Fans, ex-players, and parents gathered on campus this weekend to support the UMass program and get together one last time for the 2011-12 season.  Friday night was the annual Reverse Raffle held in the Campus Center.  There wasn’t too much news that came out of the Reverse Raffle and unfortunately I didn’t win anything this year but it was still another enjoyable event.  It’s always a great time to get those who are most passionate about UMass hockey into one room together so I had a great time talking with friends as well as meeting some of the fans and parents that I hadn’t been able to before.  Overall a great night and I can’t recommend it enough next year if you’ve never been before.  It was too bad that coach Toot Cahoon was unable to make it to the Raffle or banquet as he’s still at home recovering from hip surgery, but he did join both events via Skype.

Saturday afternoon was the banquet.  I didn’t make it to that one but Dick Baker does recap the awards given out there.

Most Valuable Player:  T.J. Syner
Rookie of the Year:  Steven Guzzo & Kevin Boyle
Jack Caniff Unsung Hero:  Joel Hanley
Most Improved:  Patrick Kiley
Minuteman Award for Team Spirit:  Kevin Moore

I can’t complain with any of those.  Stick tap to all the award winners for their efforts over this past year.

Next year’s team captains were not named during the banquet.

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I also had a chance this past weekend to go out and support a couple other UMass teams.  On Friday I caught a few innings of softball playing Dayton.  Pitcher Sara Plourde lived up to her reputation striking out everyone in sight and even getting the Minutewomen on the board first with a homerun in her first at bat.

The reason I was unable to make the hockey banquet was because I was at Garber Field where I finally got to see the #2 UMass lacrosse team in person as they spanked St Joe’s 15-3.  Honestly, it wasn’t that close.  St Joe’s was held scoreless until the very end of the game when coach Greg Canella went deep on his bench with substitutions.  I’m looking forward to seeing the squad again when they play at Gillette on the 21st.

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Mike Marcou made his debut last night for the Oklahoma City Barons.  Marcou didn’t register in the scoring as the Barons beat the Milwaukee Admirals 3-2 to clinch a playoff spot.  T.J. Syner has played 8 games for the Hersey Bears so far and has registered one assist which came in his debut.

BC Interuption had and interesting take on what a 12 team Hockey East could look like if UConn ends up upgrading their hockey program.