Lab Elevates its Game to Study the Science of Pickleball and Hockey
Image by Nancy Cicco
03/07/2025
By Nancy Cicco
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鈥檚 鈥渒itchen.鈥�
Amateur, collegiate and professional athletes dream of such feats and relentlessly practice to perfect them.
51视频 studies the science that makes them possible.
Together with the university鈥檚 new sports engineering minor, 51视频鈥檚 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.聽
For years, the center has been the primary equipment testing lab for Major League Baseball. Now, it鈥檚 embracing pickleball 鈥� the latest sport to capture the imagination of players young and old 鈥� through a partnership with the United Pickleball Association of America and Pickle Pro Labs. Together, the collaborators are developing testing standards for the sport鈥檚 equipment. The center is also branching out into hockey, incorporating the study of the game鈥檚 gear to serve more clients.
Nested under 51视频鈥檚 Sports Collaborative for Open Research and Education (SCORE), the lab鈥檚 growth is creating a buzz on campus and beyond. Established by Francis College of Engineering Dean James Sherwood more than two decades ago, the center is providing students with more opportunities to conduct research as the lab elevates its game.
鈥淪ports needs engineers and scientists to service the industry,鈥� says Patrick Drane 鈥�00, 鈥�03, 鈥�24, the center鈥檚 assistant director. 鈥淭here is a large and growing sector in which students can land jobs, be it in athletic stadium design, sporting goods manufacturing or broadcasting. Whether they are athletes or fans, 51视频鈥檚 offerings are a really good way for students to launch their careers that tap into their affinity for sports.鈥�
Imad Hankour, an major who commutes to campus from Nashua, New Hampshire, will graduate in May. He says his work in the center 鈥渄irectly aligns鈥� with his goal of entering the manufacturing or engineering industry by providing hands-on experience in data analysis, material testing and quality assurance.
Hankour鈥檚 contributions to testing baseballs for MLB has made an important impact on his college experience.
鈥淚 love being able to combine my passion for engineering and sports in a unique way, gaining a deeper understanding of sports from an engineering perspective. The lab has also given me a strong sense of belonging within the 51视频 community,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 have met lifelong friends, and we have built a close-knit team.鈥�
51视频 a dozen other 51视频 undergraduate students work in the center, says Drane, while another group of students is using the lab to assist with capstone projects ahead of graduation. Through SCORE, students may also land internships and cooperative education placements with industry leaders that let them bring their skills to the sports workforce.
The Baseball Research Lab鈥檚 expanding portfolio has been gaining attention in the sports sector. Earlier this year, New England Sports Network鈥檚 鈥淣ESN Clubhouse,鈥� a show that engages young viewers in the history, culture and science behind sports, stopped by the center to spotlight the excitement behind the lab鈥檚 growth. The results can be seen in show segments based at 51视频 and interviews with Drane that explored how much 鈥渇lex,鈥� or pressure, hockey sticks can withstand and how an airborne puck can deform after hitting a solid object.
鈥淪cientific concepts are often taught using examples from sports, because they are so relatable,鈥� he says.
They also bring the fun, as does a unique 鈥渉ockey crossover鈥� with the PWHL鈥檚 , a defender with the . Brown, who plays home games with the team at the Tsongas Center at 51视频, holds bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota. Drane invited her to become one of the center鈥檚 researchers last year, once the team laced up in Lowell.聽
鈥淒ue to the nature of my career as a professional hockey player, I am currently unable to work as a full-time engineer,鈥� she says. 鈥淚n my post-hockey career, I have always been interested in pursuing sports engineering, and becoming involved with the Baseball Research Center allows me the unique opportunity to gain firsthand experience in this specific field.鈥�
Brown also believes the research helps her as an athlete.
鈥淲orking in the center allows me an outlet outside of hockey to grow and develop my analytical mindset in a different way, while also using and improving upon problem-solving skills. I feel this allows me to show up as a more refreshed and well-rounded athlete at the rink,鈥� she says.