Kariya, Abbott garner honors UMaine athletes on Academic All-District

Martin Kariya of the University of Maine men’s hockey team and swimmer Kate Abbott have been selected for Verizon Academic All-District Teams by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Kariya, a junior center, was named to the first team and Abbott was a second-team pick.

Kariya, who is a mathematics major, has a 3.75 grade point average and will be placed on the national ballot. The North Vancouver, British Columbia, native was fourth on the team in scoring this season with 16 goals and 28 assists in 43 games. He was one of the assistant captains and helped lead Maine to a berth in the NCAA championship game.

Abbott, a sophomore from Readfield, carries a 3.89 grade point average and is studying biology. Abbott was a member of the Bears’ America East champion 200 freestyle relay team and she placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 400 and 200 individual medleys.

Abbott was a member of the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll (3.5 GPA or higher) and won the Biology Department Book Award for the highest GPA in the major and earned the Presidential Achievement Pin.

Kariya and his Black Bear hockey mates toured the Blaine House and the State House Wednesday in Augusta.

“Governor [Angus] King came over and talked with the guys for quite a while, around 45 minutes. He’s a real good person. He’s very sharp,” said UMaine men’s hockey coach Tim Whitehead, who added he and the team enjoyed the tour and learned about the legislative system in the state.

“It was great,” said Whitehead.

UMaine’s Rybalko third at ECACs

Viktoriya Rybalko of the University of Maine placed third Saturday in the long jump at the ECAC Championships at Princeton University.

Rybalko, of Zaporzhye, Ukraine, and four other competitors set a stadium record with a leap of 20 feet, 4.25 inches.

UM seeks Hall of Fame nominations

The UMaine Sports Hall of Fame is seeking nominations for the 2002 induction process. The hall recognizes people who have contributed to the athletic department as athletes, coaches or administrators and in doing so have enhanced the image and reputation of the university.

The primary criterion for selection is achievement in the athletic program, but other factors including character, leadership and integrity, in addition to non-athletic service to the UMaine community and achievement later in life.

Nominees cannot have been a member of the UMaine athletic department nor a student for the last five years. Candidates nominated previously remain under consideration.

Induction ceremonies are scheduled Friday, Oct. 25, as part of Homecoming festivities.

For more information or to nominate someone, contact Joe Roberts, Asst. AD for Media Relations, University of Maine, 5747 Memorial Gymnasium, Orono, ME 04469-5747 or call 207-581-3596.

A printable nomination form also is available on the Web at GoBlackBears.com.