UM puts in bid to host regional NCAA to announce sites Sunday

John Winkin disassociated himself from the University of Maine in 1996 after he was not rehired as its baseball coach.

Winkin, who now is a vice president and an assistant baseball coach at Husson College in Bangor, recently helped out UMaine with a bit of advice. He suggested UMaine bid to host an NCAA Regional tournament.

UMaine athletic director Patrick Nero ran with the idea.

UMaine has submitted the minimum NCAA bid of $35,000 (which would be generated from gate receipts) to host a regional May 30-June 1 at Bangor’s Mansfield Stadium.

“Coach Winkin encouraged us to put in a bid and mentioned the fact that we would be looked on favorably,” explained Nero, who had met Winkin last spring when Winkin directed the NCAA Super Regional at Florida State while Nero was working at Miami.

UMaine isn’t taking anything for granted with its baseball team, which plays in the America East tourney Thursday through Sunday at Burlington, Vt. But UMaine is preparing for a best-case scenario.

“If we get the bid, it’s not going to be based on dollars, it’s going to be based on location and a willingness to have a northeast site,” said Nero, who explained an NCAA baseball regional hasn’t been held in the northeast since Rutgers (N.J.) hosted one four years ago.

UMaine last hosted a Regional in Orono in 1991.

“I think that in the northeast there is not a baseball program that has as good of a tradition as Maine and I think the [NCAA baseball] committee recognizes that,” Nero said.

The event would have to be held in Bangor this spring, since the Bangor Lumberjacks minor league team has contracted for the use of Mahaney Diamond in Orono. The weekend in question coincides with the Lumberjacks’ first home series, which could not be moved on such short notice.

“They did everything they could to free up the dates, but it was too late,” Nero said.

UMaine also contacted the City of Portland about playing at Hadlock Field, but it was unwilling to make the facility available.

Should UMaine advance and host a regional, it likely would be among the lower seeded of the four teams involved. Nero said the field likely would include one of the country’s top 16 teams and then another from those ranked Nos. 17-32.

UMaine coach Paul Kostacopoulos isn’t looking too far ahead, but he is grateful for UMaine’s aggressiveness pursuing such an opportunity.

“Whether we get there or get selected, I’m very appreciative of what our staff and administration, Patrick, have done,” Kostacopoulos said. “They believe in us and they believe that we have a good product and a worthwhile program.”

The regional sites will be announced Sunday afternoon.

“The first step is aggressively pursuing this bid,” Nero said, “the second step is making sure that we get an opportunity.”

Five sign to UM women’s soccer

University of Maine women’s soccer coach Scott Atherley has signed five players to National Letters of Intent and feels his incoming class will complement a solid nucleus and help make them legitimate contenders for the America East championship.

“I’m very optimistic. This has been a four-year progression and I like where we’re at now. You need 14-15 [quality] players and we have that now,” said Atherley. “Hopefully, this class will provide the final piece to the puzzle.”

Joining 20 returnees will be midfielders Brittany Saisselin of Avon, Conn., Natasha Levandowski of Scarborough and Natalie Berry of Saco and Thornton Academy; goalie Amy Holt of Hamilton, Ontario, and striker McKayla Bell of Waterford and Oxford Hills High School.

The 5-foot-10 Saisselin heads up the class after leading Avon High to two undefeated state championship seasons and a national ranking (20th).

“She really adds a dimension we need: a physical presence in the midfield,” said Atherley, who will use her as a defensive midfielder. “She gives us a ball-winner we’ve needed since Nancy Dillingham graduated. She should make an immediate impact.”

Levandowski, who was raised in Connecticut, and has played in England, is considered “feisty and a pretty solid all-around player” by Atherley.

Berry, according to Atherley, is “one of the best players coming out of the state” and is very sound technically and competitive.

Atherley said Bell “reeks with athleticism” and he expects her to surprise people in a year or two.

Holt, according to Atherley, “is an insurance policy [behind sophomore Tanya Adomo] who is also capable of playing right away.”