WPI climbing toward peak
Perfect Engineers put focus on performance
Like most coaches, Chris Bartley always has preached a “one game at a time” approach. Bartley’s success has been undeniable, as he led the WPI men’s basketball team to nine consecutive 20-win seasons entering the current campaign.
Unwilling to settle, Bartley constantly sought ways to improve as a coach. That led him to the discovery last fall of Spencer Wood, a renowned sports psychologist.
Wood has worked with a number of professional and collegiate teams — most notably the University of Florida men’s basketball team that won consecutive national titles in 2006 and 2007.
“I’ve read a lot about sports psychology, peak performance, team-building — all that stuff,” Bartley said. “It’s the difference from making dinner for yourself at home and going to a fivestar restaurant. This guy is amazing at what he does.”
Wood first met with the entire WPI athletic department in a visit that was funded by an NCAA grant. Bartley was so impressed, the basketball program raised money to have Wood return separately to meet with the team for a fourhour workshop.
“That could be the best money I’ve ever spent,” Bartley said.
The Engineers (19-0) are one of two undefeated teams in Division 3. While keeping Wood’s contributions in perspective, the players credit him for instilling a mindset that helps maintain a narrow focus.
“Obviously, people want to say that they take things every day, but when you hear the way he puts it and how he tells you to approach it, there’s a lot of things you wouldn’t even think about,” said sophomore guard Sam Longwell, who averages 14.8 points per game. “He says stay in your minefield — think about what’s right in front of you and don’t look ahead and don’t look behind.”
Longwell and classmate Marco Coppola (team-high 15.5 points per game) are the co-captains of the team that relies heavily on freshmen and sophomores. The Engineers are six games from a perfect regular season, but they obviously aren’t looking that far ahead.
“We’ve really just focused on what’s going on today,” Longwell said. “I think that’s helped a ton with our mentality.”
Simmons does more
Bianca Simmons had averaged double figures in scoring in each of her first three seasons at UMass-Lowell, highlighted by an 18-point average as a junior. There was no obvious need for improvement, but Simmons entered the offseason highly motivated.
“I felt like I could have done more individually and for my team,” Simmons said. “I told myself that summer that I was going to work hard and work out every day.”
Sarah Behn, who took over as coach last season, encouraged her players to step up their commitment to conditioning in the offseason. With that in mind, Simmons ran 3.5 miles every morning before completing two-three workouts per day. The 5-foot-6 guard lost 20 pounds, which has paid dividends in every aspect of her game.
Simmons leads Division 2 in scoring (27.5 ppg), and tops the River Hawks in rebounding (7.5) and assists (5.6).
“She was very effective the last three years, but she transformed herself over the summer,” Behn said. “She definitely went above and beyond. When the great players work the hardest, that says a lot about the person.”
Behn, who is Boston College’s all-time leading scorer, said Simmons could make the same impact at the Division 1 level. Simmons can’t help wonder what could have been, but she’s happy at UMass-Lowell.
“There were D-1 schools that offered and wanted me to go there, but obviously I chose UMass-Lowell for the school,” Simmons said. “I don’t have any regrets. I think I made a good choice where I’m at.”
Simmons will have a chance to prove herself. She’s been invited to participate in a combine during the Div. 1 Final Four in April that could lead to a professional career.
“I think it’s unlimited,” Behn said of Simmons’ future. “I think a European contract is definitely tangible and a WNBA contract is possible. A few people have made it from Division 2 and they happen to be point guards. People just have to open their eyes and give her a chance.”
Big close by Crimson
The Harvard men’s basketball team pulled off an amazing comeback to topple Dartmouth, 82-77, on Saturday. The Crimson trailed by 10 points with 93 seconds remaining, but forced overtime with a 15-5 finishing run.
Harvard (10-6, 2-0 Ivy League) outscored the Big Green 20-15 in overtime. The Crimson scored a remarkable 35 points in the final 6:33 after totaling just 47 points in the first 38:27.
Leading scorer Wesley Saunders had 18 of his 20 points after halftime and Christian Webster, the lone senior on the team, made three 3-pointers in the final 1:33 of regulation. . . .
The ACC schedule is once again being unkind to Boston College. The Eagles have been more competitive, but the results have been similar to last season’s 4-12 league mark.
BC (9-10, 1-5) has lost four straight to fall into the ACC cellar. Four of the Eagles’ five league losses have been by five points or less.