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Tracy Guerrette has never been afraid of hard work.
She’s doing plenty of it these days as the sports information director, head women’s basketball coach – and van driver – at the University of Maine-Presque Isle.
The St. Agatha native, who for the last three winters coached the girls basketball team at Wisdom High School, now is trying to share her considerable basketball knowledge with the Owls.
Guerrette, who played four seasons at the University of Maine (1998-2002), is enjoying working with her nine student-athletes at the Division III level.
“I enjoy being able to impart my knowledge that I have about basketball to them and have them be able to grasp it,” said Guerrette, 27, who is trying to build a strong program and instill school pride.
Wednesday night, Guerrette directed UMPI to a 65-61 victory over perennial North Atlantic Conference power Maine Maritime Academy of Castine. The Owls (4-7) beat the Mariners only four days after losing to them 68-44 in the USM Invitational.
“They were very excited. I’m hoping it brings confidence to them,” Guerrette said of the Owls, who utilized full-court pressure and a 2-3 zone. “We were ready for them.”
Guerrette is trying to instill a strong work ethic and passion for the game at UMPI. Those were qualities she used to successfully make the transition from Class D Wisdom to Division I UMaine, where she was a recruited walk-on, but earned a scholarship.
She plans to draw heavily on her experiences playing for coaches Joanne Palombo-McCallie and Sharon Versyp in running her UMPI program, a member of the Association of Division III Independents.
“I told them, even though this is Division III we can still have that [Division I] mentality,” Guerrette said. “There’s so much potential there, but they didn’t know how to work hard and push themselves.”
She has been quick to solicit advice from former coaches, former teammates and even opposing coaches. She has been surprised and pleased by the helpful input she has received.
While attending UMaine, Guerrette had eventually intended to study medicine. However, she wound up serving as an educational technician at Wisdom and enjoyed the experience so much that she got her teaching certification at UMaine-Fort Kent.
UMPI athletic director Rich Ward combined the SID and coaching positions to lure Guerrette away from home and join the collegiate ranks.
The college experience goes far beyond the X’s and O’s and Guerrette realizes it is the relationships people develop through basketball and the lessons learned that will prove most valuable in the long run.
“Here, I get to have more of an impact on their lives,” she explained. “They’re not going to remember how many points they scored or how many games they won. I remember the growth I achieved and the experience.”
This season, UMPI is building around a nucleus that includes junior forward Erica Davis of Cumberland, senior captain and guard Julie Wescott of Westbrook and freshman point guard Megan Korhonen of Littleton.
The Owls also feature junior Anna Lenentine of Monticello, freshman Victoria Rowe of Houlton, senior Ashley Brooker of Limestone, freshman Mindy Dolley of Lagrange, sophomore Kathy Kilfoil of Johnville, New Brunswick, and freshman Mindy Sullivan of Lisbon.
“These kids want to be pushed and I think they like the fact I have high expectations for them, Guerrette said.
Pearson named top FH coach
Nicky Pearson, who directed Bowdoin College of Brunswick to the NCAA national championship, has been accorded the highest coaching honor in Division III field hockey.
Pearson was named the National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Coach of the Year during the organization’s banquet held recently.
The Polar Bears compiled a 20-0 record, only the seventh undefeated season in Division III field hockey history, topping Middlebury in the title game.
Pearson, a native of Hereford, England, has coached Bowdoin to a 55-3 record over the last three seasons, including three consecutive New England Small College Athletic Conference championships and three straight NCAA “Final Four” appearances. She is a six-time NESCAC Coach of the Year in 11 seasons at Bowdoin.
White named ECAC all-star
Lamont White of Bowdoin College has been named a Northeast Football All-Star by the Eastern College Athletic Conference.
The senior cornerback from Boston capped his career by leading the Polar Bears with four interceptions in 2007. White, who also was named to the All-NESCAC First Team, returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns.
White made 21 tackles and defended eight passes for Bowdoin, which posted a 3-5 record and claimed its second straight Colby-Bates-Bowdoin championship.
pwarner@bangordailynews.net
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