Chicopee native Malone receives Athlete of the Year award

Date: 11/14/2014

BOSTON – Springfield College senior defender Ryan Malone of Chicopee was named the 2014 NEWMAC Men's Soccer Athlete of the Year following his standout senior season for the Pride.

In addition, Malone, a sport management major at Springfield College, was named to the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) First Team All-Conference.

Malone helped the men's soccer program to an 8-5-6 record in 2014. The five-loss mark for the Pride is tied for the fewest in the program's Division III history, as Springfield only suffered five losses in 2011. Overall, the mark is only the program's second-fewest losses since the Pride only lost twice in 1989.

Malone, a graduate of Chicopee Comprehensive High School, posted a stellar first season with the Pride, posting nine goals and earning NEWMAC Men’s Soccer Rookie of the Year honors.

Four years later, Malone closed out his senior season with six goals and as many assists in 17 games for the Pride, was a dominant force both offensively and defensively.

BUZZARDS BAY – Senior forward Amanda Grant of Westfield was named to the MASCAC All-Conference second team on Nov. 7.

Grant tallied 15 goals and seven assists for the Owls for 37 points. She is the team’s second leading scorer and ranks fourth in the league in both points and goals. Grant netted four game-winning goals for the Owls this year.

BUZZARDS BAY – Feeding Hills native Alycia Rackliffe, a sophomore middle hitter for the Framingham State University women’s volleyball team, was named Massachusettts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Player of the Week after she earned MASCAC Tournament MVP honors in averaging 13 kills, four digs, three blocks and an ace to lead the Rams to the MASCAC Tournament Championship.