Clark nominated for America East award Corinna native joins UMaine’s Shpaizer

BOSTON – University of Maine women’s swimming and diving student-athlete Tal Shpaizer and the University of New Hampshire basketball player Danielle Clark of Corinna are nominees for the America East Woman of the Year Award, league Commissioner Patrick Nero announced Tuesday.

Shpaizer and Clark are two of 10 senior female student-athletes on their respective campuses who best exemplify a commitment to service, leadership, athletics, and academics during their collegiate careers, according to America East.

They join Albany’s Ashey DeNeal (volleyball), Binghamton’s Megan Hoag (volleyball), Boston University’s Marisa Ryan (cross country), Hartford’s Nikki Thompson (softball), UMBC’s Melanie Denischuk (softball) and Janelle Wilson (track & field), Stony Brook’s Jessica Smith (basketball), and Vermont’s Brittney Cross (basketball).

Shpaizer, a senior from Shoham, Israel, was named Maine MVP for the past two seasons while Clark was also named her team’s second straight MVP after leading the Wildcats in scoring (14 per game) and rebounding (5.8 per game).

Shpaizer holds school records in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley and is a member of two relay teams that hold records. Clark finished her career fourth on UNH’s all-time 3-pointers list with 123 and sixth on its career scoring list with 1,336 points.

The America East nominees will be narrowed down to three finalists on May 23 with the winner announced June 12. The winner’s name will then be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee and a national winner will be ultimately named from each of the NCAA’s three divisions.

Four commit to UMaine

The Maine women’s ice hockey team received commitments from Sarah Bishop, Jordan Colliton, Courtney Fox, and Kaitlin Zeek to attend the school in the fall of 2007, interim head coach Lauren Steblen announced Tuesday.

“We are excited to have such a diverse class coming in,” said Steblen.

Bishop is a goaltender from Agawam, Mass. She attended Grand Blanc High School in Michigan and also attended Westfield State College. In 2006-07 with the Connecticut Polar Bears she was 15-2-0 overall with a .915 save percentage and a 1.50 goals-against average.

Colliton is a forward from Blackie, Alberta. Last season she played at Warner High School with 19 goals and 26 assists for 45 points.

Fox is a defenseman from Jacksontown, New Brunswick. She played at Woodstock High School, where she scored 33 goals with 29 assists and was named team Most Valuable Player.

Kaitlin Zeek is a forward from Wallingford, Conn. Last season she was team captain at the Pomfret School and also played for the Connecticut Polar Bears.