The 2025-26 season was filled with countless achievements for UMass Lowell Athletics, both on and off the playing surface.
Our student-athletes continue to grow, develop and exemplify what “Mill City Grit” is all about.
However, none of the River Hawks' successes would be possible without the support of the loyal fans, partners and donors that make up River Hawk Nation. Please enjoy the highlights from this past year in our 2025-26 Annual Report.
River Hawk student-athletes continued to thrive in the classroom in 2025-26, having now recorded 27 straight semesters with a GPA over 3.0. As a whole, the department boasted a 3.424 GPA for the year. The men's soccer (3.565 GPA) and women's field hockey teams (3.671 GPA) earned the department's Bob Griffin Academic Awards for posting the highest team grade point average over the course of the academic year.
A total of 44 River Hawks earned All-Academic team honors, while Nate DeAngelo of men's track & field earned the prestigious America East Elite 18 Award for having the highest GPA among the participants competing in the cross country conference championship. Additionally, Derek Munroe of men's track & field was named an America East Scholar-Athlete for indoor track & field.
Men's lacrosse and baseball were crowned America East sport GPA champions, as well. Men's lacrosse won the title for the third year in a row.
Two graduating River Hawk student-athletes were also honored during an awards celebration as part of the 2026 UMass Lowell Commencement festivities.
Audra Hansen of the UMass Lowell women's lacrosse team and Jackson Rudo of the men's lacrosse team were both honored with the University Scholar-Athlete Award for having the highest cumulative GPA among graduating student-athletes.
Hansen graduated with a degree in environmental science from the Kennedy College of Sciences, boasting a 3.972 cumulative GPA, while Rudo graduated with a degree in Political Science from the College of Fine Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, also boasting a 3.972 cumulative GPA.
At the conference level, 19 UMass Lowell student-athletes were named America East Presidential Scholar-Athletes for graduating with a 3.75 GPA or higher.
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY / TRACK & FIELD
The UMass Lowell men’s cross country and track & field teams put together one of the most successful years in program history in 2025-26, capturing the America East Championship in all three seasons to complete the Triple Crown. The run began in the fall with the River Hawks claiming their sixth consecutive America East Cross Country Championship. UMass Lowell placed three runners on the All-Conference First Team, with three top-seven finishers, while two additional River Hawks earned Second Team honors with finishes between eighth and 14th.
The momentum continued into the indoor season, where the River Hawks captured their second consecutive America East Indoor Track & Field Championship. The team produced 10 individual medalists and a medal-winning relay while totaling 172.5 points, with the meet coming down to final event. The River Hawks then carried the success into the outdoor season, once again putting together a complete team performance to win the America East Outdoor Championship with 166.5 points. The victory completed the Triple Crown for just the second time in program history and the first since 2023.
SOFTBALL
The 2026 UMass Lowell softball season marked a significant step forward for the program, as the River Hawks improved their overall win total by 10 games and went 14-12 in America East play. After earning the No. 4 seed in the America East Championship, UMass Lowell defeated each of the tournament’s top three seeds, outscoring them 21-6, to advance to the championship game.
The River Hawks earned 19 victories away from home and showcased balance throughout the roster, leading the conference with 399 hits and a 3.89 team ERA while ranking second with 253 runs and 232 RBI. Junior Olivia DeCitise highlighted the season by throwing the second perfect game of the program’s Division I era and later earning NFCA All-Northeast Region Third Team honors. UMass Lowell also collected 10 America East postseason selections, with Giana LaCedra, Isabel Quintanilla and Thyanais Santiago earning All-Championship Team recognition following the team’s memorable postseason run.
MEN'S SOCCER
Qualifying for the America East Championship for the first time since the 2019 season, the No. 6 River Hawks hit the road as they looked to upset the No. 3 UAlbany Great Danes in the quarterfinals. Although UMass Lowell gained a 2-0 lead early in the first half, the hosts battled back, scoring three straight goals for a late lead. The River Hawks refused to back down, using a last-minute goalie goal to force overtime, and after a scoreless extra period, earned a thrilling 5-4 victory in a shootout to earn their first America East Semifinals appearance in six years.
From school visits to games dedicated in honor of special causes, the River Hawks were as engaged in the community as ever. UMass Lowell Athletics continued its Pen Pal Program between student-athletes and local elementary students, serving over 120 children across six different schools. Additionally, the River Hawks once again led the way in the America East Conference's Food Frenzy, collecting over 7,900 items to support food security in the Merrimack Valley. Led by the department's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, UMass Lowell also hosted Spread Respect Games, and the Morgan's Message Ambassadors within the department organized dedication games focused on raising awareness surrounding mental health issues.
2025-26 also marked a very special anniversary. Fifty years ago, in the fall of 1975, two very different schools became one. Lowell Technological Institute (LTI), a STEM powerhouse on what is now UMass Lowell's North Campus, and Lowell State College (LSC), a liberal arts and teaching school on today's South Campus, merged to form the University of Lowell. The union forever changed the city's higher education landscape — and with it, its athletics history, laying the foundation for all of UMass Lowell's accomplishments to come.
UMass Lowell Athletics celebrated the anniversary all year, bringing back alumni and coaches to put together feature stories and videos to highlight the biggest moments throughout the last 50 years.
We love having the chance to interact with our generous donors and corporate partners from around the country that help us provide the best experience possible for our student-athletes. Just some of the many event highlights from the year are featured below, including the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, River Hawk Open, River Hawk to River Hawk Women's Mentoring Night and the United In Blue Fund Appreciation Night.
