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Kennedy Cup Challenge


The Kennedy Cup Challenge was established in the fall of 2018 and will be awarded annually to the team with the most wins in the cumulative season series between UMass Lowell and UMass Amherst. John Kennedy is a longtime supporter of both the UMass Lowell and UMass Amherst athletic programs. Kennedy holds degrees from both schools, Lowell Technological Institute ('70, H '16) and UMass Amherst ('76), with degrees in Mathematics (BS) and Accounting (MS), respectively. Kennedy also received an honorary degree from UMass Lowell in 2016.

"As a graduate of UMass Amherst and UMass Lowell I have strived to support the athletic departments of both campuses," said John Kennedy. "I am thrilled to see that there will be a significant expansion of the original Kennedy Cup concept started when the two campuses only played each other in field hockey. Going forward I am hopeful that there will develop a great rivalry between the campus, but more importantly that both will benefit from a deeper and deeper relationship."

The idea originated with the River Hawk and Minutewomen Field Hockey programs playing for the trophy when UMass Lowell joined Division I in the fall of 2013. The River Hawks and Minutemen also competed for the Alumni Cup for 23 years in the sport of men's ice hockey. UMass Lowell won or retained the Cup in 17 of those 23 seasons.

The teams played a total of 14 events against each other during the 2018-19 season. Each team receives one point for a win and the team with the most points at the end of the academic year will win the Kennedy Cup Challenge. The UMass Lowell men's soccer team won (1-0) the inaugural game in the series on Friday, August 24, 2018 against the Minutemen in the season opener at Cushing Field Complex. UMass Lowell won the Cup, 8-6, in 14 contests during the 2018-19 season.

With 17 games slated for the 2019-20 campaign, the Minutemen took an early, 8-4-1 lead in the Kennedy Cup Challenge before the COVID-19 pandemic halted play. With a delayed start to the 2020-21 athletics campaign, the return of the Kennedy Cup was to be determined. But, with the reinvigoration of college athletics for the 2021-22 season, in-state challenge officially returned. The race was tight up until the final stretch when the Minutemen edged out to a 10-8-0 win. The River Hawks responded with a 9-5-2 victory in 2022-23.

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2025-26 KENNEDY CUP CHALLENGE SCHEDULE (0-2-1)
Date Sport Site Time/Result
8/31 Field Hockey Lowell, Mass. L, 0-3
8/31 Women's Soccer Lowell, Mass. T, 0-0
9/10 Men's Soccer Lowell, Mass. L, 1-3
11/14 Men's Cross Country Hopkinton, NH TBD
11/14 Women's Cross Country Hopkinton, NH TBD
11/18 Women's Basketball Amherst, Mass. TBD
12/6 Men's Basketball Amherst, Mass. TBD
2/1 Ice Hockey Lowell, Mass. TBD
2/6 Ice Hockey Lowell, Mass. TBD
2/7 Ice Hockey Amherst, Mass. TBD
TBD Men's Lacrosse  TBD TBD
TBD Women's Lacrosse TBD TBD
TBD Baseball TBD TBD
TBD Softball TBD TBD
TBD Women's Track & Field TBD TBD
TBD Men's Track & Field TBD TBD
 
2024-25 KENNEDY CUP CHALLENGE SCHEDULE (2-7-1)
Date Sport Site Time/Result
9/11 Men's Soccer Amherst, Mass. L, 1-7
9/15 Women's Soccer Amherst, Mass. L, 0-1
9/15 Field Hockey Amherst, Mass. L, 3-4 (OT)
11/15 Men's Cross Country Hopkinton, NH L, 8th place
11/15 Women's Cross Country Hopkinton, NH L, 19th place
12/20 Women's Basketball Lowell, Mass. L, 33-53
12/7 Men's Basketball Amherst, Mass. W, 96-83
2/27 Ice Hockey Amherst, Mass. T, 2-2 (OT, 1-2 SO)
3/1  Ice Hockey Lowell, Mass. L, 3-5
3/18 Men's Lacrosse  Lowell, Mass. L, 9-10
4/22 Women's Lacrosse Amherst, Mass. L, 7-18
5/6 Baseball Lowell, Mass. Canceled
3/19 Softball Lowell, Mass. W, 3-1
TBD Women's Track & Field TBD TBD
TBD Men's Track & Field TBD TBD
 
2023-24 KENNEDY CUP CHALLENGE SCHEDULE (4-7-2)
Date Sport Site Time/Result
8/24 Women's Soccer Lowell, Mass. T, 2-2
9/17 Field Hockey Lowell, Mass.   W, 2-1
10/17 Men's Soccer Lowell, Mass. T, 1-1
11/10 Men's Cross Country New York, N.Y. W
11/10 Women's Cross Country New York, N.Y. W
12/9 Men's Basketball Amherst, Mass. L, 77-91
12/10 Women's Basketball Amherst, Mass. L, 52-64
2/17 Men's Lacrosse Amherst, Mass. L, 7-10
3/1 Ice Hockey Lowell, Mass. L, 1-2 (OT)
3/2 Ice Hockey Amherst, Mass. L, 3-4 (OT)
3/20 Softball Amherst, Mass. W, 7-0
4/9 Women's Lacrosse Lowell, Mass. L, 9-18
5/7 Baseball Amherst, Mass. L, 4-5
TBD Men's Track & Field TBD TBD
TBD Women's Track & Field TBD TBD
 
2022-23 KENNEDY CUP CHALLENGE SCHEDULE | UMass Lowell wins 9-5-2
Date Sport Site Time/Result
9/2 Field Hockey Amherst, Mass. L, 2-3 (SO)
9/4 Women's Soccer Amherst, Mass.   T, 2-2
9/20 Men's Soccer Amherst, Mass. T, 3-3
11/11     Men's Cross Country     New York, N.Y.     W, 7th place
11/11 Women's Cross Country New York, N.Y. W, 8th place
11/22 Women's Basketball Lowell, Mass. L, 53-71
11/25 Ice Hockey Belfast, Northern Ireland L, 1-2
12/3 Ice Hockey Amherst, Mass. W, 1-1 (OT, Won in shootout)
12/8   Men's Basketball Amherst, Mass. W, 85-80
1/27    Ice Hockey Lowell, Mass. W, 1-0
2/11 Women's Lacrosse Amherst, Mass. L, 7-16
2/18 Men's Lacrosse Lowell, Mass. L, 3-11
3/22 Softball Lowell, Mass. W, 3-0
4/1 Men's Outdoor Track & Field  Williamsburg, Va. W
4/1 Women's Outdoor Track & Field  Williamsburg, Va. W
5/9 Baseball Lowell, Mass. W, 9-8
 
2021-22 KENNEDY CUP CHALLENGE SCHEDULE | 18 Games | UMass wins 10-8-0
Date Sport Site Time/Result
8/13 Field Hockey Lowell, Mass. W, 2-1
8/26    Women's Soccer Amherst, Mass.    L, 3-0
9/21 Men's Soccer Lowell, Mass. L, 1-2 (2OT)
11/12 Men's Cross Country Boston, Mass. W, 6th place
11/12 Women's Cross Country Boston, Mass. W, 7th place
11/24 Men's Basketball Amherst, Mass. L, 81-92
12/3 Ice Hockey Lowell, Mass. W, 4-4 (OT, Won in shootout) 
12/4 Ice Hockey Amherst, Mass. L, 2-3
12/5 Women's Basketball Amherst, Mass. L, 53-58
1/8 Men's Indoor Track & Field Boston, Mass. W, 3rd place
1/8 Women's Indoor Track & Field Boston, Mass. W, 4th place 
1/30 Ice Hockey Lowell, Mass. L, 3-4
2/12 Women's Lacrosse Lowell, Mass. L, 4-18
2/19 Men's Lacrosse Amherst, Mass. L, 9-19
4/13 Baseball Amherst, Mass. L, 4-11
4/20 Softball Amherst, Mass. W, 3-2
5/15 Men's Outdoor Track & Field  New Britain, Conn. L
5/15 Women's Outdoor Track & Field New Britain, Conn. W

**No Kennedy Cup Challenge games played during the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic**
 
2019-20 KENNEDY CUP CHALLENGE SCHEDULE | 17 games | UMass leads 8-4-1
Date Sport Site Time/Result
8/29     Women's Soccer Lowell, Mass. T, 2-2
9/21 Men's Soccer Amherst, Mass. W, 1-0
10/29 Field Hockey Lowell, Mass. L, 1-2
11/5 Men's Basketball Amherst, Mass. L, 64-79
11/14 Women's Basketball Lowell, Mass, L, 58-74
11/15 Women's Cross Country Buffalo, N.Y. UMass
11/15 Men's Cross Country Buffalo, N.Y. UML
1/11 Women's Indoor Track and Field Cambridge, Mass. UMass
1/11 Men's Indoor Track and Field Cambridge, Mass. UML
2/21 Men's Hockey Lowell, Mass.     W, 3-2
2/22 Men's Hockey Amherst, Mass. L, 3-5
2/24 Women's Lacrosse Lowell, Mass. L, 8-21
2/25 Men's Lacrosse Lowell, Mass. L, 9-11
4/8 Baseball Amherst, Mass. Cancelled due to COVID-19
4/25 Women's Outdoor Track and Field Amherst, Mass. Cancelled due to COVID-19
4/25     Men's Outdoor Track and Field Amherst, Mass. Cancelled due to COVID-19
4/29 Softball Lowell, Mass. Cancelled due to COVID-19
 
2018-19 KENNEDY CUP CHALLENGE SCHEDULE (UMass Lowell wins series, 8-6)
Date Sport Site Result
8/24 Men's Soccer Lowell, Mass. W, 1-0
9/21 Women's CC Boston, Mass. UML
10/6 Men's CC Boston, Mass. UMass
10/25 Field Hockey Lowell, Mass. L, 1-2
11/6 Men's Basketball Amherst, Mass, L, 75-83
11/9 Mens's CC Amherst, N.Y. UML
12/21 Women's Basketball Amherst, Mass. W, 62-59
1/4 Men's Hockey Amherst, Mass. W, 2-1
1/12 Men's T&F Cambridge, Mass. UML
1/12 Women's T&F Cambridge, Mass. UML
2/9 Men's Hockey Lowell, Mass. W, 2-0
3/12 Men's Lacrosse Amherst, Mass. L, 4-14
4/27 Men's T&F Durham, N.H. UMass
4/27 Women's T&F Durham, N.H. UMass

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