UMass Lowell’s Kerry Weldon to Return for his Final Season

While the River Hawks might graduate Akeem Williams and America East Sixth Man of the Year Antonio Bivins, one senior will be returning to the program.

UMass Lowell head coach Pat Duquette confirmed that Kerry Weldon will return to the team to exercise his final season of eligibility.

Wedlon was honored on senior night this past season and dished out a career high five assists and registered a season-high four blocks in the River Hawks victory over Maine. UMass Lowell is just one of 10 Division I teams to end the 2013-14 season with a victory.

His eligibility situation was in question because it was not known whether or not he would return for his final season.

“I just wanted to be sure that we were both on the same page,” Duquette said. “We met last week and decided that. He wanted to come back and we wanted him back, so that’s good for us.”

As a junior Weldon missed the entire season with an injury, the season before Duquette took over the program and it moved into Division I.

Weldon has scored 312 points and grabbed 342 rebounds over three seasons with the River Hawks. He started every game in UMass Lowell’s first Division I season, averaging 4.2 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game and second to Parris Massey on the team in blocks with 22.

The River Hawks will have plenty of scholarships open for their freshman class, they signed five to letters of intent and are in the mix to add more. UMass Lowell signed Jordan Shea, Matthew Harris, Dontavious Smith, Josh Gantz and Brad Shaub during the November signing period.

The room for those scholarships has been created by the transfers of three sophomores, which Duquette confirmed. Sophomores Kennedy Chukwuocha, James McDonnell and Carlos Taylor will all transfer out of the program.

Chukwuocha started two games, averaged 12.2 minutes per game in 14 games and scored 20 points this season. He did not play after February 12 when the River Hawks lost to Vermont. McDonnell appeared in four games and scored six points, but did not play after December 9. Taylor played in nine games and scored 15 of his 17 points on the season in their February 15 loss at home against Stony Brook.

Ryan Restivo covers the America East conference, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Hofstra for Big Apple Buckets. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @ryanarestivo or contact Ryan at rrestivo[at]nycbuckets.com.