After posting a 15-4 regular-season record and traveling to the National Small College Athletic Association tournament, Ron Brown’s Eastern Maine Technical College men’s basketball team had reason to expect great things this year.

With a beefed up schedule and a solid recruiting class entering the Bangor school, Brown was enthusiastic.

“We came into the season having lost only one starter -Nate Cyr,” Brown said. “Granted, he averaged 28.9 points per game and was a first-team NSCAA All-American.”

But during the preseason, Brown’s expectations have changed a bit as three of those returning starters (James Osborne, Ryan Jarrell and Josh St. Clair) along with the three top members of his recruiting class became ineligible to compete until the second semester because of academic concerns.

“We went from being what I thought was head and shoulders above the remainder of the conference to right now, somewhere in the middle,” Brown said.

Adding to his concern is this: Top big man Nick Wiberg suffered a nagging back injury during an early practice and has been slowed substantially ever since.

“We’ve been unified, haven’t had any internal problems and everybody’s upbeat,” Brown said. “We just have a lot of people playing a lot of minutes who have never played.”

The Golden Eagles do have a key returnee in 6-foot-4 forward Brad Galley of Campobello, New Brunswick. Brewer’s Chris Leighton is filling in at the point in Osborne’s stead. Old Town’s Jeff Kimball has scored well early while burly Mason Doore of Augusta provides a 6-6 presence down low.

But Brown admits the loss until semester break of the two starters and recruits Mike Arsenault of Bangor along with the Houlton tandem of Reuben Thomas and Kyle Hipsley has been a challenge.

“I’m optimistic. I’m a coach. When you put the scoreboard up there, it doesn’t matter whether you’re playing Washington County Tech or the MCI postgrads,” Brown said. “You play those games to win. And right now we just don’t have the personnel to do some of the things we might have done.”

But that doesn’t mean Brown won’t have them later in the season. And that’s got him looking forward to the chance of getting back to the national tourney again. And this year, due to a switch, the NSCAA is having two national tournaments. The one the Golden Eagles want to qualify for (for schools with less than 500 students) will be held in Auburn.

“I’ve been doing this for so long, sometimes you start off the same way you finish,” Brown said. “Sometimes you start off and build from there. That’s what we’re hoping to do.”

Stein Song ranked No. 6

The Stein Song has always been special to those who attended the University of Maine and to fans of Black Bear athletic programs.

Northern Illinois University professor William Studwell likes it, too. Studwell, who has written two books about college fight songs, ranks the Stein Song sixth on his list of the top 25 college fight songs.

Of the Stein Song Studwell says, “Great melody, has its origins in a drinking song which can be traced to Brahms.”

For those who may not know it by name, the Stein Song is the one played prior to UMaine athletic contests when the teams take the field or court, when the Bears score a touchdown, and immediately after the conclusion of the event.

The Notre Dame Victory March earned the distinction of being the No. 1 college fight song, followed by The Victors (Michigan), On Wisconsin, Down the Fi l Academy).

Studwell evaluates fight song quality on fame, reputation, melody, lyrics, total impact and whether the tune is suitable and likeable. His most recent book, “College Fight Songs II: A Supplemental Anthology,” is due out later this month. It includes lyrics, music and history for 97 college fight songs and a general essay on fight song history.

“Fight songs are part of our nation’s history and have gone unnoticed and unappreciated for too long,” said Studwell, a muscial historian who also is recognized as the country’s leading expert on Christmas carols, according to a press release.

He has compiled books on state songs and circus music and has written reference books on opera, ballet and patriotic songs.

UMM to host Region 10 playoffs

The University of Maine at Machias women’s volleyball team will enjoy home-court advantage this weekend when it hosts the NAIA Region 10 tournament.

A banquet will be held on Friday night at Kilburn Commons and the four-team tourney will begin and conclude on Saturday.

The Clippers won their second straight Maine Athletic Conference championship on Nov. 4 by beating St. Joseph’s College in four games and the University of Maine-Presque Isle in three. UMM is undefeated in MAC play over the past two years with a 30-0 mark.

They have been led by all-MAC pick Kristene Hirsch of Levitttown, N.Y. The Clippers are coached by Sharon Bonaventure, who was recently named the Maine Collegiate Volleyball Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

No. 1 Bloomfield (N.J.) College will take on No. 4 Wilmington College of New Castle, Del., at 10 a.m. Saturday, while No. 3 UMM takes its 26-6 record into a noon showdown with No. 2 Goldey Beacom College of Wilmington, Del.

The winners will meet at 2 p.m. with a berth in the national tournament at stake. The national tournament will be held in Palm Beach, Fla.

UMaine football luncheon Friday

The UMaine football team has scheduled its annual senior luncheon for Friday at noon at the Black Bear Inn in Orono.

The Black Bears’ seniors will be recognized for their accomplishments at the event.

Tickets are $10 and reservations should be made by calling Caren Ford in the football office at 581-1062.