University of Maine junior forward Michael Schutte has decided to forego his final season with the Black Bears and has a signed a free-agent contract with the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes.

“It’s a thrill for me and my family to get the opportunity to fulfill my dream and play in the NHL with the Phoenix Coyotes,’ said Shutte, who was a top forward and defenseman for the Black Bears.

“The Coyotes are a first-class organization and I’m very excited to sign with them,” Shutte added. “I’m going to miss playing at the University of Maine but I wish them all the best next year.”

Schutte, 6-foot-2, signed a muliyear deal, according to Coyotes vice president and general manager Michael Barnett.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Last season, Schutte helped lead Maine to the NCAA championship game where he scored two goals in a 4-3 overtime loss to Minnesota. He was named to the NCAA Frozen Four all-tourney team.

During the season, Schutte played in 39 games and recorded 13 goals and 18 assists while scoring five power-play goals and two game-winning goals.

He played in 100 games in three seasons with the Bears and finished with 30 career goals and 35 assists. He also scored 14 power-play goals and four game-winning goals.

Binette, Donovan earn honor

University of Maine track and field athletes Danielle Donovan of Presque Isle and Nicole Binette of Biddeford have been named to the Verizon Academic All-District Second Team.

Donovan, a graduate student in engineering sciences, holds a 3.45 grade point average and earned a degree in spatial information engineering with a GPA of 3.44.

Donovan has posted the 10th-fastest 1,500-meter time in school history.

Binette, a senior nursing major, has a 3.78 GPA. She won the 100-meter hurdles in three meets during the 2002 outdoor season and was fifth in the event at the America East Championships. She holds the school record for the 60-meter hurdles indoors.

Bates sends four to NCAA meet

Justin Easter of Jay is one of four Bates College athletes who have qualified for the NCAA Division III track meet, which will be held at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., beginning today.

Easter, a junior, will appear in an NCAA championship event for the ninth straight time since enrolling in college. He has competed in three cross country and three skiing championships and this will mark his third spring track effort.

Easter is the top seed in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9 minutes, 2.70 seconds. Easter is a two-time All-American and a three-time New England Small College Athletic Conference champ in the event. He was sixth in the national steeplechase finals in 2000 and fourth in 2001.

Joining Easter at the national meet are senior Jaime Sawler of Stratham, N.H., Greg Hurley of Arlington, Mass., and Kelley Puglisi of Scotia, N.Y.

Sawler, a 2001 All-American, is the top seed in the hammer throw at 191 feet, 9 inches. He is the only Division III athlete to have exceeded 190 feet.

Hurley enters the competition as the 16th seed in the hammer (178-3).

Puglisi is the 11th seed in the 1,500-meter run (4:38.01).