.”

It has been a long journey for Kutil from Franklin to the record-setting moment, but that has only added to her appreciation for what she was able to achieve.

“I ended up here for a reason and I think that if I didn’t go through what I went through freshman year and if I didn’t have this extra year of eligibility I don’t know if I would’ve broken the record or met some of the people I met or had this crazy journey with my team,” she reflected. “As much as that first year sucked, it almost was a good thing. It was almost all worth it in the end.”

There is still more that Kutil wants to accomplish in her final season. The Corsairs (24-3) finished LEC regular season play unbeaten for the first time in program history and are hosting the LEC Tournament for the first time. After beating Eastern Conn. on Friday, UMass Dartmouth will take on second-seed UMass Boston for the title on Saturday afternoon.

“I’ve been so fortunate to have been on teams that are known for winning and that have winning records,” said Kutil, who went to back-to-back South sectional finals at Franklin. “[Franklin] taught me how to be competitive. When I came to college I think it helped a lot because you settle for nothing but the best.”

She added, “I think it would be so amazing and to be able to do it for the girls I’ve played with for the past four years and for the Cathy Johnsons and the other women in the program who weren’t able to do it. It would mean the world if we were able to do that on Saturday.”

(Editor’s Note – UMass Dartmouth lost 65-56 to UMass Boston in the LEC final on Saturday afternoon. Kutil scored six points and pulled down six rebounds. The Corsairs will now wait to see if they are chosen for the Div. III NCAA Tournament. They reached the Elite Eight in last year’s tournament.)

The Campus Report: Winter 2017 Update

Hockomock Campus Report

The HockomockSports.com Campus Report is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.

Babson men’s basketball has been the top ranked DIII college program for a good portion of the season and former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year and Franklin Panther Sam Bohmiller has played a vital role. The Beavers (21-1) are riding a 12-game winning streak heading into Saturday’s visit to Clark. Bohmiller has started in 20 games this season (missing two for an injury), averaging 29 minutes per game. Shooting at 53.4% from the field (49.2% from three point), Bohmiller is averaging 7.6 points per game as well as 2.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds and nearly 1.0 steals per game.

Mansfield’s Joe Collins has had a terrific year for Southern New Hampshire’s hockey team through 26 games. A graduate student, Collins is second on the team with 11 goals, first on the team with 21 assists and leads the Penmen with 32 points. His +8 is second on the team and his three game-winning goals is tied for the most on the team. Collins is currently riding a three game point streak, recording two against Daniel Webster, one against Franklin Pierce and two against Framingham State. Collins will conclude his final regular season on Saturday in Foxboro against Stonehill.

Taunton graduate Angie Martinez etched her name into Mount Ida’s record books twice this season. In early December, Martinez became just the fourth women’s basketball player in program history to join the 1,000 point club. Less than a week later, Martinez became the first ever Mustang to record 1,000 rebounds. She then took her success to another level in January, hauling in her 1,125th career board, making her the all-time women’s rebounding leader in Great Northeast Athletic Conference history. For her senior season, she is third on the team with 9.1 points per game and leads the Mustangs with 12.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

Bridgewater State currently sits at 13-9 overall and 6-3 in MASCAC play, good enough for third. The Bears are coming off a win over league-leading Salem State in a game that saw Taunton grad Fawaz Mass drop a game-high 23 points and former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Rocky DeAndrade chipping in with 16 points. Mass (16.2 ppg) and DeAndrade (14.4) are currently the top two in scoring for the Bears while Mansfield’s Greg Romanko, a captain is at 8.8 points per game and Milford’s Michael Soares is at 4.3 points per game. Mass is second on the team in rebounding and DeAndrade leads the Bears in assists. Soares scored a career-high 19 points late last month in a win over MCLA. Romanko also scored a season-high 19 points back in December in a rout of Maine-Augusta.

Bridgewater travels to Worcester State on Saturday to battle Milford graduate Aaron Anniballi and the Lancers. Anniballi turned it on midway through the season and was rewarded, earning starts in the last five games and six of the last seven. In a road trip to league-leading Salem State, Anniballi dropped a career-high 22 points, including a career-best five three pointers made. In the last five games, Anniballi is averaging 11.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game for the Lancers. For the season, he’s second on the team in assists and fourth in scoring despite just seven starts.

Former HockomockSports.com Hockey Player of the Year Ryan Spillane found the back of the net for the first time in his collegiate career, netting one of five goals in Saint Anselm’s win over Daniel Webster. A Franklin High product, Spillane has appeared in 14 games this year, including the last four. He registered his first assist on Friday, February 3rd against Southern Maine and then scored his first goal on Saturday. N

Success on the ice at Saint Anselm is noting new for the Spillane family though, as Kaitlyn Spillane, a junior, continues to be a big piece of the Hawks’ women’s hockey team. After 12 points as a freshman and 24 points as a sophomore, Spillane is already up to 26 points during her junior campaign. Her 26 points is good for second on the team, a combination of 10 goals and 16 assists. She’s currently riding an eight game point streak heading into Friday night’s tilt with Williams. During that stretch, she registered four points in a win over New England College.

Michael Choate has strung together two strong meets for the Boston University swim team. The former KP Warrior had three top three finishes against Boston College, including third in the 100 backstroke (52.79), third in the 200 butterfly (1:58.57) and second in the 200 backstroke (1:52.11). He followed that up with three more top three finishes against Bryant, including second in the 200 free (1:47.26) and third in the 500 free (4:56.08). He was also apart of the 200 medley relay that took third (1:38.76). North Attleboro’s Sarah Hargrave also had solid showings in the same meets. On senior night against BC, she took first in the 500 free (4:57.16) and first in the 200 free relay (1:37.34). Against Bryant, she placed third in the 100 free (54.43) and was apart of the 400 free relay that touched in third (3:49.61).

2016 HockomockSports.com First Team selection Alecia Quinones has been a top option off the bench for UMass Boston this season. The Stoughton High product has come off the bench and appeared in all 22 games for the Beacons, averaging 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and shooting nearly 40% from the floor. Quinones showed what she can do when she played 23 minutes earlier this season at Colby College. She scored 20 points on 8/13 shooting in the win for UMass Boston.

A trio of former Hockomock rivals turned teammates are playing a big role for UMass Amherst’s men’s swimming team. Attleboro’s Owen Wright, Franklin’s Austen Sholudko and King Philip’s Chris DiGiacomo have all helped the Minutemen as they head into Atlantic 10 Championships next weekend. In their latest meet against Fordham, Wright took first place in the 50 yard free (21.53), fourth in the 100 yard free and was apart of the 200 yard free relay team that took second place. DiGiacomo took first place in the 200 yard backstroke, second in the 200 yard IM and placed third in the 200 yard free. Sholudko placed fifth overall in the 1000 yard free and was seventh in the 500 yard free.

Bristol Community College has racked up 13 wins so far this season and is averaging an impressive 88.6 points per game as a team. Former HockomockSports.com Boys Basketball Player of the Year and Taunton standout Jose Mercado is currently third on the team in scoring with 13.8 points per game, fifth on the team with 4.5 rebounds a game and second with 2.0 steals. After coming off the bench for the majority of the season, Mercado has worked his way into the starting line up, starting five straight games. In that stretch, he’s averaged 16.4 points, 5.6 boards, 3.2 assists and 2.4 steals for the Bayhawks, who are 4-1 with him in the starting lineup.

Former HockomockSports.com Girls Basketball Player of the Year Kat Tamulionis has found a new home at Babson and recently helped the program to its 600th win. The Foxboro alum has appeared in 14 games, earning her first collegiate start at Mount Holyoke on January 21st. In the program’s 600th win, a 72-51 win over Emerson, Tamulionis scored a career-high eight points Another former Foxboro standout Ashley Snyder has made nine appearances for the Beavers so far this season, playing a season-high 12 minutes against Emory & Henry earlier this season.

There were plenty of Hockomock alums on the court on Wednesday night when Wheaton visited Clark University. Foxboro’s Rob Lowey and Alex DuBrow dressed for the visitors while Milford’s David Mercier and Joe Atkinson are both captains for the Cougars. In just his second collegiate start, DuBrow made a big difference down the stretch for the Lyons. The freshman hit a pair of free throws with 51 seconds left to give Wheaton a four point lead and then stole an inbounds pass with 22 seconds left, adding one more free throw to help ice the game. DuBrow tied a career-high with 13 points in the game while adding four assists. On the season, he’s averaging 6.8 points, 2.7 assists and leads the team with a 1.6 assist/turnover ratio. Mercier had a game-high 21 points while Atkinson added 16 in the loss. For the season, Mercier is fourth on the team with 10.7 points and fourth in rebounding at 4.2. Atkinson is the team’s top rebounder with 7.5 boards a game and is averaging 11.8 points for Clark (13-9).

Taunton’s Dylan Schrama had a strong showing in Clark University’s meet with WPI at the end of January. Competing in five events, Schrama was first for Clark in three events and touched the wall before anyone else in one event. He took first place overall in the 200 yard IM, clocking in at 2:15.42. He also placed fourth in the 50 yard backstroke and took third in the 100 yard free style. He was also a member of the 200 yard medley relay that came in third overall.

King Philip graduate and current Northeastern sophomore Carly Schnabel was tabbed as the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Swimmer of the Week. She’s the first Northeastern swimmer to earn the honor this season. Competing at Harvard, Schnabel turned in a historic performance in the 1,000-yard free by setting a new program record in 10:03.95 for first place. Her time is over seven seconds ahead of the next closest conference competitor for the event this season.

Keene State snapped a two-game skid with the help of King Philip alum Jimmy Layman. The junior forward came off the bench to score 13 points (5/8 FG), had four rebounds and came away with three steals. The Owls (15-7) recently were ranked 10th in the Northeast in the NCAA Regional Rankings for DIII. Layman has a been a top contributor off the bench so far this season, playing in 21 games and averaging 3.8 points per game and 2.1 rebounds. He scored a season-high 17 points back in December at WPI.

Less than a week after Mansfield junior Tyler Boulter set a new program record for most threes in a game (10), older brother and former Hockomock League MVP Ryan Boulter decided it was his turn to set a record. In Merrimack’s home game against Southern Connecticut, Boulter put on a show – connecting on nine three pointers to tie the school record. The sophomore forward finished with a career-high 40 points in the Warriors’ overtime win. Although just a sophomore, Boulter is currently leading the Warriors with 18.2 points per game, averaging 3.3 threes in contest. He also is hauling in 4.4 boards on average.

UMass Dartmouth women’s basketball program is used to having a Hockomock alum leading the way, and this year is no different. After years of dominance from North Attleboro’s Meg Ronaghan, now it’s Franklin’s Alicia Kutil that’s leading the way for the Corsairs (19-3). Kutil is second with 13.6 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game, while adding 2.4 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals. She was named the Little East Conference Player of the Week earlier this week.

Mansfield’s George Apostolopoulos qualified for the NEISDA Division II/III Championships in the 50 breaststroke over the weekend at the Bridgewater State Bears Invitational. Apostolopoulos posted a time of 35.43 seconds in the 50 breaststroke to qualify. Attleboro’s Dylon Willis helped the Bears to a pair of wins at a tri-meet at the end of January, beating Husson and Regis. Willis was apart of the 200 medley relay team that came in second, took first in the 50 yard breaststroke (28.08) and the 100 yard breaststroke and was second in the 100 IM.

Also at Bridgewater State, Mansfield’s Abbie Grant and Danielle Souza, North Attleboro’s Adi Tobias and King Philip’s Emily Garven are swimming for the Bears. At the BSU Bears Invitational, Grant was second in the 50 yard butterfly and the 100 yard IM, Souza took third in the 200 yard free, Tobias grabbed second in the 100 yard butterfly and Garven won the 50 yard backstroke as well as the 100 yard free.

Attleboro’s Bri Hochwarter is averaging 13.6 points per game and has been a big reason why Wheelock College women’s basketball has registered 10 wins this season. She is also averaging 3.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals for the Wildcats. Hochwarter is on a strong stretch, scoring in double figures in four straight games. She’s hit 14 threes in that stretch, averaging 16.8 points per game.

Former Mansfield Hornet and Winnipeg Jets draft pick Erik Foley is enjoying another successful year at Providence. After an impressive freshman year (seven goals, 12 assists), he’s already topped his rookie point total during his sophomore year. He’s tied for a team-high 10 goals and also has 13 assists, good for 23 points – third for the Friars. Providence is 17-8-4 on the season and ranked #11 in the country.

With the NEWMAC Championships on the horizon next week, Taunton’s Kyle Werra and WPI’s men swimming team are looking to make a slash. Werra has competed in eight events for the Engineers so far this season. At the Clark University Cougar Invitational, Werra set three best times for the season. In the 200 free, he clocked in a 1:57.85, in the 100 breaststroke he touched the wall at 1:08.12 and in the 400 medley, he timed at 4:45.18.

Oliver Ames alum Caitlyn Abela continues to be a big piece for Saint Anselm. The Hawks, who have former Canton assistant Colleen Moriarty on the staff, stand at 15-8 on the season. Abela is second on the team at 10.9 points per game, scoring a season-high 23 earlier this year in a win at Daemen. She’s also averaged 3.3 rebounds a game this year (season-high 11 at Adelphi) and 1.1 assists (season-high 4 vs. NYIT).

A pair of former Hockomock rivals are now teammates at Merrimack. Franklin’s Lexi Martin and Attleboro’s Emily Houle are both contributing for the Warriors (11-11) this season. Martin, a sophomore, has started in all 22 games this season, averaging 8.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. She scored a season-high 19 points in a win over New Haven in early January and had a stretch in which she scored in double figures in six of eight games. Houle, a freshman and last year’s HockomockSports.com Girls Basketball Player of the Year, has played in 11 games, scoring five points in a game at Adelphi against former head coach Missy Traversi and hitting a three in a close win over St. Michael’s last week.

Former Mansfield Hornet Kevin Conner has scored 13 points in back to back games for Mount Ida heading into this week’s contest with Rivier. The Mustangs (14-8 overall) are currently in fourth place in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Conner, who was slowed by an injury to start the season, has started in every game he’s been available for. In a win at Rivier, Conner was a perfect 6/6 from the field and in a loss to conference-leading Albertus Magnus, Conner added 13 points including a pair of threes. In 17 games, Conner is averaging 8.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists a game.

Attleboro’s Kerri Beland is having a strong sophomore season for the Salve Regina women’s basketball game. The former Attleboro Bombardier is leading the Seahawks in scoring with 12.5 points per game, shooting 40% from the floor and 36% from three point. She’s also fourth on the team in rebounding with 5.3 boards.

Ever since the turn of the calendar, former Franklin standout Chris Rodgers has gone on a tear for WPI. After coming off the bench for the start of the season, Rodgers picked up his first start on December 6th. In his last seven starts, dating back to January 18th, Rodgers has been one of the Engineers top options on offense. He scored a season-high 23 points and hauled in nine rebounds in a narrow loss to Springfield and scored in double figures in six of those seven games. He’s averaging 15.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in that span for WPI, who have four wins in that same stretch.

The Campus Report: Winter Season Rolls On

Below is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.
Mansfield graduate and Merrimack freshman Aidan Friend was named the Northeast-10 Conference Track Rookie of the Week. Friend finished second in the 60M with a time of 7.09, which was a personal best and ranks fourth on the school record board. That time is also the fourth-fastest recorded in the event in the NE-10 so far this season according to Merrimack.
Franklin graduate Sam Bohmiller has averaged 8.2 points a game over the last six contests for Babson, who is 5-1 in that stretch. In wins over Coast Guard and Wheaton, Bohmiller pulled down four rebounds and had three assists. In the Beavers’ win over WPI, Bohmiller netted 10 points, the second highest total of the season. Also in that WPI game, Bohmiller’s former teammate Chris Rodgers came off the bench to score 10 points for the Engineers, including a layup to make it a two point game with 19 seconds left. Rodgers has been solid option for WPI this season had just last week had a game-winner. With 0.4 seconds left and WPI trailing by one, Rodgers floated one for the go ahead bucket.
Merrimack freshman Maeve McGowan had a first place finish in the 100 backstroke in 1:04.82 against Bentley. The Mansfield alum was also first in the 200 backstroke by nearly 10 seconds, finishing in 2:21.95 and first in the 100 butterfly in 1:26.26.
Bridgewater State is an ever 3-3 over its last six games, the last being an overtime win over MCLA fueled by former Hock players. OA’s Ryan Carney came off the bench to score a team-high 13 points, Taunton’s Fawaz Mass finished with 12 points and three steals and Mansfield’s Rocky DeAndrade had eight points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. In overtime, all but one point for BSU was scored by a Hockomock alum. Carney had seven of his points in the extra period, Mansfield’s Greg Romanko had a three, Mass and DeAndrade each hit a pair of free throws and Milford’s Michael Soares had a dunk.
Former Canton standout Quinn Merrigan is 14-3 for Gettysburg wrestling so far this season. A sophomore, Merrigan has won five straight matches and 13-1 since a 1-2 start to the season. A year removed from a 22-15 campaign as a freshman, Merrigan – who wrestles at 149 – has been a vital part of the Bullets’ 5-4 season this year.
Stoughton alum Aaron Calixte had his best scoring day of his collegiate career on Wednesday night. The sophomore scored a career-high 23 points to lead Maine to a 105-100 overtime win on the road at Hartford. Calixte scored the Black Bears’ first four points in the extra period to keep pace with the Hawks. He finished with five assists and four rebounds in the game. On the season, Calixte is fourth on the team with 9.4 points per game.
Boston University has a trio of former Hockomock swimmers making a splash for the Terriers. Freshman Michael Choate came in first in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:54.45 to get nine points for BU in a win over Bryant. Choate was second in the 1000 free and sixth in the 200 butterfly. Another KP alum also played a big role in the win as Stephanie Nasson was first in the 500 free by over six seconds and was second in the 200 free for four points. North Attleboro’s Sarah Hargrave was less than a second behind Nasson in the 200 free to finish third and she also was second in the 200 breaststroke, finishing just 0.15 seconds behind first place.
Former Mansfield 1,000 point scorer Ryan Boulter has reached double-digits in the scoring column over the past two games, including a career-high 18 points in Merrimack’s loss to Adelphi. Boulter played a personal high 34 points, hitting four three pointers and seven field goals in total. He also hauled in a career-high six rebounds in the game. Boulter, a freshman for the Warriors, had 11 points and three rebounds in a 105-81 win over American International earlier this week.
Mansfield’s Kevin Conner scored a season-high 17 points and shot 60% from the field as Mount Ida scored a big win over Anna Maria for the first time since 2012. Connor also had a season-high four assists and hit a pair of three pointers for the first time this year as the Mustangs picked up a 21 point win.
Northeastern had a massive win over UMass this past weekend. A pair of Hockomock alums both had important finishes for the Huskies in the win. King Philip’s Carly Schnabel had a trio of individual top five finishes, finishing 4th in the 50 free (24.19), 4th in the 200 free (1:53.57) and fifth in the 100 backstroke (59.49). Oliver Ames’ Jacquelyn Gover was 4th in the 3 meter diving with a score of 234.00 and sixth in the 1 meter diving with a score of 237.65.
Franklin’s Marcus Giese has worked his way into RPI’s starting lineup as a freshman. After coming off the bench for the first 13 games, Giese has started the last two games. He’s shot 50% from the field between the two games with 16 points and combined for 14 rebounds. RPI, which won both games after a four game skid, is now 9-7 overall.
Stoughton’s Chrystal Holland had one of her best games of the season earlier this week as AIC rolled to a big win over Merrimack. Holland came off the bench, shooting 60% for six points. The Yellow Jackets are an impressive 16-4 in Holland’s senior season.
Taunton grad Dylan Schrama has impressed in his first year for Clark University. In the Cougars’ most recent meet against WPI, Schrama was fourth overall and first for Clark in the 200 free. In the 100 free, he finished fifth in 52.36.
Stoughton’s Tahira Peralta cracked the starting lineup for the first this season late last week for Salem State. The senior has started the past two games, shooting nearly 50% for 17 points. She had a pair of rebounds in each game – both wins – as the Vikings snapped a three game skid.
Meg Ronaghan continues to dominate for UMass Dartmouth. The North Attleboro product, who scored her 1,000th career point earlier this season, was named the Little East Conference and the New England Women’s Basketball Association Player of the Week. She had a career-high 37 points – only two off the program record – and 20 rebounds in a win at Rhode Island College. She’s leading the Corsairs with 18. points per game and 7.1 rebounds per game. Over the past four games, Franklin’s Alicia Kutil has averaged 10.3 games for UMass Dartmouth, who went 3-1 in that stretch.
Milford alum Natasha Gonzalez has started all but one game for Worcester State so far this season. Over the past five games, she’s averaged 7.2 points per game, including 11 points against Keene State. In her two starts this year, Gonzalez has combined for 13 rebounds and seven assists.
King Philip’s Olivia Sugrue had a pair of wins for Bridgewater State in its meet with Bentley. Sugrue won the 100 butterfly in 1:10.77 and won the 200 IM in 2:41.54. She also placed fourth in the 100 backstroke. KP’s Emily Garven had a pair of third place finishes for the Bears. In the 200 butterfly, the freshman earned the Bears three points with a time of 2:56.07 and in the 100 butterfly, she finished in a time of 1:15.97. Mansfield’s Abbie Grant won the 500 free in 6:00.21 to get nine points for BSU and was third in the 200 free.
 

The Campus Report: Catching Up With Basketball Alums

Below is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.
Joe Farroba’s Bridgewater State team is full of former Hockomock players and for the first time this season, all five of them made up his starting lineup on Thursday night. Oliver Ames’ Ryan Carney, Taunton’s Fawaz Mass, Milford’s Michael Soares and Mansfield’s Greg Romanko and Rocky DeAndrade. The five combined for 72 of the team’s 83 points in a double overtime win over UMass Boston. It was Carney’s first collegiate start and he didn’t disappoint, scoring a career-high 23 points while Romanko also netted a career-high 18 points. For the season, Mass leads the Bears in scoring with 15.2 points (5.6 rebounds), DeAndrade is third with 8.9 points (3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists), Romanko has 8.8 points (3.3 rebounds), Carney 8.3 points and Soares 3.1 points (2.1 rebounds).
Canton’s Olivia Murphy has been a monster for UMass Boston so far during his senior season, leading the team with 20.1 points and 15.6 rebounds a game. She’s been a nuisance for opponents by averaging an impressive 8.4 offensive rebounds per game and is leading the team with 2.6 blocks a game.
Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Sam Bohmiller has played a big role for Babson in the first part of the season. Bohmiller has started in all 11 games, averaging 5.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and has connected on a team-high 17 three pointers. Babson is 7-4 so far this season.
Franklin’s Lexi Martin has missed the past two games but has been a vital piece for Merrimack so far in her freshman year. Through her 12 appearances, Martin has averaged 6.4 points per game, shooting nearly 50% from the floor. She’s added 2.3 rebounds a game as well. Back at the beginning of December, Martin poured in a career high 19 points in a 72-68 win up at St. Michael’s.
Taunton’s Angie Martinez continues to be the go-to scorer for Mount Ida in her junior season. Martinez is averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game while also pulling in over 13 rebounds a game (another team-high). Over the Mustangs’ past three games, Martinez has averaged 19 points, including dropping 23 points in a 59-57 win over Becker.
Out in Worcester, a trio of former Milford Scarlet Hawks are playing a big role for Clark. Juniors David Mercier and Joe Atkinson are both regulars in the lineup while former Milford coach Steve Manguso is in his third year as Associate Head Coach. Former North Attleboro standout Justin Perron is in his first year as an assistant coach. Mercier is averaging 9.3 points per game and 4.4 rebounds while Atkinson is scoring 7.4 points per game, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals.
At Framingham State, Joe McCabe is having a solid start to his senior season. A former Canton standout, McCabe is a captain and has appeared in all of the Rams games except for one. McCabe is coming off his best scoring performance since November, scoring 10 points against Salem State.
A trio of Hockomock alums – all from different schools – are the captains at Colby Sawyer this year. Mansfield’s Katie McCarthy, Oliver Ames’ Kristin Ellis and Sharon’s Jessica Shenkel are the captains are all in the top six in scoring on the team. Shenkel leads the 7-4 Chargers at 11.4 points per game, Ellis has averaged 5.5 points and a team-high 8.9 rebounds and McCarthy has 3.7 points a team-best 3.7 assists a game.
King Philip alum John Mullane is just one of two players to start all 10 games for Elmira College in New York. Mullane, a senior, is averaging 6.4 points per game, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He also leads the Eagles in free throw attempts (25) and offensive rebounds (16). Mullane had a season-best 13 rebounds in the team’s 62-59 win over Endicott at the end of December.
King Philip graduate Ellen Wagner has impressed early on in her sophomore year for Roanoke College. Wagner is fourth on the team in scoring with 7.7 points and four rebounds a game. She scored a career-high 17 points back in December, shooting over 72% of the floor to help the Maroons to a big win over Mary Baldwin College.
Former Stoughton 1,000 pointer scorer Aaron Calixte has appeared in all 14 games for Maine, a D1 team, this season. Calixte is averaging 8.1 points per game, shooting at nearly 50% from the floor. He is averaging 2.4 assists per game and 2.6 rebounds as the Bears are 4-10 so far this season.
Speaking of D1 programs, former KP star Jake Layman and Maryland is ranked third in the country. Layman has started in all 15 games and is averaging 11.1 points per game and 5.3 rebounds a game. He has 18 steals and 14 blocks on the season. Layman had one of his best games of the season when he dropped 18 points in the Terps 88-63 win over Rutgers.
Over at UMass Dartmouth, former HockomockSports.com Girls Basketball Player of the Year Meg Ronaghan scored her 1,000 career point in the fourth quarter in a win over Salem State. The North Attleboro grad scored 21 points in the game to reach the milestone. Check back on Sunday for our feature story on Ronaghan.
Also at Umass Dartmouth, Franklin graduate Alicia Kutil has started all 10 games and is averaging 9.5 points per game, which is fourth on the team. Kutil is also averaging 4.9 rebounds while Milford grad Jess Pye has appeared in five games so far for the 8-2 Corsairs.
On Wednesday, former Mansfield standout and 2015 Hockomock League Boys Basketball MVP Ryan Boulter dropped career-high 17 points in his 11th game played for Merrimack. The Warriors needed a late bucket to secure the win but Boulter was a big reason that Merrimack was in it. Coming off the bench, Boulter played 26 minutes and shots 55% from the floor and hit five three pointers. So far in his rookie year, Boulter is averaging 5.8 points per game.
Another former Mansfield player, Kevin Conner, has started in all 11 of Mount Ida’s game so far, averaging 6 points per game and 3.6 rebounds a game. The Mustangs are 4-5 so far while Conner’s best game came back in December in a one point loss to Johnson & Wales. The sophomore had a season-best 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in the game.
Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Karlie O’Driscoll has been a big part of Caldwell’s nine wins i 15 games so far this season. The Sharon alum is third on the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game while she leads the teams in rebounds at 5.8 per game. In the two games in 2016, O’Driscoll has reached double figures both times, scoring 24 points over the two games.
Taunton’s Chris Green and Sharon’s Jimmy Fritzson are the two leading scorers for Rhode Island College through 12 games this season. Green is scoring a team-best 18.3 points a game, also averaging 3.4 rebounds a game and has shot nearly 90% at the free throw line. Fritzson, a former 1,000 point scorer for the Eagles, is second on the team with 11.3 points per game and is averaging 2.1 rebounds a game.
Former Franklin big man Marcus Giese is enjoying a successful start to his collegiate career at RPI. Standing at 6’8, Giese has played and scored in every single game this season. He’s averaging 6.4 points per game (a career high 10 came against Hibert in November), is pulling in 5.3 boards a game and 2.1 assists per game. RPI is 7-4 so far this season and 1-1 in conference play.
Sharon’s Emilee Daley scored a season-high 17 points in Boston College’s win over Bryant just before the new year. Daley was 7/11 from the floor and had a pair of rebounds and assists in just 23 minutes of play. Daley, who played two years at Sharon, is averaging 8.3 points per game and 3.1 rebounds off the bench for the 11-1 Eagles.
Attleboro’s Kerri Beland is currently third in scoring at 6.0 points per game for Salve Regina. Beland has started in 10 games so far this season and is pulling down 3.3 rebounds a game and has 1.5 assists a game. Back in December, the former Bombardier scored 12 points in a win over Curry.
Former Oliver Ames 1,000 point scorer Caitlyn Abela is second in scoring for Saint Anselm, who is 7-5 to start the season. Abela is averaging 10.4 points per game, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists. In the month of December, Abela scored 61 points over five games for the Hawks. Her strongest scoring performance of the year came when she scored 19 points in a loss at Assumption.
Another former player for OA’s Laney Clement-Holbrook is enjoying success at the D1 level. Asia Mitchell-Owens is currently third in scoring with 10.5 points per game for UMass Lowell. Mitchell-Owens has started in all 13 games for the River Hawks (3-10). The former Tigers is also averaging 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game.
Former Attleboro coach Missy Traversi’s Wildcats are 6-2 so far this season. Wheelock has four straight games and Attleboro grad Bri Hochwarter is a big season. The junior is second in scoring at 12.9 points per game and has scored in double figures in each of the last four games.