University of Maine fifth-year field hockey coach Terry Kix expects to have a pretty good field hockey team when everybody is available. But that is a little ways off.

“Our Most Valuable Player right now has been the training room,” said Kix, who has four players sidelined by injuries. “The trainers have done a great job.”

Fortunately for Kix, none of the injuries is believed to be serious.

The injury list includes standout junior midfielder Jana Hanson (hamstring pull), sophomore fullback Jeni Turner (calf surgery) and promising freshman forwards Dedra DeLilli (sprained ankle) and Deb Akerley (hip flexor).

They will have time to heal as the Bears don’t open the North Atlantic Conference portion of their schedule until Sept. 15 against new NAC member Towson State (Md.).

Maine has 12 letterwinners off last year’s 14-6-1 team that won the ECAC Tournament. Maine went 11-6-1 the previous year and earned an NAC tourney berth.

“If we can put it all together and stay healthy, this team has the potential to be the best of the four I’ve played on at Maine,” said senior sweeper and tri-captain Margaret Henrick, an All-NAC selection last year when she racked up three goals and 13 assists.

The other tri-captains, senior Tammy Barrows and junior Dawn Porter, are also fullbacks so Kix considers the back line as one of the team’s strengths. Barrows was a medical redshirt last year due to a knee injury.

Turner and sophomore Daralyn Smiley will also play in the back.

Hanson anchors the midfield as the central midfielder. Senior Wendy DuBois and junior Amy Philbrook will be the flank midfielders along with freshman Mary Beth Coughlin, who has been very impressive, according to Kix.

The two areas Maine was hardest hit by graduation are in goal and up front. Between the pipes, former All-American Mary Lou Winstel will be succeeded by Marti Kane and redshirt freshman Cindy Botett. Kane played in place of the injured Winstel in the ECAC Tournament and made 19 saves in wins over Rider (3-2) and Dartmouth (1-0).

“Either one of the goalies can step up for us,” said DuBois.

“They’ve both come a long way during the preseason,” said Henrick.

Up front, the Bears will have to replace the 14 goals produced by Michelle Gallan a year ago.

“I think we’ll have a much more balanced attack this year,” said Kix. “Michelle scored a majority of her goals off corners and I think we’ll be able to score more goals off field play this year.”

DeLilli has exhibited a “real knack for putting the ball in the cage,” and the Bears return veteran forwards Annie Elkanich (2 goals, 14 assists), Kacey Strout (5 & 0), and Karen Hebert (4 & 2). Akerley and sophomore Becky Blue could also be productive forwards.

Maine was picked to finish fifth in the NAC by the league’s coaches. Northeastern was chosen to win it.

THE SCHEDULE Sept. 2 at Pacific, 11 a.m. Sept. 3 at Stanford, 1 p.m. Sept. 8 Darmouth, 3 p.m. Sept. 9 Siena, 1 p.m. Sept. 15 Towson State, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 17 Delaware, 1 p.m. Sept. 20 Boston University, 3 p.m. Sept. 22 vs. William and Mary, 5 p.m.

(at James Madison University) Sept. 24 at James Madison, noon Sept. 30 Vermont, 11 a.m. Oct. 4 at Providence, 3 p.m. Oct. 7 vs. New Hampshire, 1 p.m.

(at Cape Elizabeth) Oct. 9 at Holy Cross, 1 p.m. Oct. 13 at Hofstra, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at Drexel, 1 p.m. Oct. 21 vs. Yale, 1 p.m.

(at Cape Elizabeth) Oct. 22 at Boston College, 1 p.m. Oct. 28 at Northeastern, 1 p.m. Oct. 29 vs. Harvard, 1 p.m.

(at Northeastern) Nov. 3-5 NAC Tournament at NU, TBA