As the University of Maine field hockey team prepared for today’s North Atlantic Conference Championship, they got news that could power them in today’s game.

The NAC announced UMaine field hockey coach Terry Kix has been named NAC Coach of the Year, Cindy Botett has been chosen as NAC Rookie of the Year and three other Black Bears have been selected for All-Conference teams Thursday.

The Black Bears’ Annie Elkanich of South Portland and Margaret Henrick of Oakland made the first team and senior Wendy DuBois made the second team.

“I feel like the team was real excited to be recipient of so many awards and we hope that excitement carries over to the field,” Kix said after learning of the Black Bears’ accolades. “We’ve had a real strong season, so I knew as a team the possibility was there for some of the players to be recognized.”

However, Kix said she wasn’t surprised Botett was chosen as the rookie of the year.

“In my eyes, she was a clear-cut choice because she has been the freshman who has had the most impact in the league, especially playing in such a critical position as goalkeeper,” Kix said.

Botett is the second Black Bear goalkeeper to win Rookie of the Year honors. Mary Lou Winstel, who graduated and who Botett replaced, was the 1991 Rookie of the Year and a third-team All-American last season.

Botett was 8-6 during the season, with five of her losses coming against teams ranked among the NCAA’s Top 20. Botett is third in the NAC and ranked nationally with a 1.12 goals against average.

Kix, who won the NAC Coach of the Year honor for the first time in 1993, guided the Black Bears to a 12-7 mark during the regular season and a school-best third place finish in the NAC despite losing four starters in 1994.

In her fifth season at UMaine, Kix has guided the Black Bears to four winning seasons and two NAC Championship appearances.

The UMaine women learned of the NAC honors they received on the eve of the NAC championship at Parsons Field in Brookline, Mass.

The Black Bears left for Castine on Wednesday evening to practice on the artificial surface at Maine Maritime Academy in order to ready themselves for the artificial surface at Parsons Field in Brookline, Mass., where the championships will be held.

The third-seeded Black Bears, 12-7, and second seed Boston University, 15-5, square off in the 6:00 game today. Top seed Northeastern, 17-2 and the nation’s fifth-ranked team, takes on 7-10 New Hampshire, the fourth seed, at 3:30 p.m. with The championship game will be Sunday at 12:30.

BU is ranked 11th in the country and beat Maine 2-1 in Orono on Sept. 20.

Kix said UMaine will have its hands full against BU but said the Black Bears will be ready.

“We stayed right with them in our first game although we had them on grass and that’s an equalizer. BU is much more comfortable on turf,” Kix said. “But we feel if we play our best game, we can have success against BU. We won’t be intimidated like we were two years ago.”

Kix said her team hasn’t peaked yet, but is still searching for the right offensive mix and, hopefully, will find it today.

Pacing the Bears have been speedy right winger Elkanich, who has seven goals and nine assists, left wing Kacey Strout (9 goals), central midfielder DuBois, sweeper Henrick (4 & 7) and fullback Dawn Porter.

NAC scoring leader Vera Schoenfeld (15 goals, 14 assists), who got the game-winner against Maine, Michelle Barnard (9 & 21) and Leonie Kortenhorst (15 & 5) will power the Terriers’ offense. All are first team All-Conference selections. In goal for the Terriers will be second-team selection Monica Dorley (0.25 GAA).