Boston, MA - It's not every day when you can talk smack, drill people as hard as possible with rubber kickballs, and then after the whistle blows, it's like nothing ever happened. Thanks to tonight's charity tournament at the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium put on by the UMass Boston Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), a combination of roughly 100 UMass Boston students, student-athletes and staff members got the chance to DODGEBALL, Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller style.

The tournament featured eight co-ed teams that faced off in a double-elimination bracketed style tournament with a winners and losers bracket. After 90 minutes of fierce competition, only two teams were left standing to face off for all the marbles. The Graduates, a team made up of mostly UMB Athletic Staff members and a few student-athletes, stood atop the winner's bracket while team Don't Matter, a squad made up of intramural basketball players, squeaked its way into the championship round.

The Graduates led by team captain Alan Wickstrom, UMB Director of Athletic Communications, jumped ahead early using the defense is offense tactic. The official dodgeball rules state: For every ball caught by a defending team, the offensive thrower of the ball is knocked out of the action while another defensive member is able to rejoin the defending team. Wickstrom made three impressive catches in the finals and women's hockey player Maria Nasta caught the last ball hurled to help propel their squad to victory.

"I thought it was a total team effort," says Wickstrom. "Every player from my starting eight, all the way down to the last member on the bench, were absolutely outstanding. I was disappointed that some of our players were actually hit by balls because I expected us to play a perfect game every time we stepped onto floor. Winning the championship in both the winner's bracket, and then topping the loser's bracket, is a great accomplishment."

This year's tournament was a huge success, raising just over $200 dollars that will all go towards the Boston chapter of the Boys and Girls Club of America.

Senior Men's Lacrosse player Patrick McDonagh had a chance to participate in the night's festivities and couldn't say enough good things about the event.

"Compared to last year's tournament, this year's turnout was amazing. The SAAC did a great job organizing and coordinating all of the games and I'm just glad that everyone had a chance to get out and have fun for a good cause. Overall, the competition was fierce and there were a lot of great competitors out there tonight."

If you would like to make a contribution to the Boston Chapter of the Boys and Girls Club of America, feel free to do so at the official website by visiting the DONATION FORM.

Congratulations to all the members of The Graduates!

TEAM MEMBERS:
Cheryl Aaron, Assistant Director of Athletics & Sports Compliance
Natalia Ardagna, Head Softball Coach
Josh Bartley, Assistant Softball and Assistant Women's Basketball Coach
Dan Campagna, Athletic Communications GA
Briana Ford, Go Kids Boston Program Manager
Kris Kranzky, Men's Hockey Player
Patrick McDonagh, Men's Lacrosse Player
Ken McNeeley, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach
Maria Nasta, Women's Hockey Player
Aaron Olsen, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
Robert Schwartz, Men's Lacrosse Player
Ann Talarico, Assistant Softball Coach
Charlie Titus, Vice Chancellor for Athletics, Recreation & Special Programs
Alan Wickstrom, Director of Athletic Communications
Amy Zombeck, Head Women's Soccer Coach

And remember, "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!"
-Patches O'Houlihan, DODGEBALL the movie