UMass notebook: Reed Lebster transferring to Michigan State; Dyondre Dominguez enters transfer portal

By KYLE GRABOWSKI

Staff Writer

Published: 03-21-2023 6:25 PM

Dyondre Dominguez will finish his college basketball career elsewhere after the junior forward entered his name in the transfer portal Tuesday.

The Providence, R.I., native has two years of eligibility remaining.

“Man this is hard for me to write right now,” he wrote. “First and foremost I would like to thank the university community for accepting me with such open arms. Y’all have allowed me to make it to my junior year of college and guided the path of me becoming the man I am today.”

He posted career highs in scoring (8.7 points per game), rebounding (4.4 boards per game), minutes (19.6 per game), field goal (51.6) and 3-point percentages (39.1), assists, blocks and steals.

Dominguez played in 30 games largely as the first player off the bench.

“Even though we didn’t get the outcome we all wanted, I will forever cherish the memories that were created on and off the court,” Dominguez wrote. “Thank you to my teammates for making this past year special and memorable. Most importantly, thank you to coach (Frank) Martin and the entire UMass coaching staff for believing in me and putting me in the best position possible as a man and as an African American athlete.”

He was one of just five players that remained after the coaching change last season. Guard Noah Fernandes put his name in the transfer portal last week. He’s already attracted interest from programs like Penn State, North Carolina State, Texas A&M, Butler and Boston College, among others.

With the two of them gone, T.J. Weeks Jr. is the only scholarship player on the roster that pre-dates Martin’s arrival.

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GANG GREEN – Reed Lebster will join the man that recruited him, announcing on Twitter Tuesday that he’ll transfer to Michigan State for his final year of collegiate hockey eligibility. He’ll be reunited with former UMass assistant Jared DeMichiel, who left Amherst after last season to join the Spartans as associate head coach.

“Can’t thank the staff, my teammates and the fans enough for my time at UMass. The past 4 years have been really special to me! With that being said, I’m excited to announce that I will be taking my 5th year back home at Michigan State,” wrote Lebster, a Grand Rapids, Mich., native.

The forward had entered the portal on March 9. He amassed 57 points with 28 goals in 112 games. Lebster was a member of the national championship team and won back to back Hockey East titles. 

MORE FUNDING FOR NEW CAGE – A group of cross country alumni known as “The Greys,” which competed for nationally ranked programs in the late 1970s, contributed a $2 million gift toward UMass’ new indoor track & field practice facility, the school announced Tuesday.

John Legere, Glenn Lyle, Mike Morris, Lou Panaccione, Michael Quinn, Matt Wolff and Tom Wolff practiced in grey T-shirts and shorts and brought the program to prominence.

UMass has now raised $4.3  million of the $5 million it aims to receive through private philanthropy. The project to renovate Curry Hicks Cage will cost $8 million.

“This is a testament to the life-long bonds that are formed when student-athletes train, compete and strive for a common purpose together,” UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford said in a release.  “They have stayed connected with each other and through their tremendous engagement with UMass, including multiple philanthropic investments, have helped move our cross country and track and field programs forward.  This group commitment is the ultimate indicator of how much UMass positively impacted their lives.”

Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.]]>