KINGSTON, R.I. – Plainfield’s Bryson Richards capped off his sensational collegiate golf career at the University of Rhode Island (URI) last month by being given the Albert LaBoeuf Award as the school’s top senior male athlete.
The smooth lefty is the son of former Craftsbury Academy great Pete Richards and wrapped up his storied collegiate career with a school record sixth individual title at the Dragon Match Play Invitational in Lafayette Hill, Pa., in early April. It was the third title of the season for Richards, who finished up his career with a 71.8 scoring average. The 2019 U-32 graduate finished par or better in over half of his tournament rounds at URI, broke 70 in nearly 30 percent of those rounds, including a career low of 64. He finished with three straight Atlantic-10 First Team honors, was A-10 Player of the Week eight times in his career and was a four-time Golf Scholar All-American, graduating with a 3.42 GPA. The communications and public relations graduate is also a two-time Vermont Amateur champion, with his latest title coming last summer at his home course at the Country Club of Barre. Richards is leaning towards defending his Vt-Am title next month at Burlington Country Club and is planning to travel to Scottsdale, Ariz., at the end of the summer, where he intends to enter the professional ranks.
Alekson Makes Debut for Mountaineers
GROTON, Conn. – After a sensational freshman season with Fairfield University, former Peoples Academy star pitcher Ben Alekson made his debut on the mound for the Vermont Mountaineers last week.
Alekson allowed two earned runs and struck out six over four innings of work last Wednesday night as the Mountaineers fell to the Mystic Schooners on the road 8-6. The big right-hander pitched for the Vermont Lake Monsters last summer after a legendary high school career with the Wolves, leading them to three straight state championships, including a complete game gem against Hazen Union in the 2022 title game. Alekson became the first player in Pennsylvania history to be named the Vermont Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year in 2023, earning him a baseball scholarship to Fairfield University. He finished up his freshman season with the Stags late last month with an impressive 6-1 record, a 3.86 era, striking out 50 in just under 60 innings of work. Fairfield is coached by former UVM great Bill Currier, who is the winningest head coach in Catamount history. UVM dropped the baseball program after the 2009 season and Currier took over full-time at Fairfield in 2012, winning MAAC Coach of the Year honors. The Stags finished 34-24 this past spring, losing to Niagara 10-6 in the first game of the MAAC Championship Series.
Alekson and the Mountaineers currently sit atop the NECBL standings and will be back in action at Montpelier Recreational Field on Wednesday and Saturday night. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m.
