The Husson College women’s basketball team will take on a new look this season after nine of its 10 veteran players have opted not to return to the team.

Second-year Braves coach Harold Williams confirmed that all but one of Husson’s veterans have left the squad.

Williams cited increased academic demands on the students as the reason for some of the departures, but conceded there may have been other issues.

“There may be some philosophical differences along the line there, but there are also some academic reasons,” said Williams, whose Braves finished 9-15 last season and failed to reach the Maine Athletic Conference Final Four.

While it appears Williams and his players didn’t always see eye-to-eye, he said he was not approached about any potential conflicts.

“They have not come to me and told me why they’re not playing,” Williams said. “They didn’t show up at the [preseason] meeting, but two of them at the end of last year, when we met, gave me an indication they may not be back.”

The departed players include senior Megan Hughes of Dexter, juniors Liz Boone of Brewer, Layne McDonald of Surry, Jenn Comeau and Brooke Turner of Lincoln, Rebecca Sexton of Dover, N.H., and Caroline Frye of Walpole, Mass., and sophomore Lindsay Duplisea of Hermon.

None of the four former players contacted were willing to discuss their reasons for leaving the team.

Sophomore Nicole Poirier of Tewksbury, Mass., is the one player who has indicated she plans to play this winter, Williams said.

Williams explained players such as Boone, who is a nursing major, have rigorous academic programs that make playing basketball particularly difficult during their junior years. Comeau also has taken a job as a dormitory resident assistant on Husson’s Bangor campus, cutting into her available time.

Husson’s popular nursing and physical therapy programs are demanding and have forced a handful of players to give up sports, at least for a year.

“It’s not unusual for health field majors in junior year to take the year off,” Williams said.

In spite of the unexpected exodous, Williams is enthused about the upcoming season. A group of 13 freshmen will be competing for playing time when practice begins next week.

“We’ve got some highly talented kids from good programs that we hope are going to carry on the Husson tradition,” Williams said. “These kids are young, but they’re very talented.”

Among the newcomers are Sara Snider of Narraguagus in Harrington, Morgan Drew of Calais, Skowhegan’s Sarah Davis, Tiffany Goehringer of Mount View in Thorndike, Holly Gracie of Searsport, and Sonya McCarthy from Katahdin of Sherman Station.

UMaine basketball begins today

The University of Maine men’s and women’s basketball teams will begin preparations for the 2002-03 America East season when formal practices start today.

Since their arrival on campus, players on both teams have gone through rigorous training regimens, have played pickup ball, and have worked in small groups with their coaches. Now, the coaching staffs will join their players on the court.

The first glimpse at this season’s Black Bear teams will come Oct. 20 when UMaine holds its Blue-White scrimmages at Alfond Arena in Orono. The men play at 3 p.m., followed by the women at 4:30.

UMaine Hall sets deadline

Tickets to the 2002 induction banquet for the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame must be reserved by Wednesday.

Reservations for the event, which begins with a 6 p.m. social hour and includes dinner at 7, may be made by calling the UMaine athletic ticket office at 581-2327.

Highly successful men’s hockey coach Shawn Walsh and longtime athletic trainer Wes Jordan, both of whom died recently, are among the six people who will be inducted into the hall during ceremonies at UMaine’s Wells Conference Center. The other inductees include three-sport standout and respected high school coach Nathaniel Crowley; former football wide receiver Sergio Hebra; cross country, track, and field hockey standout Ann England Maxim, and soccer goalie Jeffrey Spring.