BOSTON – The University of Maine women’s basketball program, once a New England power despite its lack of national recognition, is now, undoubtedly, in a rebuilding process.

Last year, one of the best senior classes in the program’s history bid adieu to college basketball, taking with it not only the memories of three consecutive 20-win seasons, but also 65 percent of the team’s scoring, 67 percent of the assists, 50 percent of the rebounds, and 62 percent of the total minutes played.

The Boston Celtics didn’t lose that much when Larry Legend retired.

But, the Black Bears are back and plugging along with numerous fresh faces from the very top – with new coach Joanne Palombo leading the way – to the last player on the bench.

Still, I have to admit, I was quite surprised at the North Atlantic Conference’s coaches picking the Black Bears to finish fifth in this year’s NAC preseason poll.

Vermont deserves to be at the top. The Catamounts are the class of the NAC women’s division again this year. They played a weak schedule last season, but still an undefeated year was unexpected. A heartbreaking 70-69 loss to George Washington in the first round of the NCAA Tournament proved UVM deserved its postseason shot. Vermont will more than likely win the NAC again and get another shot at the NCAA postseason dance.

From there, the NAC is a crapshoot.

New Hampshire, which lost only one player and no starters from last year’s 18-8 team, was awarded the second spot, mainly because it returned so many players. There is no argument from me that Coach Kathy Sanborn’s Wildcats deserve the No. 2 spot.

Next, however, is where I would have put the University of Maine Black Bears.

Boston University and Delaware were awarded the third and fourth spots, according to the coaches.

The Terriers, a power in the pre-NAC Seaboard Conference, have gone through some down years and had a young team (one senior) which went 12-16 last season, 6-8 in the NAC. This year, the Terriers are still young (only two seniors), but I think they are a year away from breaking into the top three.

Delaware was barely a .500 team last season (15-14, 7-7 NAC) and lost its all-everything forward Jen Riley (16 ppg, 7.2 rpg).

Maine did lose four very talented players in Julie Bradstreet, Tracey Frenette, Jess Carpenter, and Carrie Goodhue.

Think for a minute how good last year’s team could have been 1) had Bradstreet played the two spot (shooting guard) instead of being forced to play out of position at point because of injuries; 2) Carpenter had played more during her first three years; 3) Goodhue had played anywhere near her capabilities; or 4) if the team had been happy with its surroundings.?

This season, the team returns Heather Briggs, the most consistent player last season; Chris Strong, a true point guard who has recovered from a knee injury; and Cyndi Buetow, a 6-2 center who likes to mix it up inside.

In Trish Roberts’ on-again, off-again often-erratic substition system,

Sophomore Erin Grealy showed last season that her outside shot could be a threat and classmate Seana Dionne saw plenty of minutes and will be all the better for it this season.

Rita Sullivan, who Palombo has pointed out has played well in preseason, will add to the team’s inside depth.

There are two unknown factors, however, which will really tell how the Black Bears will do this season.

– Palombo. She is young. She is excited. She comes from a big time program (Auburn), and she knows how to win. There is also a new aura around the UMaine women’s program where, as one player put it, “It’s fun to play basketball again.”

With that type of attitude, the returning talent could play even better than last year.

– The freshmen. Like Palombo’s effect on the team, these freshmen are also an unknown factor.

The coaching staff was more happy with this year’s class than with some, or so they said before making a bee-line to Michigan, where Roberts will coach the Wolverine women this season. “I see us playing as a blending team, maybe eight or nine people deep at different spots,” said Palombo. “People that are younger are going to have to grow up faster.”

If they do, then who knows?

Kathy Sanborn, who coaches at UNH, knows the power behind the Maine program. She summed it up nicely during Thursday’s NAC media day at Boston University.

“You can’t count out Maine,” said the sixth-year Wildcat boss. “New coaching situations can mean a lot of positive things happen in programs.”

Maine has always been a contender. They could make a lot of things happen.”

Sanborn, no doubt, did not pick the Bears to finish fifth.

Neither do I.

Put them third and consider it a really successful year if they beat out UNH for that second spot.