ORONO – In some ways, Montana is a well-known commodity to the University of Maine football coaching staff.

The fourth-ranked Grizzlies are a perennial national power and, along with UMaine and Georgia Southern, are the only teams to have advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA national quarterfinals each of the last two seasons.

Montana, which has won or shared the Big Sky championship five years straight and eight of the last 10 seasons, won national championships in 2001 and 1995.

However, with a new coaching staff having taken over last winter, the Black Bears might not know exactly what to expect when coach Bobby Hauck’s Grizzlies meet the Black Bears today at 6 p.m. at Alfond Stadium.

“Their talent level, speed level and execution were real obvious on last year’s tape,” said UMaine coach Jack Cosgrove. “They’ve got a lot of talented players.”

Montana represents the highest-ranked opponent to play UMaine since the Bears knocked off No. 4 Villanova in 1998.

“To open up the season with an opponent with all the history and everything they’ve accomplished just adds to the opening-game mystique,” said UMaine senior captain Michael Zyskowski.

Montana is no stranger to tough season openers on the road. Last season, the Grizzlies beat Hofstra 21-0 on Long Island.

Montana should be pleased to get out of Missoula, where the Grizzlies have been plagued during preseason by smoky air caused by wildfires burning in the region. The Grizzlies were 11-3 last season and have tied the I-AA record with 10 straight postseason appearances.

Montana returns 19 starters, (10 on offense, 8 on defense and 1 kicker), with 12 of those players earning all-league recognition last season.

UMaine won’t have to deal with junior quarterback Craig Ochs, a transfer from Division I-A Colorado, who is nursing an ankle injury. Junior college product Jeff Disney will call the signals tonight.

Ballantyne suspended two games

Kendrick Ballantyne of Gorham, a redshirt freshman on the UMaine football team, has been suspended for the first two games of the season by athletic director Patrick Nero.

Ballantyne, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight end for the Bears, was sanctioned after committing a traffic violation and failing to report it to his coach within 24 hours as required by a UMaine athletics rule.

The 19-year-old pleaded guilty last month to operating a motor vehicle after suspension and was fined $200. Nero said Ballantyne, who was driving a friend’s car at the time, also was fined $100 after a marijuana pipe, which did not belong to the student, was found under a seat in the vehicle he was driving.

“I’ve punished him and I feel I’ve punished him severely,” said Nero, who meted out the suspension after looking closely into the matter. “I want to be strict, but I want to be fair.”

Nero indicated he plans to take a more proactive role in dealing with UMaine athletes who get into trouble. He wants to avoid the kind of situation that occurred last year when football player Stephen Cooper admitted to possession of anabolic steroids to coaches and administrators during the season but was never disciplined.

UM season ticket sales increase

Nero said UMaine expects by Saturday to have sold more than 900 season tickets for football. That is nearly double the 475 season tickets purchased last year by fans.

“We’ve doubled our season ticket base. We’re really pleased with the progress we’ve made,” said Nero, who expects a large crowd for tonight’s clash of two Division I-AA powers, even though only the freshmen students will be back on campus.

UMaine also has doubled the number of spots for spectator tailgating. In addition to the lot at the north end of Alfond Stadium, fans will have access to another lot behind the football scoreboard adjacent to Memorial Gym.

Nero said the tailgate areas open three hours prior to kickoff, which for tonight’s game is 3 p.m.

This season, the Bears’ three Saturday afternoon home games have been moved to 2 p.m. starts.

Nero said the later time should enable more prospective football fans to have most of the day for other family pursuits while still allowing time to watch UMaine at Alfond Stadium.

Bowdoin names new coaches

Ryan Sullivan and Katie Sheridan have been named co-head coaches of the Bowdoin College softball team, athletic director Jeff Ward announced Thursday. They replace Jen Burton, who resigned to take a post at her alma mater, the University of Maine.

Sullivan, a Middlebury College graduate, is currently an assistant coach for Bowdoin’s football team. He served on the coaching staff at Middlebury, Georgetown University and was a high school coach in Massachusetts.

Sheridan was an All-NESCAC selection as a catcher during her senior year at Bowdoin when she batted .358 with 39 hits, fourth for a single season at Bowdoin. She was an assistant coach for softball and soccer last season and captained both squads her senior year when she was awarded the Lucy Shulman Award for the outstanding female athlete at Bowdoin.

Ward also announced that Kevin McGonagle has been named the interim head coach for the women’s ice hockey team. He replaces Michele Amidon, who has received a one-year leave of absences for personal reasons.

McGonagle, a Wesleyan graduate, was an assistant men’s hockey coach for the past three seasons. He was also head men’s hockey coach at Massachusetts College and at UMass-Boston.

Ward also announced that men’s hockey coach Terry Meagher has been named director of hockey and squash coach Tomas Fortson has been named head men’s and women’s golf coach.