Taking a look back on a very successful 2020 for UMass, there were many players who stood out. Using only games played from January 1st to December 31st, here are our 2020 All-UMass teams. There were many deserving candidates, and as most are returning in 2021, the future is looking very bright in Amherst.
All-UMass First Team
Sam Breen (WBB)
Taking the A10 by storm after sitting out the fall 2019 semester, Breen may have had the best 2020 of any UMass athlete. Breen became “the first UMass player since at least 1997-98 to contribute 20-plus points in her first five starts” (UMass Athletics). Her ability to score and rebound at a high level complimented all-time UMass great Liedel last season. Breen has seamlessly taken over for Liedel as the program’s top star.
Jada Harris (WTF)
Breaking multiple records, earning gold medals, and dominating the competition. Jada Harris’ 2020 was just as impressive off the track as on the track. The Atlantic 10’s nominee for NCAA Women of the Year, Harris had one of the best years any UMass athlete has ever had.
John Leonard (HKY)
A weekly highlight reel, a top 10 Hobey Baker award nominee, and the nation’s top goal scorer in the ‘19-’20 season, Leno brought Mullins Center to their feet as the crowd’s jaws dropped time and time again. His hat trick against UMass Lowell was arguably the best UMass game of 2020. A no-brainer first team selection.
Tre Mitchell (MBB)
Tre10 rookie of the year, Mitchell lived up to all the hype as a freshman, dominating the competition including big names such as Hasahn French, Obi Toppin. Leading UMass to wins over Saint Louis, VCU, and Duquesne, Tre has energized the UMass basketball fan base, being hailed as the best player in the program since Marcus Camby.
Jeff Trainor (MLAX)
The senior all-American led UMass lacrosse to their historic upset over #1 Yale, elevating UMass as a national contender before the season was cut short due to the pandemic. Trainor was also drafted into the MLL by the Denver Outlaws. He was second in points for UMass with 20, and will be back this spring with an extra year of eligibility due to last season’s shortened season. The Gorillas will be very dangerous this season, watch out folks.
All-UMass Second Team
Chris Connolly (MLAX)
Another UMass Men's Lacrosse star, Connolly led the Gorillas with 23 points. His 2 assists per game were 5th in the CAA. Connolly will look to build off a strong season heading into his senior season.
Hailey Liedel (WBB)
One the all time GOATS for UMass Women's Basketball, Leidel finished several points shy of the all-time scoring record in program history, finishing with 1,841 points. A sharpshooter from anywhere on the court, Liedel, a 3-year team captain, earned a spot on the all-conference second team.
Matt Murray (HKY)
Arguably the most reliable goalie in Hockey East, Murray’s outstanding 1.78 GAA and .923 SV% provided the Minutemen with countless big time saves and the consistency in net necessary to remain a top 10 team throughout most of the calendar year. Murray continues to rise on the all-time UMass career wins list, reaching his 50th win in his last start. His next win will solidify him at the top, as the winningest goalie in program history.
Caitlyn Petro (WLax)
Selected onto the all-American second team, Petro led the nation in draw controls per game in 2020 with 11.2 wins per game, while her 56 draws in just five games played ranked in a tie for seventh in the NCAA” (UMass Athletics). She led the minutewomen to a 4-2 record in the shortened season, including a season opening 15-11 upset over #5 BC.
Bobby Trivigno (HKY)
Always making his teammates better, Trivigno ranked second on the team in plus-minus in ‘19-’20, and tied for 12th nationally. The conference player of the month in December, he continues to provide consistent production and has become the “glue guy” for this Minutemen squad. Other teams hate playing against Trivigno, as he always finds a way to make a play on the puck and elevate his teammates.
All-UMass Rookie Team
Zack Hochman (MLAX)
An all-American freshman 2nd-team selection, Hochman is one of the top faceoff specialists in the nation finishing the year ranked second in the CAA for faceoff percentage (.586), and fourth in groundballs per game (7.43). Look for Hochman to build on his shortened first season this spring on a powerful team who's bringing back almost all production with the extra year of eligibility from the NCAA.
Zac Jones (HKY)
The New York Rangers draftee did not disappoint in his first season in Amherst. Jones was still able to shine on a team crowded with big names such as Leonard, Chaffee, Trivigno, and Marc Del Gaizo. Named to the CHN and Hockey East all-rookie teams, Jones led all rookie defensemen in the conference in scoring (23 points), and ended 2020 with his best production yet registering at least a point in his final 5 games of the calendar year.
Matthew Kessel (HKY)
Leading the nation in scoring among rookie defensemen in ‘19-’20, Kessel’s outstanding season led him to be drafted by the Saint Louis Blues. Like Jones, Kessel is playing his best hockey heading into the new year, registering at least a point in his final 6 games of the calendar year.
Matt Knote (MLAX)
The best freshman goalie in the nation in 2020 is a Gorilla. Knote “helped UMass rank first in the CAA in caused turnovers per game (9.71) and man-down defense (.767), which also ranked ninth and 15th across NCAA Division I, respectively” (UMass Athletics). Knote looks to build off an outstanding freshman season this spring, looking forward to putting together a full season in net for UMass.
Tre Mitchell (MBB)
Rookie of the year, and a first team all-conference snub, Mitchell is playing way beyond his years. One of the nation's top scorers, Tre heads into the new year with a talented UMass squad looking to build on a solid run to end A10 play last spring. The MVP of UMass Athletics in 2020, this is Tre’s world and we're glad to be able to watch him do his thing.
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