The University of Maine men’s basketball team has filled one of its needs in the form of Alfredus Petkus, a shooting guard from Plunge, Lithuania.

Petkus, a 6-foot-5, 205-pounder, has returned his National Letter of Intent to UMaine, said Jamie Arsenault, his prep school coach at New Hampton (N.H.) School.

Petkus should help fill the void left with the loss to graduation of perimeter threat Julian Dunkley.

“He’s an athletic wing who can just really shoot the ball,” Arsenault said. “He had been known as a spot-up shooter before he got here, but has improved his game to where he can move off the ball and create some shots.

“I think he’s going to be one of the best shooters in America East in the near future. He’s got tremendous range and great touch.”

Petkus suffered a nagging knee injury in the fall and averaged about eight points and three rebounds per game for a team that boasts one of the top juniors in the country in Rashad McCants and Marquette-bound Todd Townsend.

Arsenault said Petkus’ stock dropped during the fall because when college coaches came to New Hampton, they saw an injured player.

“When all the schools were up here recruiting, he didn’t do much,” Arsenault said. “But this spring? He’s playing better than anyone I have right now.”

Arsenault said one indicator that Petkus should be able to compete well in America East came from unsolicited comments from big-time coaches who were watching other New Hampton players.

“We had Virginia, Kansas, North Carolina [up here] and they all said, ‘If anyone’s questioning whether the kid can play [at the mid-major level], have them give us a call,'” Arsenault said.

Arsenault is no stranger to Maine. He graduated from Colby College in 1988, both of his parents graduated from UMaine, and he coached at Bridgton Academy before heading to New Hampton. He said he was glad Petkus was heading to UMaine.

Arsenault said Petkus arrived in the U.S. before last season with little English language skills but quickly embraced the language.

“He’s a great kid,” Arsenault said.

USM baseball at-large selection

The University of Southern Maine baseball team has received an at-large bid into the 42-team NCAA Division III baseball championship.

The tourney begins Thursday with regional play. The Huskies will play in the New England Regional Tournament at Whitehouse Field in Harwich, Mass.

No. 2-seeded USM (32-11) will face No. 5 Wheaton (32-9) at 3:30 p.m.

The Huskies will make their 15th straight NCAA tourney appearance under coach Ed Flaherty.

USM was the runner-up at last week’s Little East Conference tournament and received one of five at-large berths in the national tourney.

Bosley, Dyjak attend conference

Husson College women’s soccer coach Keith Bosley and Soccer Maine coach Cid Dyjak recently attended a T.O.P. (The Outreach Program) Soccer Conference in Denver, Colo.

T.O.P. Soccer is a program designed to help bring the sport of soccer to special needs children ages 8-18 who may be physically, emotionally, or mentally handicapped and meet on a regular basis to learn and enjoy soccer under the instruction of trained coaches.

Bosley and Dyjak are in the process of designing a pilot T.O.P. soccer program for the Greater Bangor area for this summer. Soccer Maine intends later to expand the program throughout the state.

T.O.P. is run by the United States Youth Soccer Association and Soccer Maine. It is underwritten by Uniroyal Tire and Adidas Soccer. Julie Foudy of the World Cup champion United States women’s soccer team is the program’s national spokesperson.

For more information about the program or to sign up players, call Bosley at 941-7017 or Dyjak at 827-8201.

McGowan sets UM record

University of Maine senior Vanessa McGowan was one of several Maine athletes to fare well at the New England Track and Field Championships over the weekend.

McGowan won the 1,500-meter run in the women’s championship meet at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. McGowan ran the race in 4 minutes, 32.49 seconds, breaking a school record that had been set in 1985 in the process.

Abigail Anthony of Bates College captured the 10,000-meter crown in 37:17.22 while Portland High grad Michela Adrian of Middlebury College ran 17:42.14 to win the 5,000.

In the men’s meet held at Storrs, Conn., Justin Easter of Bates won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:21.66.