The North Atlantic Conference basketball season has barely begun, but already there is an important conference matchup on the schedule.

Husson College of Bangor will find out where it stands in the NAC women’s basketball hierarchy when it travels to Castine for a key early game against rival Maine Maritime Academy.

The Mariners (5-0, 2-0 NAC) await the Eagles (3-2, 2-0 NAC) in a 7 p.m. contest at Merrill Gymnasium, aka “The Hoop Deck.”

MMA, coming off weekend league road victories at Lesley and Mount Ida, features a high-powered offense that has accounted 80.6 points per game. Coach Craig Dagan’s ballclub features three of the premier players in the NAC in two-time player of the year Alyssa Burns of Dixfield (18.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg) and senior classmates Shelly Gott-Stilwell (12.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg) of Tremont and Julia Knights (10.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg) of Brookton.

The three were All-NAC first-team selections last season.

The Mariners, who have given up only 39.2 ppg, also have exhibited plenty of balance and depth.

Coach Kissy Walker’s Husson squad also posted road wins at Mount Ida and Lesley on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The Eagles, who put up 93 points in Friday’s victory over Lesley, have been paced by University of Maine sophomore transfer Shelby Pickering of Lee, who is averaging 20.8 points and 7.6 rebounds.

Seniors Annie McIntosh of New Gloucester (11.4 ppg, 11.2 rpg) and Carmen Ballard of Skowhegan (12.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg) are also off to productive starts for Husson.

The Mariners won both of last season’s meetings between the two teams. MMA, the 2004-05 NAC champion, has earned two straight trips to the NCAA Division III tournament.

Four UMPI players honored

Chase Higgins of the University of Maine-Presque Isle have been named to the NCAA Division III National All-Independent soccer team.

Higgins, a junior defender from Presque Isle, was selected for the All-Independent first team after helping the Owls post seven shutout victories on their way to a 9-7-1 record this fall.

UMPI’s Aman Randhawa, Travis Parent and Trevor Parent were named to the defensive honorable mention third team. The Parents hail from Peru.

UM offering ‘Conference Packs’

The University of Maine is hoping to get fans excited about the Black Bear men’s and women’s basketball teams by offering tickets in “Conference Packs.”

Fans can purchase tickets for either squad’s eight conference home games for $56 ($7 per game) for a general admission seat.

For more information, call 581-2327 or 1-800-756-8326.

Canuel, Harper honored

University of Maine women’s soccer standouts Marie-Andree Canuel and Laura Harper have earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Adidas NCAA Division I Northeast All-Region team honors.

Canuel, who received first-team honors, scored four goals and added three assists for the Black Bears this fall. Harper, who was named to the second team, led Maine and America East in scoring with 11 goals and two assists.