OLLI AHVENNIEMI

(No. 40)

Vital stats: Center/forward, sophomore, 6-10, Vaasa, Finland

Career averages: 2.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg

Career highlights: 2003-04 America East Commissioner’s Academic honor roll; grabbed seven rebounds vs. Binghamton Feb. 8, 2004; scored eight points vs. UNE on Nov. 28, 2003.

Coach’s comment: “He’s very big and bouncy and we’re looking for him to be an X factor for us this year. We had trouble matching up with some of the big, physical guys on the other teams last year, and hopefully he can fill that role.”

CHRIS BRUFF

(No. 4)

Vital stats: Guard, sophomore, 6-3, Bloomfield, Conn.

Career averages: 2.9 ppg, 0.9 rpg

Career highlights: eight points in 21 minutes vs. UNE Nov. 28, 2003; Hartford Courant Connecticut High School Player of the Year 2003.

Coach’s comment: “He’s 18 now, but he has already produced for us. He’s a versatile player who can play three positions and he’s shown much better defensive ability this year. He’s one of our better rebounders and another kid who has a chance to play a bigger role.”

JOE CAMPBELL

(No. 32)

Vital stats: Forward, senior, 6-7, Bangor

Career averages: 7.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.1 spg

Career highlights: 24 points vs. UW-Milwaukee Dec. 1 (2002); 12 rebounds vs. Northeastern Jan. 28; America East’s 13th-leading rebounder last season; 83.6 free throw shooter in 2003-04.

Coach’s comment: “His basketball instincts are really what separates him from an average player. You have to have a number of guys on the team who understand their roles and are willing to do whatever it takes to help their team win and Joe is one of those players.”

CHRISTIAN CAVANAUGH

(No. 42)

Vital stats: Forward, freshman, 6-10, Mill Valley, Calif.

Career averages: first year

Career highlights: Northern California high school all-star, Bay Area Super 100 pick in 2003-04; 20 double-doubles last season while averaging 15.3 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 3.5 bpg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 spg.

Coach’s comment: “He is the longest player on our team with very long arms and great hands. He has very nice, face-up skill, and even though he’s giving up a lot of pounds to our big guys, I like his toughness. I feel great about his future.”

DAVID DUBOIS

(No. 23)

Vital stats: Forward, senior, 6-9, St.-Gabriel, Quebec

Career averages: 3.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg

Career highlights: 2003-04 UMaine Scholar-Athlete Award; started 14 of 30 games last season; 14 points vs. Brown on Nov. 29, 2003; 15 rebounds vs. UMFK Nov. 23, 2002.

Coach’s comment: “He’s the most athletic big kid in our conference. He’s running well and finishing plays and he really wants to see his career end on a positive note. He comes to work each day and is ready to go, and we expect him to give us some great minutes this year.”

MARK FLAVIN

(No. 20)

Vital stats: Forward, senior, 6-11, Weymouth, Mass.

Career averages: 8.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.3 bpg

Career highlights: 2003-04 America East second team pick; No. 2 among AE players with 56 blocks last season; 26 points vs. UNH Nov. 28, 2003; 16 rebounds vs. UNH Feb. 2, 2004; 6 blocks vs. Brown Nov. 29, 2003.

Coach’s comment: “Mark had his breakout year last year. Once he found his rhythm and gained confidence, he was a second team all-conference pick. He’s one of the best back-to-the-basket players in our league and he worked hard on his rebounding this summer.”

AMMAR HARKNELL

(No. 45)

Vital stats: Forward, freshman, 6-6, Stockholm, Sweden

Career averages: first year

Career highlights: averaged 26.4 points, 20.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game at Jasper Place (Alberta, Canada) High School last year; won 2000 Swedish national title with Solna.

Coach’s comment: “He’s a very skilled, athletic ‘3’ man and a very good shooter as well. He’s extremely strong and can score in a variety of ways. He has a very bright future, but it’s quite a transition for him to make, going from Canadian competition to Division I big men.”

JASON HIGHT

(No. 11)

Vital stats: Guard, freshman, 6-3, Westbrook

Career averages: first year

Career highlights: averaged 11 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.0 steals at Bridgton Academy last season; Westbrook High team MVP, all-state and all conference in 2002-03

Coach’s comment: “Jason’s done a nice job for us in preseason after going to prep school last year and he has adjusted well to this level because of that. We’ve experimented with him at point guard and I’m extremely happy with the way he’s developed so far.”

JERMAINE JACKSON

(No. 22)

Vital stats: Guard-forward, freshman, 6-4, Pahokee, Fla.

Career averages: 12.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg (one game)

Career highlights: averaged 19.0 ppg while leading Indian River (Fla.) Junior College to conference title in 2001-02; Pahokee High team MVP in 2000-01.

Coach’s comment: “He’s an explosive scorer and an absolute warrior. He’s coming off a hard year after sitting out with an injury. We’re trying to eliminate the mistakes because he is such a talented player. I think he has the potential to be our most explosive player.”

CHRIS MARKWOOD

(No. 51)

Vital stats: Guard, senior, 6-3, South Portland

Career averages: 5.9 ppg, 2.5 apg, 1.7 rpg

Career highlights: 13 points vs. Northeastern Feb. 26, 2003; six assists vs. Stony Brook Jan 31; UMaine Scholar-Athlete Award; 11th in America East last year in assist-turnover ratio.

Coach’s comment: “We feel he’s one of the best defensive players in our league. He had some games where he just totally took out the other team’s best player. This year, we want him to be one of the team’s primary leaders and we think he could have a tremendous year for us.”

FREDDY PETKUS

(No. 14)

Vital stats: Guard, senior, 6-7, Plunge, Lithuania

Career averages: 4.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.1 apg

Career highlights: 15 points vs. UMass Dec. 23 (2003); seven rebounds vs. BU Feb. 18; five steals vs. UMFK Nov. 23 (2002); second on team with 34 3-pointers last season.

Coach’s comment: “When you talk about a coach just trusting a player, he’s the guy. He’s a coach’s player all the way. He is a player who is our absolute glue and he’s a tremendous leader in every sense of the word. His teammates trust him and he has the pulse of the team.”

KEVIN REED

(No. 21)

Vital stats: Guard, junior, 6-2, Yarmouth, Mass.

Career averages: 13.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.6 apg

Career highlights: America East second team (2003-04) pick led Maine in scoring (14.5) and rebounding (7.2); No. 1 in nation in rebounding for players 6-2 and under; AE Player of the Week Dec. 7; AE All-Rookie Team pick in 2002-03; led AE in 3-pt. percentage, steals and defensive rebounds last season; tied for third all-time (UM) in 3-pointers with 155.

Coach’s comment: “Kevin is the heart and soul of this program. I’ve never come across a person who’s tougher than him, and he’s an absolute leader on the court. He’s an extremely talented player and a warrior who will do whatever you ask him to do. I think the world of him.”

FEFO SANCHEZ

(No. 2)

Vital stats: Guard, freshman, 6-4, Bahia Blanca, Argentina

Career averages: first year

Career highlights: 25 ppg as captain for Pisani Jose in Argentina 18-Under league; Older brother is Temple-NBA player Pepe Sanchez, who led Argentina to 2004 Olympic gold.

Coach’s comment: “He’s a very tall point guard who has very good basketball IQ and background. We’re looking at him to develop as a point guard and be a primary guy for us in the future. He’s a very good passer at a position that is kind of shallow for us right now.”

ERNEST TURNER

(No. 3)

Vital stats: Guard, junior, 6-2, Camden, N.J.

Career averages: 2.4 ppg in 50 games at UNLV)

Career highlights: 15 points vs. Tennessee-Martin in 2002-03; 2000 USA Basketball men’s youth development festival East team member.

Coach’s comment: “He has a chance to be a wonderful player here at Maine. Ernest is a very gifted scorer who can play any of our guard positions. He’s also unselfish and I think he has a chance to be one of the best defensive players in the entire league.”