Above: Alex Mega of East Greenwich congratulated by her Northeastern Husky teammates during her freshman season. Photo by Jim Pierce/Northeastern

The focus is on EG athletes of all ages with noteworthy achievements

The Brooker Sports Initiative, which has been around for a few years on the Rhode Island sports scene, is expanding for East Greenwich only and will be known as TBSI-EG Edition.

Previously, TBSI has been dedicated to Rhode Island football on all levels, and was provided free of charge to players, coaches, officials, newspaper outlets and TV stations in Rhode Island. That edition will continue.

The TBSI-EGE will cover East Greenwich athletes who have done something significant in local sports, in college play or in AAU, semi-pro or pro play.

EGHS coaches will be depended on to provide TBSI with information on their players and former players, now at the college level. If a reader knows of someone who is from EG and doing something in sports, please drop a (positive) email to [email protected].

If a Little Leaguer hits 3 homers in a game. If a Biddy Hoopster scores 30. If a married couple wins the Academy Field Pickleball Tournament. If a local resident runs in the Boston Marathon. Let TBSI know. If TBSI deems it worthy we will report it. There is a chance some may not make the cut. In other words, not all achievements will be deemed TBSI worthy.

So EG coaches, be ready. Readers, be ready. Here’s the first edition:

When I came up with this idea to do the TBSI featuring East Greenwich sports and athletes, I knew the first coach to answer the call would be DEB MCMULLEN. Deb, I think, along with PETER DION, is one of the better coaches around. She not only produces winning teams, but helps her charges get into colleges to continue playing their sport. She also holds alumni games and get-to-gethers and has a vigorous feeder program at Cole.

ALEX MEGA – holder of the EGHS scoring record in field hockey played in 18 games at Northeastern as a freshman, starting 11. She had 9 goals and 2 assists on the year. She was also named a scholar of distinction, an award for athletes who carry a 3.9 GPA or better.

MATT LICCIARDI – finished up his senior season at Endicott University with a host of awards. The 5-11 220 lb business management major won CCC Conference All Academic Awards all four years at EU. He also won the Sports Communicators All District Award and was named Athletic All Conference second team as a junior and first team All League as a senior, being named a defensive player of the week also. Last fall Licciardi started 11 games registering 53 tackles, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble. At this point there is no info on whether he will return to play next year.

As Licciardi is finishing his college career, EG’s JACK FARRELLY is just starting his career at Endicott. The 6-2 205 lb defensive back was named to the Academic All Conference team for last fall, and is expected to play a larger role on the field in 2024.

BRIDGET MASON – A senior on the Connecticut College Camels field hockey team played in all 12 games last fall registering 267 minutes of playing time. She was named to the NFHCA National Academic squad for carrying a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Besides enjoying a nice four-year career for the CCC, she works as a monitor at the Fitness Center and, as part of the Sports Information team, announces ice hockey games in the winter and lacrosse in the spring.

SOFIA BIANCO of East Greenwich is a member of the club field hockey team at the University of Maryland. That team plays both varsity and other club teams and is a perennial national power. Also on a club team are BELLA SCHAMBERS and BELLA ATALEY, who captain that group at Syracuse University.

NOLAN COONEY of East Greenwich, who started off as the punter for the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL, is listed as a free agent for the 2024 football season. Cooney averaged over 45 yards a punt and in one preseason game had a 54.3 average. It will be interesting to see who picks him up. He had signed a futures contract with the Cardinals.

JACK MCMULLEN, a multi-sport star here in Avenger Land, is in his second year on the Salve Regina University basketball team. McMullen, who once pumped in 58 points in a game for the Crimson, saw limited action this year, but is expected to come on next winter for the Seahawks.

MIKE BALSAMO, is also at Salve, but is on the football team. He will be vying for a defensive position during spring practice as either a linebacker or strong safety. The 5-9 190 lb-er is majoring in finance management.

PARKE HARDESTY, former Avenger QB, appeared in three games for Worcester State University last fall and garnered 268 yards with four TDs. His role should be expanding in the 2024 grid campaign. 

CARL GREENE – from EG, now at UMass-Dartmouth after sojourns with URI and Cortland State, played in six games for the Corsairs last fall racking up 13 tackles, 8 solo; 1 sack; 1 interception returned 24 yards; 1 pass breakup and one fumble recovery. At Cortland State he had a game where he had a return for a TD; registered 4 tackles; and had an interception. He should be starting for UMD this coming fall. A three-sports high school athlete, Carl registered a 10.7 100 meters, a 6.86 60 meters and a 4.47 40 yard dash.

MICHAEL UCCI, hard hitting diamondeer for the Av’s baseballers a year ago, played some behind the plate for Nichols College in their spring opener down in Texas. The Bison beat the Austin College (TX) Kangaroos 16-7.

The above is a starting sample for the TBSI-EGE. If you have a player, son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandson or granddaughter or cousin doing something athletically, making their mark, doing more on the field or court, Please inform me at [email protected]. I can not promise everyone will get in but if they are doing something newsworthy, they will be in this column.

Bruce Mastracchio, who singlehandedly runs the Brooker Sports Initiative, is especially enthusiastic about East Greenwich athletes.