The Husson College golf team did not win the New England Regional Division III Tournament a year ago, ending a string of three consecutive championships.

They hope to rectify that situation this weekend but it will be a grueling challenge.

That’s because they play in the North Atlantic Conference championships on Saturday and Sunday at the Belgrade Lakes Golf Club before driving to Cape Cod for the New England Interscholastic Golf Association Championships at the Captains Golf Course in Brewster, Mass., on Monday and Tuesday.

“Playing four rounds in four days this time of year does wear you out. The weather changes, you’ve got class and tests. It requires more of an adjustment,” said Husson senior Ross McGee of Fairfield “But everybody loves it. This is what we all live for. And this is a chance to play the best teams in New England.”

He added that if they play well and win the conference tournament, “it will build a lot of confidence that we can take to the Cape. That will help out a lot.”

Husson will enter this weekend’s tournaments having won its previous five tournaments. The Eagles will be looking for their seventh straight conference championship on Saturday and Sunday although they have been in different conferences.

“We’ve had a very good year. We have a strong team,” said Bruce MacGregor, who has coached the Eagles since 1994. “We definitely have the potential to go to the nationals [in the spring]. We definitely have the talent.”

To qualify for the national Division III tournament, Husson has to earn a spot in next spring’s 12-team Northeast Regional Tournament at Williams College (Mass.) through its play this fall and during the spring. Husson must play at least three matches in the spring prior to the Northeast Regional.

The top three teams at the Northeast Regional next spring advance to the NCAA Division III championships.

MacGregor’s seven-man team is comprised exclusively of players who honed their skills on the golf courses in central and eastern Maine.

“What has been very good is that is has been somebody different [leading the way] each day. In the last five tournaments, we’ve had the medalist in four and they’ve been different individuals each time,” said MacGregor. “Even during practices, all seven will shoot in the 70s.”

The number one player is two-year captain McGee. He has shot in the 70s in all eight of his playing days this season. Junior Lance Libby from Waterville and sophomore Rob Picard of Vassalboro have shot in the 70s in seven of their eight playing days; sophomore transfer Adam Duplisea, a transfer from Daniel Webster (N.H.), has accomplished the feat in five of six after missing the first two matches and sophomore John Ellis of Belfast has recorded scores in the 70s in five of seven days.

In addition, junior Brian St. Louis of Argyle and freshman Brian Johnson from Bangor have supplied the Eagles with depth and pushed the top five with their play during qualifying rounds in practices.

“The competition has made us stronger,” said MacGregor.

He said his players “bring a variety of things to the table. Overall, a lot of them hit the ball pretty far. In this day and age, the young athletes can really hit the ball an amazing distance.”

The former longtime Husson men’s basketball coach also said his team has been a joy to work with.

“They’re all excellent people. They’re very courteous. And they love the game. If I tell them to take a day off, they’ll go out there and play anyway. They’re really dedicated to the game,” said MacGregor.

“We help each other out in practice,” said McGee who has passed on the lessons he learned from his previous Husson teammates to his current teammates.

“I came in here as a freshman with a big ego. But the guys here were way better than me. They showed me how to be competitive and how every shot counts. I’ve carried that tradition on and have tried to help the people under me,” said McGee.

The Eagles have played at the Belgrade Lakes course and MacGregor said “we usually play pretty well there.”

The Captains Course offers a different challenge. Teams from Division I and Division II will also be there.

“They have a lot of hills and long holes and they usually have wind this time of year. It’s tough. The scores are usually a lot higher than they would be at other courses,” said MacGregor.

“You have a totally different mindset [at the Cape],” said McGee. “Everything is different. You’ve got 44 schools, it’s much more competitive and every shot counts that much more. Last year, it was 45 degrees, pouring rain and there was a 25-miles-an-hour wind.”

USM names basketball captains

Seniors Katie Frost of Calais, Donna Cowing of Weeks Mills (Erskine Academy) and Megan Myles of Auburn (Edward Little High School) have been named tri-captains of the 2005-2006 University of Southern Maine women’s basketball team.

All three players were key contributors on the 2004-2005 squad that reached the NCAA Final Four and set school records with 28 consecutive wins and 31 wins in a season.

“Donna, Katie and Meg are solid choices as captains for this year’s team,” said veteran head coach Gary Fifield. “They each possess the necessary leadership qualities, both on and off of the court, to continue our program’s level of success.”

Cowing and Myles each served as co-captains last season, while Frost will be serving as a captain for the first time.

Myles, a 2005 WBCA/Kodak Division III All-America finalist and Regional All-American, finished last season as the team’s second leading scorer with 13.7 points per game.

Frost, a 5-8 perimeter player, has been one of the deadliest 3-point shooters in the Little East Conference over the past three years. Last season, Frost averaged 8.4 points per game while shooting 41.6 percent from beyond the 3-point line. Frost also led the Huskies with 130 assists.

Cowing, a 5-6 perimeter player, had a solid junior campaign and averaged a career-best 7.2 points per game for the Huskies.

Southern Maine opens its 2005-2006 season Nov. 18-19 at the UMaine-Farmington Tipoff Tournament.