Thursday, March 26, 2009

Woman's Hockey Host Charity Event

The University of Maine woman's hockey team will host a charity broom ball game on Friday, April 3, at 7 p.m. in the Alfond Arena. This will be the second annual event for the Bears. Tickets for the event are five dollars per person and any child under the age of five will be admitted for free. The proceeds will benefit the Ronald McDonald house in Bangor. This is not the first time the woman's hockey team has hosted charity events either. They are very active in the community as well as on campus. Special guest players will be in attendance as well including WABI's own Keith Ericson and WLBZ's John Smist. The broomball event will also host a 50-50 raffle. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the time of the game or by visiting www.thirdwatchhockey.com. GOO BEARS!!!

UMaine Hockey


The University of Maine men's hockey team will say goodbye to four seniors at their annual banquet Friday May 8Th at Jeff's Catering in Brewer, Maine. The banquet is open to the public and will feature a buffet dinner, silent auction, autographs, stories, and tributes from the players and coaches! If you are a Maine hockey fan this will be a great last hurrah for the seniors! The banquet begins at 5:30. Tickets can be purchased for $30 a piece and tables of eight can be reserved for $240. For more information on the banquet visit www.goblackbears.com. GO BEARS!!!

Track and Field Meet this Weekend!


The Black Bear men and woman's track teams will host the University of New Hampshire this Saturday at the Beckett Family track complex on campus. This is usually a meet which is canceled or postponed because of the faulty weather or poor conditions. The weather report is looking good for this Saturday with temperatures in the mid 50's and no clouds. Many of the athletes are excited about this. The Black Bears only have one home track meet a year and it is the first one. I think it must be hard on the team to travel every weekend that's why this meet means a lot to them. I had the luxury to speak to one of the athletes a Junior Travis Cook and he told me that his hopes are up, "but your going to have a knock on wood for the conditions to be that good... a lot of wood." This statement always holds true for the state of Maine and the weather can change dramatically very soon. Hopefully the meet will go on, and if it does Freshman Riley Masters is one runner to keep your eye on. Masters' won the America East Indoor Championship and is working hard to obtain the outdoor title as well. The meet will start promptly at 12 noon on Saturday at the track.

Soccer Teams Practice Outside for First Time


The University of Maine men and woman's soccer teams are practicing for the first time outside during the spring. Because of the warm weather and the recently renovated playing fields the soccer teams are getting the luxury of playing outside in the nicer then normal weather. Usually the teams practice in the dome each spring off season because of the poor conditions on the sports fields. Although the football field (below) and the baseball field have both been resurfaced to artificial grass and this allows all teams to get out sooner then normal. With the warmer weather coming early for the university athletes they are excited to get outside and enjoy the sun which does not usually come until later in April. Sophomore forward Hannah Breton (left) told me that it gives her team a boost this time of year because they are cramped up inside for so long. Breton explained how the chemistry was already outstanding on her team and the ability to get out in the nice weather puts a finishing touch on the spring off-season. Both soccer teams will continue to practice outside for the rest of the spring semester preparing for their summer workouts and following fall seasons. For more information on the teams visit GoBlackBears.com.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Softball team beats up Bryant

Saturday the University of Maine Softball team traveled to Rhode Island and faced the Bryant Bulldogs and swept them in two games. The Black Bears won the first game 12-7, and the second 6-0. The Bears were led by Terren Hall (left) who helped the Bears out with a three-run home run. The third inning Ashley Waters and Alexis Souhlaris both recorded singles when Hall came to the plate and blasted the home run. The homer by Hall sparked the Black Bears and they scored two more times in the fourth and fifth innings. The Black Bears pitching dominated the second game led by Souhlaris who pitched a no-hitter into the fifth and a shutout game. Soulharis struck out two Bryant hitters and only gave up four hits in the second game. The Bears had an exciting trip back to campus after the game because of the dominating wins. The Black Bears will continue their action next Saturday the 28Th in Baltimore, MD with a double-header with UMBC. A full listing of the teams schedule is listed below.

Maine Softball Schedule

Black Bear Awards

The, "Maine Event," will be hosted Sunday night (April 5th) at Wells Commons. This is an award ceremony honoring members of University of Maine athletics in several categories. The categories include best performances of the previous year, and best male and female athletes. The votes can be sent to Brandy Rideout via FirstClass. The full list of categories and entrants is listed below.

Team Citizenship Award

Women's Ice Hockey: Has participated in numerous community outreach activities including, Run for Hope, Race for the Cure, Youth Hockey Clinics, Skating Strides for Breast Cancer, Charity Broomball event for the Ronald McDonald House, Kid Zone, Special Olympics and the Girl Scouts.

Women's Basketball: Race for the Cure, the Kid Zone, YMCA youth basketball registration,Passed out candy at the Bangor Mall on Halloween, served Thanksgiving dinner at the Bangor Homeless Shelter.

Volleyball: Dig Pink fundraiser for breast cancer awareness, greeted troops at airport, participated in Trick or Eat canned food drive.

Female Team of the Year

Women's Soccer: Qualified for the 2008 America East Playoffs and won its first round matchup.

Volleyball: Turned around from a 4-23 record in 2007 to finish 14-13, claiming a spot in the America East Tournament. Maine won seven of its last nine regular season games to make the playoffs. The Black Bears were also the only team to win a set over conference champion Albany in tournament play.

Field Hockey: Advanced to the 2008 America East Playoffs.

Male Team of the Year

Football: The 2008 Maine football team finished the season 8-5 and a national ranking of 18 in the Sports Network Top 25 Poll, and a final ranking of 16 in the final College Sporting News Top 25 Poll. It marked the second time in the last three years Maine finished the season in the national rankings. The Black Bears went on a six-game winning streak midway through the season which catapulted them into the NCAA Playoffs for the fifth time in school history and the first time since 2002. During the six-game winning streak, Maine knocked off a pair of ranked teams on the road, including No. 20 Delaware and No. 13 Massachusetts. It marked just the fourth time in program history that Maine won at Delaware. The win over UMass halted a six-game losing streak to the Minutemen, and was just the team's 14th win over UMass in program history. Maine produced four All-Americans and seven all-conference performers during the season.

Female Rookie of the Year

Jessica Bond (WIH): Played in all 33 games and earned a perfect 4.0 gpa her first semester, nominated for Hockey East Rookie of the Year

Kelly Newton (FH): America East Rookie of the Year. Won AE Rookie of Week twice. Scored 25 points which lead team and finished fourth in America East. Scored three of Maine's six game-winning goals. Named a Longstreth /NFHCA DI All-Region Team.

Corey Conner (WCC/WTR): Maine MVP Cross Country, 11th place finish in America East Champs, 4th place finish at America East Indoor Track Champs in the mile run and top Freshman finisher, 4th place finish in New England Champs and top Freshman finisher, Rising Star Honors.

Male Rookie of the Year

Riley Masters (MCC/MTR): Maine MVP Cross Country , school record in the 3000m run, voted Rookie of the Year for the America East Championships, America East 3000m Champion and New England mile Champion , 3rd all time mile performance 4:07, 2008 Rising Star

Gerald McLemore (MBB): Named to the America East all rookie team, was the 2nd leading freshmen scorer in the conference with 12.1ppg.

Jared Turcotte (FB): Turcotte, a 2008 All-CAA First-Team honoree, earned a pair of All-America honors after leading the team in rushing yards (625) and rushing touchdowns (7). He ranked ninth in the league in rushing in conference games-only, and second among rookies in that category. Turcotte was named the conference rookie of the week on two occasions, while also topping 100 yards in rushing in pair of games this season. He was a Second-Team All-American by The Sports Network and an honorable-mention All-American by College Sporting News.

Gustav Nyquist (MIH): Led Maine men's ice hockey team in scoring with 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points. Named Hockey East Rookie of the Week and Rookie of the Month this year. First freshman to lead Maine in scoring since Paul Kariya (1992-93). Is here on a full academic scholarship and achieved a 3.418 gpa in his first semester.

Male Performance of the Year

Jared Turcotte (FB): Jared Turcotte accounted for 189 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns, including catching the game-winning TD pass, to help lift Maine to a thrilling 41-40 double-overtime victory over Hofstra on Oct. 18 at Alfond Stadium.

Curt Smith (MBA): 2008 America East Player of the Year

Riley Masters (MCC/MTR): Won the mile run at America East Indoor Championships, named Rookie of the Year.

Dan Poirier (MTR): Javelin throw Spring 08, 2nd in America East Champs, 1st New England Champs 8th IC4A/ECAC Champs 3rd best all time Maine performance.

Jovan Belcher (FB): Named the CAA Football Defensive Player of the Year. He was a five-time first team all-American. Finished second in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually to the nation's most outstanding defensive player. It was the highest finish ever for a Black Bear player.

Female Performance of the Year

Jasmine Phillips (WSO): For her performance in the America East Quarterfinals, making the final save in the shootout and then kicking the winning goal, also for her career.

Vicki Tolton(WTR): Won the 400 meter dash at the America East Championship, the New England Championship and the ECAC Championship. Set the school record and at the America East Championship and reset it at the New Englands. Her time of 54.31 smashed the old America East record by .54. Ran a 54.02 in the New Englands.

Field Hockey vs. BU: First time since 2003 that Maine beat BU and the first time in years that BU lost on their home field. The win kept the Black Bears' playoff hopes alive.

Ashley Waters (SB): 2008 season, America East Player of the Year.

Vanessa Vani (WIH): For her career at UMaine, broke the school record for most assists in a career (63) and finished with the third most points in program history (99).

Allyson Howatt (WTR): Multiple school record holder 100 and 200m and 4x400m relay Spring 08 America East Champion 100 and 200m voted America East meet MVP NCAA Qualifying meet participant.

Genevieve Turgeon-Lafrance (WIH): Eclipsed prior single season save record by stopping 975 shots this season. Ended career with 2,948 saves, nearly 1200 more than next best in WIH history. She also holds the record for games played (100).

Female Coach of the Year

Scott Atherley (WSOC): Guided Maine to the 2008 America East playoffs and a 6-6-7 record.

Lynn Atherley (VB): Guided her team to 10 more wins than last season to finish 14-13, claiming a spot in the America East Tournament. Through her coaching Lindsay Allman earned First Team All-Conference honors, the first Black Bear to do so since 2005.

Male Coach of the Year

Jack Cosgrove (FB): Cosgrove guided the Black Bears to an 8-5 record and a berth in the 2008 NCAA FCS Playoffs; the fifth appearance in program history and the first since 2002. Maine finished second in the CAA North Division after it was picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll. Cosgrove was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach-of-the-Year award.

Pat Laughlin (MSO) Continues to turn around the program from rock bottom two years ago. Maine finished 5-10-2 this season after an 0-17-0 finish two years ago. Black Bears had two conference wins and a tie this year.

Alum/Community Member of the Year

Paula Kagan: For support of UMaine athletics, specifically women's basketball

Friends of Maine Women's Ice Hockey: - they greet the team with smiling faces after each and every game win or lose and always feed them so well!

Jim Ballinger: For 40 years of service.

Roy Boothby: From ACME pizza for donating time and pizza!

Justin Tomberlin: For volunteering to speak at freshmen orientation and the scholar athlete awards ceremony.

Elaine Clark: For her support in athletic facilities development.

Staff Member of the Year

Crissy Kerluke (Academic Support): She provides all of her student athletes the academic support that they need to be successful in the classroom and maintain eligibility. She goes above and beyond what is required of her to help the student-athletes.

Steven "Jonesy" Jones (Equipment Manager): Working long, tireless hours making sure Black Bear student-athletes are equipped to take the field.

Ann Maxim (Academic Support): Making sure Black Bear student-athletes are staying current with their studies.

Jim Ballinger (Asst. M&W T&F Coach): Has been teaching/coaching at Maine for 40 years.

Marian Dressler: Member of the athletic development office and the Friends of Maine Women's Basketball.

Betty Fadrigon: Always does what is best for the athletic department and UMaine.

Brandi Rideout: Student-Athlete Services Coordinator.

Pit Renovation??


I've been hearing a lot of chatter recently about the university renovating the, "Pit." For those who don't know the pit is the basketball court in the field house. The Maine Black Bears use to play there a long time ago although there location was then changed to the Alfond Arena. The change to play in the Alfond opposed to the pit was said to be caused by the small space in the field house and lack of amenities. Up until last year one game during the season was played in the pit and it always was the first game against Boston University.

The basketball players over the years now have grown tired of playing in the Alfond. One of the reasons is because the space is too large and they do not get enough fans. Other players have told me the atmosphere of the Alfond was not like a division 1 arena should be. College basketball games are suppose to be intense and loud although the Black Bears are limited by the vastness of the Alfond.

There has been chatter and designs of upgrading the pit so both and men and woman's teams have a new place to play; their old home; the pit. This chatter has gotten the teams really excited because they will have a court they can call home instead of having to play in the Alfond. The renovation is said to cost $12.5 million and the new pit will house 3,100.