Michele Amidon, who guided the Bowdoin College women’s hockey team to a 140-52-12 record and four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, has been named USA Hockey’s first director of women’s hockey.

Amidon will begin her duties on Aug. 15.

The former St. Lawrence University star, who played for the U.S. National Team at the 1992 World Championships, was the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 2002-2003.

“I’m really excited to embark on this new challenge,” said Amidon. “USA Hockey has done a terrific job in developing its women’s national team program and women’s and girls’ hockey overall. I’m very much looking forward to helping lead that effort into the future.”

Dave Ogrean, the executive director of USA Hockey, said “Michele has a unique background as a player, a coach and an administrator. We couldn’t be more pleased to have her joining us to help direct the future of our national women’s program.”

Jim Johannson, senior director of hockey operations at USA Hockey, said, “Getting someone of Michele’s caliber is a tremendous benefit to our women’s national team program as we begin preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. She brings knowledge and passion to the table that will not only benefit our women’s national program, but girls’ and women’s hockey in the United States overall.”

Smith named NECBL all-star

University of Maine junior shortstop Curt Smith has been selected to the New England Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Team.

Smith, who is playing this summer for the Vermont Mountaineers, will be the starting third baseman for the Northern Division squad in Sunday’s NECBL All-Star Game in Keene, N.H.

The two-time NCAA All-Regional choice from Willemstad, Curacao, leads the wooden-bat league in hits, runs scored and stolen bases and ranks second in batting average and total bases.

Smith is batting .354 with 46 hits, 26 runs scored, 18 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. He has set the Vermont record for hits and runs scored in a season and is three stolen bases away from that standard.

The only other player with UMaine ties to make the NECBL squad is Frank Pesanello, who transferred after two seasons as a reserve player for the Black Bears. He’ll be the catcher for the Southern Division team.

Other UMaine players having solid seasons in the NECBL include Vermont pitchers Mike Powers of Portland (1-1, 2.12 earned run average) and A.J. Balsinde (1-1, 1.20, 12 appearances), along with North Adams rigthander Pat Moran of Winterport (3-0, 2.75 ERA).

UM places 140 on academic team

UMaine has placed 140 student-athletes on the 2005-06 America East Winter/Spring Academic Honor Roll.

The Black Bears had the highest percentage of student-athletes in the conference (.609), with 140 of 233 athletes gaining recognition.

For inclusion, student-athletes must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

UMaine also had 69 honorees named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, which recognizes student-athletes with GPAs of 3.5 or higher. That was the most among all league schools.

Senior Brittany Cheney earned the distinction of being top the America East Scholar-Athlete for softball. Cheney, a double major in psychology and communications, also claimed the 2006 M Club Dean Smith Award as UMaine’s top female student-athlete.