AMHERST — Greg Carvel took a calculated risk when he added Ryan Bliss as a graduate transfer.
The move, announced Wednesday by UMass, wasn’t with the goal of Bliss making an immediate impact for the Minutemen. Rather, it’s a project for Carvel and the staff on a player coming back from a serious injury, who was part of the U.S. National Team Development Program in his youth.
“He’s just now seeing if he can come back and play at this level,” Carvel said. “There’s no guarantees of it, I just know he’s a really good kid. … He comes here with no expectations other than we’re going to do everything we can (to help). He’s got the luxury of having Clayton Kirven, our strength coach, and Marc Paquet, our athletic trainer, who can also go a long way to helping him re-find his hockey status. He needs to rebuild himself as a player from strength to conditioning to technical stuff.
“We know the reward is he’s a pretty damn good hockey player if he can get back to the level he once was at.”
Carvel first met Bliss when he was playing for the U.S. National Team before Bliss went on to play at Cornell. After two productive years at the school, Bliss sustained a back injury that Carvel said threatened his ability to walk. He never skated again for the Big Red and announced he was going to transfer in October with a year and a half of eligibility remaining.
Some mutual friends between Bliss and Carvel facilitated the conversations that led to Bliss’ transfer. Carvel said a healthy Bliss fits in with his mold of a puck-moving defenseman who’s a strong skater. Meanwhile, UMass gives the Chelmsford native the chance to change into a new environment, move closer to home and rebuild his game within a system that suited his previous strengths as a player.
Although he is eligible to play immediately, Carvel said to not expect Bliss in the lineup quite yet. He said the defenseman still has plenty of work to do before he’s ready for action in a game, but didn’t completely rule out the possibility of Bliss making his return at some point.
“We’re taking this semester to see how quickly we can build him back up,” Carvel said. “He is eligible, so it’s not out of the question you’ll see him in the lineup at some point, but it won’t be any time soon.”
BELL DEAL — Walt Bell will receive a base salary of $400,000 as UMass’ new football coach and receive an additional $225,000 in additional compensation, according to the memorandum of understanding the coach signed with the school on Dec. 3.
The MOU, obtained this week through a Freedom of Information Act request, outlines all of Bell’s bonuses for the five-year contract, which is still being finalized according to the school. Bell will receive $25,000 for a win over BYU, Notre Dame or a Power Five school, $10,000 for winning six games in the regular season, $15,000 for seven wins, $20,000 for eight wins and $30,000 for nine or more victories.
If UMass qualifies for the postseason, the new coach would earn $25,000 for appearing in a bowl and an additional $15,000 for winning that game.
The biggest difference between Bell’s deal and the one UMass had with previous coach Mark Whipple is the buyout clause. If Bell were to resign prior to Dec. 2, 2020, he would owe the school $1.5 million. The amount drops to $1 million for Dec. 2, 2021, $750,000 for 2022 and $500,000 in 2023.
BASEBALL SLATE — UMass unveiled its 52-game baseball schedule, which features 18 games at Earl Lorden Field.
The Minutemen open the season at Central Connecticut State on Feb. 22 for a three-game series. The home opener is scheduled for March 26 against Albany, which follows the first Atlantic 10 series of the year from March 22-24 at VCU.
UMass travels to Boston College for the first round of the Baseball Beanpot on April 2 before the championship and consolation games will be played April 17 at Fenway Park. The Minutemen close the season on May 18 against Saint Joseph’s at home before the conference tournament May 22-25 at Fordham.
ACCOLADES — The Atlantic 10 named UMass senior Jessica George its women’s basketball co-Player of the Week. The guard shared the award with Fordham’s Bre Cavanaugh.
George led the way with 22 points to push the Minutewomen past Marist 70-55 on Saturday. She made 7-of-14 shots, including 6-of-8 from long range in the victory.
Last month, the Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association named UMass associate head coach Doc Schneider as its Assistant Coach of the Year. The 2018 season was Schneider’s ninth on staff, including fourth as the team’s offensive instructor.
Josh Walfish can be reached at jwalfish@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshWalfishDHG. Get UMass coverage delivered in your Facebook news feed at www.facebook.com/GazetteUMassCoverage.