A deal for a $750,000 air-pressurized bubble-enclosed facility with a FieldTurf surface that will be used as a practice facility for University of Maine athletic teams is close to being finalized, according to UMaine athletic director Patrick Nero.

“We still have some research to do before finalizing anything,” he said. “We’d like to have it in place for next fall. There’s a couple of hurdles to overcome.”

The bubble would help the Maine teams overcome weather disadvantages.

Nero said businessman and philanthropist Larry Mahaney has made “very generous offers to help fund this project” and the school will need the entire facility to be funded by donor dollars.

Nero said it should take no longer than five months to erect the facility and it will be located in the area around the tennis courts.

“We’re hoping to make a decision by the end of January,” said Nero. “It will be used for men’s and women’s soccer, baseball, softball, field hockey and football and it will also be used for camps and clinics. The teams will be able to use it in-season or out of season.”

For the baseball and softball teams, he said it will be “a lot more conducive to taking infield [practice]” during the cold-weather months than the field house.

“It will be as big as a full softball field or three-quarters of a baseball field,” said Nero.

Mahaney has been a generous donor to the university and the baseball field [Mahaney Diamond] carries his name.

He was prepared to fund a dome for the school in 2000 but the idea was rejected by then-athletic director Sue Tyler.

Bears may play Washington State

Nero said UMaine is hoping to sign a contract in mid-January to play a football game against Division I-A Washington State University from the Pac-10 next September.

The I-AA Black Bears earned a $350,000 payday for visiting Division I-A Southeastern Conference opponent Mississippi State on Sept. 18 and they shocked the Bulldogs 9-7.

“We have a common open date and we have spoken to them,” said Nero. “We expect to get a contract from them. If not, we have a few other schools we can come back with.”

Washington State is in Pullman, Wash., and Nero said WSU representatives have discussed playing the game at Qwest Field in Seattle, home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.

“It would be a great experience for our team and our fans,” said Nero.

Both teams had disappointing 5-6 seasons. Washington State had three consecutive 10-win years before this season, including a 10-3 campaign a year ago capped by a 28-20 win over No. 5 Texas in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.

Nero also said UMaine is negotiating with Division I-A Boston College for a football game “two or three years down the road.”

BC is leaving the Big East to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference next season.

Boston College is 8-3 and will make its sixth consecutive bowl appearance when it faces North Carolina in the Continental Tire Bowl on Dec. 30.

The Eagles were in line to earn a BCS bowl berth until Syracuse beat them 43-17 in their final regular-season game.

Since Maine and Boston College are both in Hockey East, Nero has developed a friendship with BC athletic director Gene DeFilippo and he said DeFilippo has been very receptive to the idea of scheduling a football game and a possible series.

“It’s a matter of setting a date. To be able to play in Boston would be great for our recruiting,” said Nero.

Goal scorer commits to UMaine

Chris Hahn, who shares the goal-scoring lead in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, has verbally committed to attend the University of Maine on a scholarship in the fall.

The 19-year-old center for the Notre Dame Hounds has 18 goals and 23 assists in 31 games and his 41 points place him in a tie for second in the league in that category.

He has five game-winning goals, four shorthanded goals and four power-play scores in 31 games.

The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan, native was the SJHL player of the month for November, when he had 10 goals and seven assists in 11 games.

“My initial impression of the school was positive because of the reputation and the national rankings,” said Hahn, who also was impressed by the coaching staff, the environment and the players.

“The atmosphere is like here. It’s a small community where hockey comes first. And they have a really good bunch of guys who all get along well,” said Hahn who talked to several other schools including RPI, Cornell and Quinnipiac.

He said he needs to work on his strength and quickness to make the transition easier for him next fall.

“He’s got pretty good take-off [speed], he drives well into the [offensive] zone. He has good outside speed, great hands and good vision,” said Notre Dame general manager-coach Rene Lemire. “He makes nice passes and he has a nice, quick release on his shot, which has scored a lot of goals for him. He can be explosive and, when he wants, he can slow the play down and read the situation before rushing into an area.”