Spencer's Gabby Soter steps up for University of New England women's hoops team

Gabby Soter was a star point guard at David Prouty, where she led the Panthers’ backcourt and a program resurgence during her outstanding career, but this season, as a freshman at the University of New England, she had to step into the 4 spot, a totally new position for the 5-foot-6 Soter, due to injuries on the team.

“I do enjoy it,” Soter said, “playing with the bigs down low. It’s hard, though, and it’s a lot more physical. If you take a break, they can get around you. Once you’re down there, you realize it’s not so easy.”

Soter, who averaged 19.1 points per game last season to lead SWCL C and ranked fourth in Central Mass., began this year as the Nor’easters’ first player off the bench. She cracked the starting lineup in early January, and scored a career-high 22 points in a Jan. 18 win over Suffolk.

“I think I’m mixing in pretty well,” said Soter, who has helped UNE to a 15-6 record (11-3 Commonwealth Coast Conference). “(Our lineup) is 5-foot-10, 5-8, 5-6, 5-5 and 5-5, and we are outsized most games, but we’re playing pretty well and adapting to a new way of playing.”

As a senior at David Prouty, Soter led the Panthers to the second round of the Division 5 state tournament and was a T&G Super Team selection. She was a three-time SWCL all-star.

Soter finished her high school career with 917 points — COVID wiped out her junior season.

“Coming up short of 1,000 points in high school motivates me,” Soter said, “to see how many points I can get in college and help my team out.”

Soter has played in every game this season and is averaging 5.3 points and 3 rebounds.

Soter is majoring in applied exercise science, and she plans to become a physician’s assistant.

“I love it up here at UNE,” she said.

HC's Will Batchelder clutch from long range

Holy Cross guard Will Batchelder launched from long range en route to a career-high 28 points and program single-game record eight made 3-pointers in the Crusaders’ 72-58 loss to Lafayette Monday night at the Hart Center.

Batchelder is averaging 12.3 points to rank second on the team, and his .426 3-point shooting percentage is seventh in the Patriot League. He is in the running for PL Rookie of the Year honors.

“(With his) consistency, his attitude, his approach, his everyday work ethic that he puts in,” HC coach Brett Nelson said, “it’s not an accident he’s doing what he’s doing. He’s an everyday guy, and he’s playing well.”

As Nelson noted, teams put their best perimeter defender on Batchelder, and he has responded with seven 20-point performances this season.

Earlier in the year, Batchelder (against Stonehill) and junior Joe Octave (at Boston University) tied the previous HC single-game record for 3s (seven, a mark shared by six other players).

Batchelder has made 75 3-pointers and needs eight to break the school single-season record of 82 held by Kevin Hamilton (2004-05).

Batchelder’s eight 3s tied Colgate’s Tucker Richardson for the Patriot League season high.

Bob Cousy Award candidates announced

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the top 10 candidates for the 2023 Bob Cousy Award, named for the Holy Cross and Boston Celtics legend and given annually to the top point guard in college basketball.

The award is in its 20^th year.

The finalists are Antoine Davis (Detroit Mercy), Jalen Pickett (Penn State), Markquis Nowell (Kansas State), Yuri Collins (St. Louis), Tyler Kolek (Marquette), Mike Miles (TCU), Kendric Davis (Memphis), Tyger Campbell (UCLA), Max Abmas (Oral Roberts) and Souley Boum (Xavier).

“We are very proud that this is the 20^th year of the award,” said Bob Cousy Award chairman Ken Kaufman, the former WPI men’s basketball coach.

Starting Feb. 10, fans can vote at hoophallawards.com. In March, five finalists will be presented to Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2023 Bob Cousy Award will be presented on a date to be determined.

Marsh family era ends for WPI wrestling

This weekend marks the end of an era for WPI’s Marsh family.

Every year since the 2012-13 season, the WPI wrestling roster has featured a Marsh brother, starting with Justin (Class of 2016), followed by Tyler (’20), and current senior Adam, whose victory at 174 pounds last Friday led the Engineers past Rhode Island College. WPI has won four of its last seven dual meets.

The Engineers compete Friday at Springfield, and Adam’s final home match is at 3 p.m. Saturday, when WPI hosts Western New England at Harrington Auditorium.

For the last decade, proud parents Ella and Al Marsh rarely missed a weekend of wrestling, traveling from the northern Philadelphia suburb of Upper Black Eddy to attend most Engineers matches.

Following Friday’s and Saturday’s meets, the Marsh family will turn attention to its beloved Philadelphia Eagles, who will take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday.

Wachusett's Paige Moroney earns honor

Westfield State junior Paige Moroney, a member of the Owls’ track and field team, will serve as president of the MASCAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for the 2023 calendar year.

Her peers elected Moroney, a Wachusett Regional graduate, to the position.

Moroney joined Westfield State’s SAAC as a freshman and she has enjoyed being a leader on campus and providing insight on the student-athlete experience.

As MASCAC SAAC president, Moroney’s initiatives for the upcoming year include community service, mental health check-ins, branding and marketing.

“I’m excited about our conference community service for this year,” Moroney said. “Typically we chose one campus’ local area and try to make an impact there, but this year, we are working on care packages to help people in shelters that will help out in the local area of each school’s campus.”

Moroney, who placed second in the 60 and 200 at the 2022 MASCAC indoor championship meet, is a movement science major.

An enjoyable visit to South High

Thanks so much to South High health and physical education teacher Sandy Danault for inviting me to talk with her Athletic Management class.

Sandy, her students and I had a great Q&A, and conversations about sports journalism, developing professional relationships, South High athletics and the upcoming MIAA state tournaments.

Keep up the great work, Colonels.

Head of the Class

• Worcester State senior guard/forward Aaron Nkrumah of Worcester scored a season-high 30 points and added 11 rebounds and a block to lead the Lancers, undefeated in MASCAC play, past Bridgewater State.

• Bates senior guard Steph Baxter of Worcester scored 19 points against Bowdoin to become the 35^th player in Bates men’s basketball history to reach the 1,000-point milestone.

• Clark sophomore Isaiah Clark averaged 22 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2 steals to lead the Cougars to two wins.

• Bridgewater State freshman Ryan McKenzie of Charlton won the 100 individual medley in a personal-best time of 58.53 seconds in the Bears’ victory over Plymouth State.

• Holy Cross junior forward Jack Ricketts scored three goals and added two assists to lead the Crusaders to a weekend road sweep of Atlantic Hockey foe Bentley.

—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTolandTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Spencer's Gabby Soter steps up for University of New England women's hoops team