MMA adds several local standouts

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Maine Maritime Academy’s men’s basketball program has signed some notable names from local high schools among its 2002 recruiting class.

Foxcroft Academy multiple-sport star Danny White has committed to play for the Mariners, along with fellow guards Marc McCorrison from Mount View of Thorndike and Matt Welch of Belfast. They’ll be joining Brewer big man J.T. Breindel, who projects as a power forward or small forward in college.

Other recruits include Winthrop’s Dave Poulin, a 5-foot-9 guard; and Rangeley’s Neil Stewart, a 6-4 forward.

Mariners coach Chris Murphy is excited about his incoming class, especially since two of the things his team lacked last season were consistent scorers and ballhandlers.

“Danny is a good scorer, a great athlete and he’ll have a chance to contribute right away,” Murphy said of the 5-10 shooting/point guard.

The 6-5, 200-pound Breindel gives MMA some size to replace departing senior and all-time leading rebounder Jed Johnson.

“Breindel’s footwork is as good as any big man in the state I saw,” Murphy said. “He’s just scratching the surface of his potential.”

Murphy called the 5-11 McCorrison very athletic, a great defender and a good perimeter shooter who can handle the ball and handle pressure.

Welch, who projects as a shooting (2) guard, wasn’t even on Murphy’s radar until the MMA coach saw him while scouting another player.

Poulin figures to be a solid guard due to his heady play and impressive assist-to-turnover ratio for the Ramblers. Stewart is more of a long-term prospect who has good offensive skills, but still needs some seasoning.

Husson golf bound for nationals

The Husson College golf team is headed for Florida on Friday to participate in the NAIA National Golf Championship at the Matanzas Woods Golf Club in Palm Coast.

Coach Bruce MacGregor’s Braves have qualified for the nationals for the third time in four years after winning nine of 13 tournaments and compiling a 112-9 record in head-to-head competition.

The squad, which won the NAIA Region X title, the New England Intercollegiate Golf Coaches Division III championship and the Sunrise Conference crown, includes Sunrise Player of the Year Corey Pion of Vassalboro, all-conference pick Joe Finnemore of Sidney and Rookie of the Year Ross McGee of Fairfield, another all-league choice.

Corey Poulin of Jackman and Shane Ross of Pittsfield were chosen as Sunrise Scholar-Athletes. MacGregor was the conference and Region X Coach of the Year.

Kati Libby to attend NCAA event

Kati Libby of the University of Southern Maine is among 302 student-athletes who have been chosen to attend the annual NCAA Leadership Conference scheduled for May 25-29 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Libby, a junior from Orono, is a member of the Huskies’ volleyball and women’s lacrosse teams and also has played soccer and basketball in the past. The business major also has participated on USM’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council and two peer mentoring programs.

The NCAA conference is designed to enhance student-athletes’ leadership and communication skills and to enable them to become more effective leaders and motivators when they return to their campuses.

Jim Shea shines at Bowdoin

Jim Shea recently completed an oustanding sophomore baseball season at Bowdoin College in Brunswick.

The former Bangor High School standout led the Polar Bears and ranked fourth in the New England Small College Athletic Conference with a .409 batting average. He posted an on-base percentage of .476 to help Bowdoin to a 17-15 season.

Shea played second base and batted in the No. 2 spot for the Polar Bears, collecting 17 RBIs, seven doubles and seven stolen bases.

Hughes in tennis nationals

Sara Hughes of Colby College in Waterville has earned the right to play in both singles and doubles action at the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championships May 17-19 in California.

Holmes is one of 32 singles players seeking the singles title, and she’ll pair with teammate Britt Palmedo in the 16-team doubles field.

Hughes, from Burlington, Vt., was 14-6 in singles play this spring and went 16-6 alongside Palmedo in doubles on her way to recognition as the NESCAC Co-Player of the Year.

MCI to honor ’40s football teams

Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield has scheduled an event to honor members of its 1947-48 and 1948-49 postgraduate football teams.

Members of those squads, along with their coach, Nels Corey, will be recognized Tuesday at 8:05 a.m. in front of MCI students, faculty and staff when their state championship banners are unfurled in Wright Gymnasium.

MCI’s 1947 team, which played against prep schools, college freshman teams and college JV squads, was the only unbeaten prep school team in the state. The 1948 contingent was unbeaten and untied, helping the postgrads win their second straight mythical state championship.