ORONO – Devin McNeill placed himself in a difficult position last fall.

Despite having only kicked a handful of extra points and a few field goals during his senior year at Portland High School, the former soccer standout walked on with the University of Maine football team – and won the job as the starting place-kicker.

“I think we were a lot better last year than people gave us credit for, especially considering the inexperience of our [kicking] crew,” said UMaine head coach Jack Cosgrove.

McNeill had a solid debut in 2006, converting 26 of 28 extra points and connecting on seven of 11 field-goal attempts.

“At times we missed some very important kicks,” Cosgrove said. “But on the whole, I thought they did a pretty decent job.”

McNeill came into training camp this month much more prepared to succeed during his sophomore season. He attended a kicking camp in Massachusetts to learn more about kicking techniques.

“It was the first instruction I’ve ever received, so it was really helpful,” said the 5-foot-10, 162-pounder. “I worked a lot on my mechanics and my technique overall, just trying to be consistent and really straighten out what I’m doing.”

McNeill appears to have benefited from that experience and a busy offseason training regimen. He has been steady during training camp and has developed a better psychological outlook in addition to his physical improvement.

“It’s like night and day. My mentality’s completely different,” McNeill said. “This year I know what I need to do, what’s expected of me and I can do my best to work toward that.”

McNeill experienced highs and lows last season, with no moment tougher than his missed extra point late in the fourth quarter at Massachusetts that would have tied the game. The Minutemen won 10-9.

“Confidence is the huge part,” said McNeill, who also played third base this summer for the Andrews Post American Legion baseball team.

“If you don’t have confidence, you’re not going to succeed and that’s a big lesson that I’ve learned,” he added.

McNeill is stronger and more flexible heading into the 2007 season, which begins Sept. 1 in Orono against Monmouth.

“Devin has demonstrated a tremendous consistency kicking the ball off the ground for PAT/field goal,” Cosgrove said recently, adding he expects a more potent kicking and punting game this fall.

“I’m excited about what I’ve seen from them at this point – their technique, their leg strength, their enthusiasm.”

Senior Bobby Donnelly of Westbrook will handle kickoff chores for the Black Bears, while junior Kash Kiefer returns after averaging 36.7 yards per punt last season.

Gibson joins UM women’s staff

UMaine women’s basketball coach Cindy Blodgett filled the last vacancy on her coaching staff Monday, announcing former WNBA player Kelley Gibson as an assistant coach.

Gibson, who joins Justin Rees and Bangor native Rita Sullivan on the Bears’ staff, spent last season as an assistant at Maryland Baltimore County, which captured the program’s first America East title.

Gibson, who will work primarily with UMaine’s guards, also spent one season as a graduate assistant at American University in Washington, D.C.

She played professionally in the WNBA, New England Women’s Basketball League and in Israel. In the WNBA, the University of Maryland product spent five seasons with the Houston Comets, helping them win a league championship in 2000. She also played for the New York Liberty.

“Her resume speaks for itself,” Blodgett said in a press release. “She’s been a winner at every level. That was one of the key ingredients I was looking for, and I found that in Kelley.”

“She has been through a lot of adversity in her career with injuries, but they have made her a stronger person,” she added. “I believe she will instill that strength in our players.”

Gibson was an Atlantic Coast Conference All-Rookie selection at Maryland in 1995 and an ACC honorable mention and team captain in 1999. She graduated with a degree in kinesiology.

Bears sixth in AE volleyball poll

The UMaine volleyball team has been picked to finish sixth in the America East preseason coaches poll released Monday.

Maryland Baltimore County earned the nod to win the league title, earning 34 points and four first-place votes. Defending champ Albany was second with 30 points and three first-place votes.

New Hampshire (23 points), Binghamton (22), Stony Brook (21), Maine (11) and Hartford (6) rounded out the poll.

Coach Lynn Atherley’s Black Bears return 10 letterwinners from the squad that finished last season 6-20 (4-8 AE). Among the key veterans are five juniors: outside hitters Lindsay Allman and Laura Goettsch, middle hitters Brittany Kiehl and Amy Lawson, and setter-outside hitter Jessica Wolfenden.

UMaine opens the 2007 season Friday at Ball State in Muncie, Ind., where it also will play Ohio State and Missouri State on Saturday.