Coach Kissy Walker helped mold a young ballclub into a North Atlantic Conference women’s basketball contender last winter.

With her Husson College team scheduled to lose only one senior to graduation, Walker hopes her new recruiting class can help the Eagles build on their solid 2005-06 season.

Husson has received commitments from six players who hope to begin their careers at the Bangor institution next fall.

The Eagles will welcome Chere Wickstrom of John Bapst High in Bangor, Danielle Sewell of Houlton, Nichole Burton of Dexter, Lindsey Barnes of Rockland, Caitlin Elliot of Central High in Corinth and Bangor’s Ilyse Angst.

“This year’s recruiting class will add depth to our roster,” Walker said of the group, which is composed of five guards and a forward.

Heading the group is Sewell, a 5-foot-8 guard who averaged 12 points, 5.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds while helped the Shiretowners reach the Eastern Maine Class C semifinals. Wickstrom, a speedy 5-7 guard, averaged 10 points and 3 rebounds and shot 76 percent from the foul line to spark the Crusaders into the EM Class B title game.

Burton, a 5-8 guard, was a key contributor on Dexter’s Class C state championship team, averaging 7.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Angst (guard, 5-7) was a starter for the Rams, providing 7 points and 2.5 rebounds per contest.

Elliott, a 6-foot forward, averaged 6 points and 6 rebounds for the Red Devils, who reached the Class C regional title game. Barnes is a 5-9 forward who was a regular for the Tigers, who made an EM Class B quarterfinal tournament appearance.

“They have had solid high school careers and will provide us with good balance,” Walker added. “This group will allow us to build on our successes from this past season.”

Husson posted a 13-13 overall record last season, including a 12-5 North Atlantic Conference mark, losing to Maine Maritime Academy in the NAC quarterfinals.

All-Academic Mainers

Six University of Maine students and four others from Maine attending conference schools were named to the 2006 America East All-Academic winter team.

Maine had the third-highest number of student-athletes named to the team, with Boston University and University of Maryland Baltimore County having 11 each and Binghamton University and University of New Hampshire having seven each.

Heading up the Maine contingent are track and field athletes Eric Libby, a junior from Hampden; junior Hana Pelletier of Belgrade; Katie Souviney, a senior from East Vassalboro; junior and Saco native Erin Hatch; Clarissa Michalak, a junior from Cumberland; and men’s basketball player Olli Ahvenniemi, a junior from Vaasa, Finland.

The other Maine athletes are Danielle Clark, a junior from Corinna and a member of UNH’s women’s basketball team; Adam Blais, a senior from Westbrook on UMBC’s men’s swimming team; Kary Goodman, a sophomore from South Windham on UNH’s women’s swimming team; and Hasani Hampden, a senior from Freeport who is on the Binghamton men’s track team.

Student-athletes must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 entering the winter sports season to be considered. They must also at least get a nomination on a postseason awards ballot and be a top-three finisher at a conference championship meet.

In all, 53 student-athletes were named to the 2006 squad.

Colby skiers place at U.S. Alpines

Jenny Lathrop and Abbi Lathrop, sisters from North Conway, N.H., who skied for Colby College in Waterville, were among the competitors the last few days during the U.S. Alpine Ski Championships at Sugarloaf/USA in Carrabassett Valley.

Jenny Lathrop, a former White Mule skier who is now on the U.S. Ski Team’s “C” squad, finished seventh in Wednesday’s giant slalom event. She was an All-American her first two years at Colby.

Abbi Lathrop, who is a senior this year at Colby, competed in the giant slalom and wound up 10th in Monday’s slalom competition at the championships. Earlier this month, she won the giant slalom at the NCAA Championships in Colorado.

Abbi Lathrop appears in this week’s Sports Illustrated in the Faces in the Crowd section.

Colby graduate Warner Nickerson also impacted the Alpine championships, finishing fifth in the men’s giant slalom. His time of 1 minute, 4.23 seconds on the second run was second only to international champion Bode Miller.

Unity College archers on target

Seven members of the Unity College archery club have qualified to participate in the International Bowhunting Organization 2006 World Championship.

The archers qualified during the IBO World Championship qualifying tournament held last month in Springfield, Mass.

Amanda Hardaswick of Oxford Conn., Josh Johnson of Kennebunk, Brian Morway of Charlestown, N.H., Mike Chickering of Keene, N.H., Justin Blouin of Lisbon Falls, Scott Cunfer of Leighton, Pa., and Mike Dodge of Sturbridge, Mass., all will compete in the championship competition Aug. 3-6 at Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia.

“We feel that by qualifying seven students to compete in the IBO World Championship to compete along with the best bow professionals in the world, Unity College has put the archery world on notice that we can compete at the very highest level nationally,” said Chickering, president of the Unity club.

In 2005, Chickering and club vice president Julius Koenig of Vassalboro competed in the world tournament.

Ithaca crew Mainely oriented

Two-time NCAA Division III defending national women’s crew champion Ithaca College opened its season Saturday with a pair of Mainers aboard.

The Bombers’ lightweight 8 boat included among its crew freshman second seat Amy Bates of Holden. Their second novice 8 board included freshman sixth seat Ellen Juskewitch of Dedham. Ithaca finished second to Division I Colgate in the regatta in New York.