The University of Maine women’s basketball team, which set school and America East home attendance records again last season, likely will not achieve its best finish in the national rankings.

The Bears attracted 77,542 fans to 16 home games, an average of 4,846. That places UMaine 14th among 300 Division I programs in the unofficial rankings compiled by the University of Wisconsin sports information office.

UMaine, which ranked 13th last season at 4,629, saw its average crash during the America East tournament held at Alfond Arena in Orono. The gates at those three sessions were 2,818, 2,815 and 3,578 – an average of 3,070.

That’s 2,186 fewer tickets, per game, than the 5,256 UMaine had averaged in its 13 previous home games.

Seating capacity at Alfond Arena increased to 5,712 last winter with the construction of two new skyboxes. Maine and Hofstra played Feb. 21 in front of a sellout crowd.

This season’s average represents a modest increase of 217 fans per game, continuing the rise in attendance that began in earnest when Cindy Blodgett joined the program for the 1994-95 season.

During the Blodgett era, UMaine’s average attendance surged from 1,393 in 1993-94, prior to her arrival, to 3,598 her freshman season. In subsequent seasons, the Bears’ average increased to 3,868 to 4,650 to 4,846.

In the four-year period, UMaine increased its home attendance by an average of 3,453 spectators. In all, 266,708 fans picked up tickets for Black Bear women’s games from 1994-95 through 1997-98.

In accordance with NCAA guidelines, the above numbers reflect tickets sold or issued for UMaine games, rather than a turnstile count.

The University of Maine women’s basketball team, which recently made its fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, was honored Tuesday in Augusta.

Coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie and the Black Bears, who compiled a 21-9 record and bowed out with a first-round NCAA loss at North Carolina State, were to be recognized during an appearance in front of the Legislature at the State House.

Following a brief ceremony, the team was scheduled to have dinner with dignitaries at the Blaine House.

All-American Cindy Blodgett of UMaine has opted not to participate in this weekend’s Intersport 3-Point Shooting Championship during the NCAA men’s Final Four at San Antonio, Texas.

UMaine Assistant Sports Information Director Lisa McEvoy said there was some initial confusion about whether Blodgett could participate in Thursday’s competition and attend Saturday’s Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Honda All-Star Challenge game in St. Louis.

Blodgett, who was invited to both events, had opted for the senior all-star game, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium.

She is one of 17 players chosen from a list of 107 nominees in balloting by NCAA Division I coaches who are WBCA members.

The star-studded lineup for the Honda All-Star Challenge includes All-America first-teamers Alicia Thompson of Texas Tech, Ticha Penicheiro of Old Dominion and Tracy Reid of North Carolina. Blodgett also will get a first-hand look at Allison Feaster of Harvard, who beat out the Bears’ standout for the national scoring title.

Jeremy Towle of Woodland, a freshman at the University of Maine-Machias, has been invited by the National Cheerleaders Association to serve as an instructor on an elite cheerleading staff.

Towle, who helped Woodland High School win the Class C cheerleading state championship in 1997, will attend a training session in Pennsylvania later this spring. That qualifies him to become an instructor throughout northern New England during the summer.

“His strong skills, outgoing personality and dedication to the youth of America are just a few of the reasons (we) want him to join the NCA family,” the NCA said in a release.

Towle, the son of Woodland athletic director and former Dragons basketball coach Kevin Towle, participates on the Clippers’ cheering squad.

Towle, who has been involved in cheerleading for eight years and twice has been chosen an NCA All-American, hopes to foster the participation of men in the sport.

“I also would like to help organize intercollegiate cheerleading competition in Maine,” Jeremy Towle said.

University of Maine right winger Shawn Wansborough and defenseman Brian White, two of the Bear tri-captains, will play for the United States senior college all-stars against the Canadian university stars in the North American University Hockey Championship at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena on April 10.

Maine coach Shawn Walsh will be one of four coaches for the U.S. team in the second annual event.