University of Maine men’s hockey recruit Ryan Hegarty, a defenseman who had seven goals and 16 assists in 55 games for the United States National Team Development Program’s Under-18 squad, will probably be selected in the NHL draft this weekend, according to Maine coach Tim Whitehead.

The draft begins tonight in Ottawa and finishes up Saturday.

“He could go as high as the third round and as low as the sixth,” speculated Whitehead.

Players chosen in the draft remain the property of the teams that drafted them until Aug. 16 of the year their class graduates.

Whitehead also said two of his Swedish recruits, forward Gustav Nyquist and goalie Pontus Hansson, could also be selected.

Nyquist had 11 goals and 20 assists in 24 games for Malmo in the Swedish SuperElit Under-20 league and added 5 & 5 in seven playoff games, while Hansson had a 1.86 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage in 32 games for Frolunda in the same league.

Nyquist has met eligibility requirements to attend Maine in the fall, but Hansson is still in the process of trying to meet NCAA requirements.

Whitehead said Nyquist played for the Swedish Under-20 National Team in Lake Placid, N.Y., in August against potential USA Under-18 national team members during the U.S. tryout camp.

UMaine Football Club moves up

The University of Maine tackle football club will be experiencing some changes when the 2008 fall season gets under way.

As the result of a merger between its former league, the Northeast Independent Football League, and the Eastern Football League, the Black Bears club will be elevating its level of play. UMaine, which competed at the “A” level as a member of the NIFL, will be playing a “AAA” schedule this season in the expanded EFL.

UMaine and the Northern Berkshire Kings of the former NIFL have joined the EFL, which features the Randolph Oilers, the Charlestown Townies, the Clinton Irish Blizzard (formerly the Maine Blizzard) and the defending champion Brockton Buccaneers, all located in Massachusetts.

UMaine football club president and head coach Eric Whitman said the EFL is one of the longest running minor-league organizations in the country. It celebrates its 47th season this year.

The Black Bears open their inaugural EFL season Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. at Alfond Stadium in Orono against Randolph.

Paid admission entitles fans to a pregame tailgate party that includes free food and a live band.

For more information, go to the team Web site at www.umaine.edu/footballclub.

Vandersea resigns Bates posts

Craig Vandersea, who has served as the head baseball coach and as an assistant football coach at Bates College in Lewiston, is stepping down, effective Aug. 31.

Vandersea has taken a job as the athletic director, head football coach and baseball coach at St. Paul’s School in Concord, N.H.

Vamdersea joined the Bates coaching staff in 1998. In nine seasons guiding the baseball squad, the Bobcats posted a 92-175 record. He held several positions on the football staff, most recently as the running backs coach.

USM baseball players honored

Juniors Chris Burleson and Anthony D’Alfonso of the University of Southern Maine in Gorham have been named to the ECAC Division III New England Baseball All-Stars first team.

Burleson, a shortstop for coach Ed Flaherty’s Huskies, batted .383 with 63 runs scored, nine home runs, 50 runs batted in and 10 doubles. The leadoff hitter boasted a .491 on-base percentage and stole 19 bases.

D’Alfonso, an outfielder, provided punch in the middle of the lineup. He hit .393 with 58 runs scored and stroked 15 homers with 62 RBIs. He posted a .704 slugging percentage.

UNE names Frost lacrosse coach

Sue Frost has been hired as the women’s lacrosse coach at the University of New England in Biddeford.

She replaces Julie Redman, who departed recently to take a similar post at Converse College in Spartansburg, S.C.

Frost joins the UNE staff after three seasons as the head coach at Southern Maine. She guided the Huskies to a 5-1 league record and a spot in the Little East Conference title game this spring, earning LEC Coach of the Year honors.

Prior to USM, Frost was the head coach at Binghamton University, Wesley College and Molly College. The Long Island native is a 1997 graduate of Marist.

lmahoney@bangordailynews.net

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