Local players bolster USM, Bowdoin, UNE

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Wednesday will be an exciting day for Maine’s Division III women’s basketball community.

Three of the state’s small-college programs – the University of Southern Maine, Bowdoin College and the University of New England of Biddeford – are taking part in the 50-team NCAA Division III National Tournament.

All three teams have received significant contributions from players who honed their skills at eastern Maine high schools.

In tonight’s regional action, 20-6 USM of Gorham travels to 23-4 Springfield (Mass.), 19-7 Bowdoin of Brunswick visits 22-3 Eastern Connecticut State and 17-10 UNE treks to 19-7 Ithaca (N.Y.).

The postseason is familiar territory for coach Gary Fifield’s USM Huskies, who are making the program’s 12 NCAA appearance in the last 15 years. Southern Maine set an NCAA record this season, winning 20 games for the 21st consecutive year.

USM beat Western Connecticut last Saturday for the Little East Conference title.

The Huskies are paced by a handful of eastern Maine products, including point guard Erin Shaw of Hancock, forward Kara Crockett of Glenburn, guard Megan Cressler of Appleton and guard Jess Libby of Orono.

Shaw, a senior, is USM’s second-leading scorer with 11.3 points and she averages 2.7 assists. Sophomore Crockett, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the LEC Tournament, is averaging 11.2 points and a team-best 6.4 rebounds. She also has blocked 86 shots in 26 games.

Cressler, a freshman guard, has contributed 9.3 points and 3.5 rebounds, while Libby is averaging 8.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and a team-high 4.2 assists per contest. Skowhegan’s Amanda Bourgoin chips in with 3.0 points per game.

The Huskies also have received contributions from Orono’s Kati Libby, Nikki Allen of Blue Hill and Larisa Sobey of Pittsfield.

Bowdoin, under Stef Pemper, is coming off a victory over top-seeded Amherst in Saturday’s New England Small College Athletic Conference title game.

The Polar Bears, who are making their second NCAA appearance in 27 years, have been boosted by the play of freshman guard Lora Trenkle of Surry.

Trenkle, who starred at George Stevens Academy in Blue Hill, ranks second on the team in scoring with 13.8 points per game, but has averaged 17.8 points in Bowdoin’s last four games.

She is joined on the squad by Mainers Kristi Royer of Lewiston (14.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg) and Westbrook’s Jessie Mayol (9.9 ppg).

“Few athletes want to win as bad as Jessie, have the confidence of Lora and the versatility of Kristi,” Pemper said. “… [They] play with the poise that only comes from working hard on your game and from handling success with humility and failure with resolve.”

UNE on Saturday completed an upset-riddled run to the Commonwealth Coast Conference crown. Coach Curt Smyth’s fifth-seeded Nor’easters knocked off the Nos. 4, 1 and 2 teams.

Leading the way for UNE is junior Amanda Rodgerson of Newburgh. The former Hampden Academy star is averaging 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.

Kix signs four recruits

A fifth-year senior transfer, a top scorer from Philadelphia and a member of Winslow High’s state championship squad head the UMaine recruiting class of coach Terry Kix.

“I think we have a pretty solid class coming in,” Kix said, pointing at the addition of Boston College transfer Morgan Brady as one of the keys.

The three other (scholarship) recruits who signed National Letters of Intent were midfielder Amie Dubois of Winslow, forward Rachel Hilgar of Barto, Pa., and midfielder Traci Rainone of East Greenwich, R.I.

Kix said she has also received commitments from three Mainers who won’t receive scholarships: Emily Dooling of Winthrop, Jamie Morin of Winslow and Shaunessey Saucier of Old Town.

All National Letters of Intent are contingent upon admission to UMaine, compliance with NCAA rules and registration with the NCAA clearinghouse.

Brady will graduate from BC in May. She was a first-team all-Big East selection last season and was a Northeast region All-American.

“She will really be a tremendous addition and hopefully be the backbone of our defensive unit,” Kix said.

Dubois helped guide the Black Raiders to three state titles in her four years at Winslow.

“She’s incredibly feisty and she’s really gonna bring that work ethic and mental toughness to our program that will really help us in the midfield,” Kix said.

Hilgar is a proven scorer who tallied 20 goals as a senior at Upper Perkiomen High.

“Rachel has a unique scoring touch,” Kix said.

Rainone was a Rhode Island all-stater and took part in the U.S. Field Hockey Futures Program.

UM athletics has new Web site

The University of Maine’s athletic program will have its own official Web site beginning Friday at noon when www.GoBlackBears.com becomes a reality.

The Web site has been created by 30-year-old Dan Parkhurst, who has also designed the Hockey East Web site which goes by www.HockeyEastonline.com, along with sites for the University of New Hampshire, the American Hockey Coaches Association and the New England Hockey Journal.

The new Maine Web site will include statistics, rosters, schedules, background information and in-depth articles on the various teams with each sport having its own section; a marketing and promotions section; a staff directory, summer camp information and a section for the Bear Necessities Gift Shop so people can order UMaine athletic wear and souvenirs on-line.

Parkhurst hasn’t officially signed a contract with the University of Maine but expects to do so soon.