USM’s Sue White earns Dorothea Vlahakos scholarship

Sue White, a senior from Caribou and the first baseman for the University of Southern Maine softball team, has been named the recipient of the Dorothea Vlahakos Memorial Scholarship.

White is one of several year-end award winners who will be honored at USM’s annual Recognition Day ceremonies Thursday at Hill Gymnasium in Gorham. White will be unable to accept the award in person, however, since she’ll be with the team for a doubleheader at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.

The award was established in 1970 by friends of Dorothea Vlahakos in memory of her contributions to USM as a physical education teacher when the institution was still known as Gorham State Teachers College. The award goes to a sophomore, junior, or senior woman who demonstrated unusual leadership potential, good character, and scholastic achievement.

A 1987 graduate of Caribou High School, where she was a four-sport athlete, White is a two-time recipient of USM’s Scholar-Athlete Award and maintains honor grades in elementary education.

Coach Jean Zimmerman describes White as “a very hard-working and dedicated player who has had to overcome a number of nagging injuries to keep playing.”

Zimmerman considers her a mature leader possessing a great deal of personal integrity which she has displayed during her four years with the Huskies. —

A second member of the USM softball team being honored Thursday is senior outfielder Bonny Brown of Sebago Lake, who has been named the winner of the Roland M. Wirths Memorial Award.

The award is presented in memory of the late sports writer and editor for the Guy Gannett papers to an individual who has made special contributions to the athletic program.

An All-American in both softball and field hockey, she is one of the USM’s most honored athletes, and received praise from both softball coach Zimmerman and field hockey coach/athletic director Paula Hodgdon.

Brown, who will join Hodgdon’s field hockey staff next year, was named second-team All-American in field hockey and is a 3-time regional All-American outfielder. She holds several career records and is expected to break many others this season. She’s currently hitting .432 and leading the team with 21 RBIs. —

In other USM news, junior Angela Welchel of Pownal, with a time of 1:04.21 in the 400-meter hurdles, has qualified for the NCAA Division III National Track Championship May 22-25 at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.

The winner of several indoor and outdoor titles in NCAA and ECAC competition, Welchel competed in the 400-meter dash in the NCAA Divison III national indoor championship as well.

Prior to participating in the outdoor meet, she will compete in the Division III New England Championships at Tufts University in Medford, Mass., on May 5 and the Division I New England championship at Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass., on May 11. —

Area golfers, and non-golfers as well, are invited to join members of the Penobscot Valley Country Club’s Women’s Golf Association for a brunch on Wednesday, May 8, at the club in Orono. The brunch begins at 9 a.m.

A fashion show and brief business meeting will follow and, weather permitting, those who wish will adjourn to the course to play a gross-net tournament. Reservations must be made by May 4 by calling 866-2060.