Representatives of a number of schools, including Husson College athletic director Pam Hennessey, have been in conversations concerning the formation of a new football league.

Hennessey acknowledged Wednesday that talks are underway but are in the early stages.

“It’s very preliminary,” Hennessey said. “I do think something concrete will come out of it.”

Hennessey said Plymouth State of New Hampshire, New York schools Buffalo State, Brockport State and Cortland State, and Mt. Ida College of Newton, Mass., have been involved in the talks.

“We’ve had a couple of conference calls. Nothing has been solidified yet. But the goal is to bring a bunch of schools together that don’t have a conference,” Hennessey said.

Husson announced in February that it would begin a football program under former Bangor High coach Gabby Price. Football was last played at the Bangor school more than 60 years ago when Husson was known as the Maine School of Commerce.

Husson has since had its application to join the 16-member New England New England Football Conference turned down and talks with the Freedom Football Conference ended with the announcement that the conference will dissolve in 2004.

The FFC included Plymouth State and Western Connecticut State as members. Western Connecticut State athletic director Edward Farrington said his school was involved in the initial new conference talks but has since dropped out.

“We have opted to join the New Jersey Athletic Conference in football only,” Farrington said. “One of the major considerations was budget from a travel standpoint. We’re a day-trip away from every school in that conference.”

Hennessey said that conference affiliation is a necessity.

“To belong to a conference guarantees a home-and-home schedule. It also guarantees your student-athletes receive honors. To play for a conference championship is a big honor for a student-athlete,” Hennessey said.

Husson football progressing well

Meanwhile, the Husson football team is making steady progress as it prepares to enter competition in the 2003 season.

Head coach Gabby Price has had 30 players practicing three days per week since Sept. 2. And despite the fact that practice can be dull, hard work without a game at the end of the week to prepare for, Price is pleased with the approach his team is taking.

“They’ve done great. Their attitude is very upbeat,” Price said.

In addition to practice sessions, Price has the players involved in weight training and team meetings. He said the players are being assisted in their introduction to life as a college student.

To that end Price has enlisted the help of former Husson golf coach Bruce MacGregor.

“They’re freshmen and new to this. We’ve had Bruce MacGregor talk to them about studying skills. We also had a lady come in and talk about nutrition,” Price explained.

Local high school football fans will recognize some of the names of the players who are practicing with the team.

Former Bangor High School star Buddy Nickerson, Bucksport’s Chris McHale, Foxcroft Academy’s Brendan Robinson and Derek Morong, Rockland’s Devin Dabler and Ian Fish, Chad Bennett from MCI and Hampden Academy’s Jimmy Tribou are among those currently working out with the team.

Price said that recruiting is in constant motion. He and his coaching staff has seen Maine high school teams play thus far and hopes to see 50 before the season is over.

“We’re identifying names. Identifying interest. Recruiting is an ongoing thing,” Price said.

Infrastructure is another important aspect of the new program and Price said that steady progress is being made in that area.

“The great thing is the practice field is almost ready. The goal posts are here and we just need to get them up.”

The football office and the locker rooms have been completed.

“It’s all new. The most important thing is that the kids’ attitude is so great. They’re working hard,” Price said.

UMaine appeals committee meets

The three-person committee appointed by University of Maine President Peter Hoff to hear the appeals of suspended Black Bear football players Paris Minor and Stefan Gomes met on Wednesday evening, according to university spokesman Joe Carr.

Carr said they were expected to begin reviewing the case and set up a timetable for releasing their decision.

The committee is comprised of longtime university employees Anne Pooler, Robert Whelan and Michael Scott.

Gomes and Minor are alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman in Old Town in June and they were suspended from the university last week by the UMaine Conduct Code Committee.

No criminal charges have been filed against either man and they have appealed the code conduct committee’s decision to suspend them.

UMF, Thomas baseball leave NAIA

Thomas College athletic director and baseball coach Chris Young has pointed out a mistake in the recent story concerning the decision for Thomas, Husson College of Bangor and UMaine-Farmington to leave the Sunrise Conference to compete in the NCAA Division III ranks as a member of the North Atlantic Conference.

While Husson will continue its affiliation with the NAIA for baseball only, both Thomas and UMF have ended their athletic affiliations with the association.

Young said Thomas and UMF will work within the framework of the NAC, and through the NCAA independent route, to provide opportunities for their baseball programs.