For only the fourth time since she graduated as the University of Maine’s all-time leading scorer in 1998, Cindy Blodgett will be on the opposing bench Saturday afternoon.

The 2005-06 Black Bears will encounter Blodgett, now an assistant coach at Brown University, when they face the Bears in Saturday’s 2 p.m. women’s basketball game in Providence, R.I.

Blodgett, the Clinton native who took the state by storm during a stellar career playing for Bruce Cooper at Lawrence High School in Fairfield, then rewrote the UMaine record books under the tutelage of Joanne Palombo-McCallie, is trying to carve a niche for herself in the coaching business.

The former WNBA first-round draft choice served as an assistant coach at Boston University during 1999-2000, before leaving to finish out her professional career in France.

Blodgett, now 30, had hoped to be considered for the UMaine job when Sharon Versyp left to take the Indiana position last spring and met with former Black Bears athletic director Patrick Nero during that process.

She subsequently applied for the vacancy at Division III Colby College in Waterville and expressed interest in an assistant’s position at UMaine after Ann McInerney was hired, but instead wound up on coach Marcie Burr’s staff at Brown.

While Blodgett’s influence against UMaine today will be limited to her knowledge and insight about the game, she also is competing against her alma mater in the recruiting wars.

UMaine and Brown are among numerous schools going after Cony High junior Cassie Cooper, a versatile 6-foot-1 standout for coach Paul Vachon. Cooper is the daughter of Blodgett’s former high school coach.

Bowdoin’s Diamond honored

Dave Diamond, a senior on the Bowdoin College football team, has been named the 60th recipient of the Nils V. “Swede” Nelson Award.

The honor, given by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston, recognizes the “very best, and most academically talented, college football player in New England.”

Diamond will receive the award Jan. 12 during the organization’s annual awards banquet in Boston.

Diamond earned All-New England Small College Athletic Conference recognition as an offensive lineman and earned league academic honors. He is double majoring in English and government.

The Nelson Award is the fourth oldest collegiate football honor in the country, behind the Heisman, Maxwell and “Bulger” Lowe trophies.

UMFK soccer players recognized

University of Maine-Fort Kent soccer players Nick Thibodeau, Polly Pelletier, and Donatas Sumyla have been named Daktronics/NAIA Soccer All-America Scholar-Athletes for 2005.

All-America Scholar-Athletes are nominated by their institutions and must be an upperclassman, maintain at least a 3.5 grade point average, and have a significant positive impact on their respective schools and communities.

Pelletier was a fullback for the Lady Bengals, leading a defense that registered nine shutouts, including six straight. The senior from Belgrade will graduate next spring with a degree in behavioral science.

Sumyla played defense and midfield for UMFK and tied for the team lead in scoring. The junior from Vilnius, Lithuania, is pursuing a baccalaureate degree in E-Commerce.

Thibodeau, a senior from St. Francis, was the Bengals’ goalie. He set a school record for saves and posted three shutouts on his way to a 1.75 goals-against average.

The 2005 Sunrise Conference Defensive Player of the Year is pursuing a degree in computer applications and will graduate in May.

Colby claims academic award

The Colby College men’s soccer team has earned the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award for the fifth straight year.

Colby, coached by Mark Serdjenian, had a 3.32 team grade point average.

Bates College, with a 3.19 GPA, was the only other NESCAC school to earn the award.