America East tabs UM to host three championship tourneys

The University of Maine will host three America East championships next season with the softball team being a first-time host.

Maine will entertain the America East baseball championships for the second time in three years on May 27-29 and will host the swimming and diving championships for the fourth straight year on Feb. 20-22.

The America East softball tourney will be played on May 13-15.

“[Maine softball coach] Deb Smith has been very enthusiastic getting in line to host this,” said America East associate commissioner Julie Ruppert. “She had previously expressed interest in hosting this past spring’s tournament.

“With their recent improvements, adding the concession stands and rest rooms, their facility will be top notch, and we’re really excited about that,” added Ruppert.

The concession stand-rest room building is behind the left field fence at three-year-old Mike Kessock Field and to the right side of the main entrance at Mahaney Diamond.

Ruppert said another plus in Maine’s favor for hosting the four-team, double-elimination tournament was the fact “Maine graduates a week before the softball tournament” so there won’t be the congestion or the difficulties getting hotel rooms.

“There are four commencements [at America East schools] the weekend of the softball tournament,” pointed out Ruppert.

Mahaney Diamond was chosen over the University of Vermont’s Centennial Field, which hosted this past spring’s four-team, double-elimination tournament.

Not only are they quality facilities, Ruppert said, they are the only two fields with lights, and lights are a priority.

“Maine demonstrated an exceptional ability to host the tournament in 2002,” Ruppert said. “They have a staff that does a great job [running the tournament].”

She said the same intangibles hold true for the Stanley Wallace Pool: a top-notch facility and a staff that knows how to run an event of that magnitude.

“[Maine swimming coach] Jeff Wren has that down to a science. We’ve come to expect a very high-level event,” said Ruppert, who also singled out Jim Dyer, Maine’s assistant athletic director for operations, for his proficiency.

Maine has hosted the America East swimming and diving championships eight times since 1990.

University of Maine representatives were pleased with the news.

“This adds to our season immediately,” said Maine baseball coach Paul Kostacopoulos. “You get a real purpose from the first day of fall baseball about your season because you want to make sure you make the tournament.

“Jim [Dyer] does a great job and everybody gets behind it. What happens is you get mini-facility upgrades to make sure it’s in tip-top shape when you host it. You want it to be as perfect as it can be,” said Kostacopoulos.

Smith could not be reached for comment, but she said in a press release, “Hosting the America East tournament is something we have been working towards for years. It is one advantage of having our new field. The players, coaching staff and alumni are all looking forward to next season and the chance to host the tournament.”

As for the other already-determined America East championship sites: the men’s and women’s cross country championships will be held in Albany, N.Y., on Nov. 1, and the men’s and women’s indoor track titles will be decided at Boston University on Feb. 20-21.

BU will host the men’s basketball first-round, quarterfinals and semifinals on March 5-7 before the higher seeded finalist hosts the championship game on March 13 at 11:30 a.m. Hartford’s Chase Family Arena will be the site of the women’s basketball tournament on March 10-13.

The men’s and women’s tennis titles will be decided in New Haven on April 30-May 2; the men’s and women’s outdoor track meets will be at Northeastern University on May 1-2, and the men’s and women’s golf tournaments will be May 3-4 at Blackledge Country Club in Hebron, Conn.

The women’s golf tournament will be the first in league history.

The four-team field hockey and men’s and women’s lacrosse tournaments and six-team men’s and women’s soccer championships will be decided at the home sites of the higher seeds.