UMass Lowell’s Baseball Research Center Expands Services with Sports Engineering Minor
UMass Lowell Expands Sports Engineering Program to Enhance Athlete Performance
Sailing a baseball over the Green Monster for a grand slam. Slapping a puck into the back of the net at 98 mph. Serving up an overhead smash just outside a pickleball court’s “kitchen.”
Amateur, collegiate, and professional athletes dream of such feats and relentlessly practice to perfect them. UMass Lowell is now studying the science that makes these incredible moments possible.
With the introduction of the university’s new sports engineering minor, UMass Lowell’s Baseball Research Center is expanding its services to meet the needs of more students, athletic leagues, equipment manufacturers, and players to enhance the performance of all.
The center, which has been the primary equipment testing lab for Major League Baseball for years, is now embracing pickleball and hockey as well. Through partnerships with the United Pickleball Association of America, Pickle Pro Labs, and other organizations, the center is developing testing standards for equipment in these sports.
Nested under UMass Lowell’s Sports Collaborative for Open Research and Education (SCORE), the lab’s growth is creating a buzz on campus and beyond. Students like Imad Hankour, an industrial engineering major, are benefiting from hands-on experience in data analysis, material testing, and quality assurance through their work in the center.
About a dozen undergraduate students work in the center, gaining valuable experience that directly aligns with their career goals in the sports engineering industry. The center’s expanding portfolio has been gaining attention in the sports sector, with media outlets like New England Sports Network’s “NESN Clubhouse” showcasing the excitement behind the lab’s growth.
One unique aspect of the center is its “hockey crossover” with professional hockey player Emily Brown, a defender with the Boston Fleet. Brown, who holds degrees in mechanical engineering, joined the center as a researcher to gain firsthand experience in sports engineering and improve her analytical mindset as an athlete.
Overall, UMass Lowell’s Sports Engineering program is providing students with the opportunity to combine their passion for sports with their engineering skills, creating a pathway for them to launch successful careers in the sports industry.
