Courtesy of Westfield State Sports Information

Two former Westfield State University star athletes are now showcasing their skills in the professional ranks.

Matt Devine ’13, who led the nation in blocked shots for two consecutive years, is playing basketball in Portugal. And Vince Perreault ’14, the 2014 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) player of the year, is a member of the Knoxville, Tenn., Ice Bears of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). 

Devine and Perreault both welcome and enjoy the opportunities that allow even NCAA Division III student athletes to participate in professional sports during their post-graduate years.

“It was different at first but once I got used to it and settled in it was a good experience and a lot of fun,” says Devine, who returned to his hometown of Pembroke in early May after his eight-month stay in Portugal. “The talent level is pretty good, a (NCAA) Division II talent level. It was an upgrade from Division III.” 

“It was definitely a higher level than (NCAA) Division III,” says Perreault of his short stint in the SPHL following the conclusion of Westfield State’s season in early March. “One thing you must have is more respect for the players; if you don’t they will make you look foolish on the ice. I like the style of play, which is more comparable to a junior hockey play style. It’s more organized and disciplined and there is more time to make decisions.” 

Their path to the pros

Devine and Perreault took different paths to the professional ranks. Devine played four games in a two-day showcase in New Hampshire in June 2013. He sent film to coaches and posted game video on the Internet before being offered a contract in August. 

“It all happened pretty quickly for me,” said Devine, who is 6 feet, 7 inches tall and has a wingspan comparable to most players five inches taller than him. “Two things they liked about me were my shot blocking and that I could shoot from the outside. In Europe all five starters are expected to be able to shoot outside.”

Perreault’s plan to go pro began when he arrived at Westfield State in 2010 as a 21-year-old freshman after playing junior hockey for several years.

“It was always a goal of mine since my freshman year that if I wanted to play at a higher level I had to be successful at the NCAA level,” says Perreault, a three-year captain for the Owls. 

To realize his goal, Perreault enrolled in summer courses, and he only needed to take seven credits during the 2014 spring semester to graduate. The strategy paid off as he signed a professional contract the day after Westfield State’s final game in early March. He began playing immediately for Knoxville but was still able to complete his course work and graduate with an English degree. 

“My parents stressed to me that academics were important, that I had to finish my degree for this to be a reality,” says Perreault. 

In Knoxville

Perreault played in Knoxville’s final six regular season games and four playoff games and considers his “tryout” a success as he was placed on the team’s “protected list” of 13 players for next season. He is hoping to receive a “higher opportunity” with a team in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), but if nothing materializes, he will return to Knoxville in October for preseason camp.

Perreault, a 5-11, 195-pound forward, tallied three goals and two assists in his short stint with Knoxville, which lost by a goal in the playoff semifinals to eventual champion Pensacola, Fla.

Perreault receives room and board and a weekly stipend, along with the adulation of a large fan base. Knoxville plays a 56-game regular season and averages 3,400 fans per home game. The Ice Bears’ final regular season game drew a sellout crowd of 5,000 and the players spent two and a half hours signing autographs following the game. A downside is the dreaded minor league bus rides to places like Lafayette, La., Biloxi, Miss., and Columbus, Ga.

“There is a lot of time spent on the bus,” says Perreault. “I think the shortest trip is five hours. And we play a lot of games, which means practices are lighter. I enjoy that, but it can also wear you down over the course of a season because you only have 18 players on the team and three lines.” 

In Portugal

Interestingly, Devine encountered weary plane rides in his inaugural professional season. He played for the Portugal pro league team in Terceira, which is one of nine islands in the Azores located in the North Atlantic Ocean approximately 850 miles from the Portugal mainland. Terceira is one of two island teams in the 12-team league.

“I took about 30 flights, and it takes two hours to get there (Portugal mainland),” says Devine.

Devine enjoyed his stay on the 155-square-mile island, which has a population of 56,000 and temperatures consistently ranging from 50 to 60 degrees. His fan base was much smaller than Perreault’s, but he was recognized by children while walking around the island. In addition to experiencing a new culture and playing basketball, another highlight of Devine’s stay was when his parents and sister visited him for a week in February.

Like Perreault, Devine receives room and board and a weekly paycheck. Conversely, there is a lot of down time as each team only plays three or four games each month. Devine’s daily routine consists of a morning shoot around, lifting weights for an hour, a full practice in the evening and watching plenty of American television.

Devine has two roommates, both of whom speak English, and he is the only American on the team. League rules permit only one “import player” per team. 

“Half the team speaks decent English, especially the younger players,” says Devine. “During games I’m able to communicate pretty well with simple signal messages.”

Devine led Terceira in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots; he averaged approximately 14 points and 10 rebounds per game. Blocks are Devine’s forte and the Terceira coaches like how he alters shots the way he did at Westfield State when he averaged nearly four blocks per game. 

“Defense is the strongest part of our game,” says Devine, whose team finished with a 13-9 regular season record and lost in the playoff semifinals to the eventual league champion. “We begin the game in a man defense but we like to switch defenses a lot. Offensively, there are a lot of pick and rolls and ball movement. We have good coach and it’s been a good learning experience for me.” 

Devine’s received postseason recognition as he was selected honorable mention all-league and named to the all-newcomer team in Portugal’s second best professional league. He is hoping to receive an offer to play in Portugal’s top league or elsewhere in Europe, or for another team in Terceira’s league to cut down on the long plane rides. If nothing materializes he will play for Terceira next season. 

Devine and Perreault realize their dreams of bigger and better opportunities in the professional ranks are probably fleeting. But each also knows he made the right decision to pursue the dream. 

“You only get an opportunity like this once and I hope to do this for a few more years if I can stay healthy,” says Devine, a business management major at Westfield State. “Then when I do look for a job I think an interesting experience like this will be good to have on my resume.” 

“I’ve given myself a time limit of two or three years to see how everything goes,” says Perreault. “Getting my degree was very important. I’m looking to teach English and coach, and it can only help if you put it on your resume that you played hockey on a professional level. It shows that you are a dedicated individual and have a high work ethic.”