As another year is in the books for UMBC athletics, it is time to look at some of the departing seniors and the highlights they have created for their respective teams.
Only one senior played on the men’s basketball team this year and that was forward Cody Joyce. The Churchton, MD native played in all 28 games for the Retrievers this season, starting 17 of them, averaging 8.2 points and four rebounds per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 70.1 from the free throw line. Joyce also scored his 1,000th career point against the University of Albany Great Danes. Joyce stood out in a big way against Northern Colorado at the Maui Invitational Regional games, scoring a career high 30 points while shooting 11-14, making all eight of his foul shots and grabbing five rebounds.
The women’s basketball team featured two seniors, one of them being guard Capree Garner. Garner appeared in 24 games this year, starting in 11, averaging 8.4 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game. Garner’s 1.5 steals per game were second on the team. Two standout games for the Silver Spring native came against Maine and UMass Lowell, putting up her two highest scoring outputs of the season.
Against Maine, Garner scored a season high 25 points along with four rebounds and three steals while shooting 10-19 from the field. A week later, she lit it up again, dropping 22 points with three rebounds and five steals and shot 9-18 against UMass Lowell. In her two seasons with the Retrievers after transferring from Harford Community College, Garner averaged 13 points per game.
The baseball season has yet to conclude, but it is still worth mentioning the tremendous play of three seniors. Shortstop Kevin Lachance is enjoying a fantastic final season, leading the America East in batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits, total bases and ranking tied for sixth in walks. Lachance has recorded a hit in all but four of his games this season, holding hit streaks of 18, 10 and seven.
Also standing out are fellow seniors, first baseman and outfielder Anthony Gatto and outfielder Nick Naumann. Gatto has seen the ball well all year, placing fourth in the America East in batting, fifth in on base percentage, 14th in slugging and tied for 10th in hits. Naumann has a 0.291 batting average and a 0.387 on base percentage in 37 games for the Retrievers this year.
Keeping it on the diamond, shortstop Bridget O’Malley has blossomed in her last year on the Retrievers softball team. O’Malley batted a paltry 0.246 in 2014-15, but turned a corner this year. Her batting average jumped over 130 points this year, placing seventh in the America East in average while maintaining her stellar plate discipline, ranking fifth in on base percentage.
In lacrosse, senior Nate Lewnes has been one of the best attackers in the country. Lewnes led the country in goals per game, and ranked ninth in points per game. This year has been another chapter in a great career for Lewnes, who has scored 105 goals and racked up 121 points in his three seasons at UMBC.
There are more names that can and should be mentioned outside of the few that were. As all of the departing athletes prepare for the next chapter in their lives, the only thing left to say is thanks for the great moments here at UMBC.