Bates’ Meg Coffin top NESCAC player

Bates College of Lewiston junior center Meg Coffin was named the New England Small College Athletic Conference Player of the Year while teammates Sarah Barton and Matia Kostakis also received women’s basketball all-conference honors.

The 6-foot-1 Coffin was second in the conference in scoring and first in rebounding, averaging 17.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

She has been the Bobcats’ most consistent player this year, racking up 16 double-doubles, and had only one game where she didn’t have at least 10 points or rebounds (nine points, eight rebounds against Wesleyan).

Barton, who earned NESCAC Co-Rookie of the Year honors with Kostakis last season, ranks fifth among Division III players with 6.9 assists per game, also tops in the NESCAC. She also led the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (41 percent).

Kostakis missed the Bobcats’ first seven games with a foot in jury, but the 6-foot forward was Bates’ second leading scorer and rebounder at 12.1 points and 7.2 rebounds.

The 24th-ranked Bobcats will take on Bridgewater (Va.) College Friday in an NCAA Division III tournament first-round game at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y.

UMF field hockey team honored

Dexter native Brittany Veazie was one of 12 University of Maine-Farmington field hockey players who were named to the 2005 National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III National Academic team.

In addition, the Beavers were honored for having a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, while the National Academic team recognizes individuals with a GPA of 3.30 or higher.

Other members of the team are Ashley Thayer of Hallowell, Mary Sinclair of New Sharon, Kristin Chambers of Gorham, Nicole Lyons of Cape Elizabeth, Amanda Pullen of Dexter, Mary Berry of Norridgewock, Katie Gorham of Waterboro, Renee Trafton of Corinth, Jessica Deans of Gorham, Rachel Sheloske and Samantha Kenison of New Hampshire.

Bowdoin fares well at tourney

The Bowdoin College women’s squash team finished 11th at the Team National Tournament hosted by Harvard University. During the tourney, senior Niki Clement became the school’s all-time winningest player by winning three matches.

The Polar Bears of Brunswick beat St. Lawrence University 9-0 in their opening match, then fell to NESCAC rival Bates 8-1 before taking the 11th-place match from Colby of Waterville 7-2.

St. Clair named to first team

Colby-Sawyer senior center Andrew St. Clair has been named to the ESPN the Magazine All-America Academic First Team.

The Pittsfield native maintains a 3.68 GPA, majoring in exercise and sports medicine. On the court, he led Colby-Sawyer to a 17-10 record and a berth in the ECAC Division III New England Tournament. He was also named the Commonwealth Coast Conference Player of the Year. He ranks third in program history with 2,024 career points and ranks first in rebounds (998), steals (206), and blocked shots (142).