Riley Wetmore, the senior captain of the UMass Lowell ice hockey team, will throw the ceremonial first pitch tonight (6:35) at the Boston Red Sox-Houston Astros game at Fenway Park.
A native of Swanton, Vt., Wetmore will be joined at Fenway by head coach
Norm Bazin as well as well as assistant coaches
Cam Ellsworth and
Dan Darrow; and assistant athletic director
Eric Allen.
UMass Lowell is fresh off is best season in its 29-year Division I history which saw it post a 28-11-2 record (16-9-2 in Hockey East) and capture three trophies: The Hockey East regular season and tournament titles as well as the NCAA Tournament Northeast Region crown en route to its first-ever appearance in the Frozen Four.
Wetmore admitted that his little league days were a long time ago, and that he hasn't really been practicing his throws.
“I should be,” he quipped. “I just want to make it to the plate. It's not something I thought I'd ever be doing. But everyone in my family are all Sox fans. I'm a little nervous. It's a once in a lifetime thing.”
Tonight's ceremonial first pitch is the latest in what Wetmore called an “interesting” week.
Last Friday, signed on the play the final three games of the regular season as well as the 2013-14 season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the America Hockey League (AHL). He met the team in Portland, Maine for Friday night's game against the Portland Pirates.
Wetmore scored for Bridgeport Sunday in its season-ending 4-1 victory over Portland (off an assist from former UMass Lowell teammate
Scott Campbell '10), and earned third star honors.
Wetmore returned to campus to resume classes Monday and took part in the Tuesday's Celebration of Champions event at the Tsongas Center, where the hockey team was honored by the UMass Lowell campus and community.
On Tuesday night, UMass Lowell was honored and presented a proclamation by the Lowell City Council.
“It's been an interesting week,” Wetmore joked. “I keep getting phone calls about things we have to do. But it's all fun stuff. I'm really glad to be a part of it.”
Wetmore was an All-Hockey East Second Team selection this season and played all 152 games of his career.
A business management major, Wetmore will graduate this May. He is the son of Kim Barkyoumb and Rick Wetmore.
