ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The NCAA Tournament’s East Regional will be memorable for University of Maine hockey office secretary/administrative assistant Jeanne Goss.

Goss, who has been with the program for 14 years, is taking a leave of absence next year and won’t return to her position.

“If I come back to the university, it will be in another position. I have my seniority. I’ve been with the school for 29 years,” said Goss, who has also worked in the president’s office.

“It’s time to start a new chapter in my life,” said Goss. “My husband, Jerry, retired five years ago [as principal at Brewer High]. We want to enjoy our family, do some traveling and spend our summers at our camp on Toddy Pond in Orland.”

Jerry and Jeanne have two grown sons, Jeff and Jon, and a grandson, Andrew. Jeff and his wife, Kelly, are Andrew’s parents and live in Rhode Island and Jon lives in Bucksport with his wife, Brandy.

She said whoever replaces her will inherit “one of the best jobs on campus.”

“You acquire a whole new family. You have a hockey family and you develop relationships with different people associated with Maine hockey,” said Goss. “I get calls regularly from moms [of former players] inviting me to weddings.”

“You become a parent to all of the players in the absence of their biological parents,” she added.

Five former Maine players are getting married this summer, she said.

“The sport of hockey, unlike other sports, is a true family. I don’t know what it is,” she said.

Goss enjoyed traveling to different playoff tournaments with the team.

“I think there has been only one year when we didn’t travel for a tournament,” said Goss, who took over the position on July 1, 1993.

Maine’s 1998-99 NCAA championship run, capped by a 3-2 win over New Hampshire in Anaheim, is “right up there” among highlights for Goss.

“There was a lot of glitz and glamour. I got a chance to meet [actor] Kurt Russell,” said Goss.

Losing head coach Shawn Walsh to complications from kidney cancer on Sept. 24, 2001, was a difficult time.

“There were good and bad memories from that time frame. Shawn always said, ‘Maine hockey lives on,'” said Goss.

Goss will always remember her first major assignment after getting the job.

“I had to set up a huge banquet for the U.S. Olympic team. I didn’t know one hockey person,” said Goss. “And I couldn’t differentiate between Peter and Chris Ferraro.”

The Ferraro twins began the season with Maine but left to join the U.S. Olympic team. Paul Kariya left to join the Canadian Olympic team.

Goss has stayed in touch with several former players and coaches. Among the ones she hears from regularly are Niko Dimitrakos, David Cullen, Jim Montgomery, Alfie Michaud, and Steve Kariya.

“I got to know the Kariya family over the phone,” said Goss.

Paul, Steve, and Marty all played at Maine.

“I got calls from Tim Lovell and Scott Parmentier the other day,” added Goss. “And [former Maine assistants] Greg Cronin and Gene Reilly called.”

Goss’ job is all-encompassing.

“People don’t have any idea how much she does,” said Betty Donovan, president of the Friands of Maine hockey. “She knows everything. If anyone wants to know anything about the team, call Jeanne.”

Goss says a lot of her job entails public relations involving donors and fans as well as players, former players, and their families.

She will miss the relationships she acquired over the years but said, “I’m just a phone call away.”

Fans perplexed by team

The Black Bears had a healthy contingent of fans who made the 10-hour drive from the Bangor area to Rochester, N.Y.

The fans have been perplexed by the team’s performance this season.

They went 8-0-1 to start the season before stumbling to a 13-14-1 mark the rest of the season leading up to the regional.

“It’s been frustrating,” said Jeff Head of Otis, who feels one of the biggest problems has been the goaltending, including the injury to starter Ben Bishop that required unproven backup Dave Wilson to fill in down the stretch.

His friend, Tom Steele from Bangor, disagreed.

“The defense has had bad lapses. I don’t blame the goaltending at all. And they need to play the body more,” said Steele.

Barb Wais, a Bangor High School teacher who is originally from Rochester, said the team looked like world-beaters early in the season, but the crisp passes that were a staple of their early-season success haven’t been evident of late.

She said they have changed line combinations regularly and speculated that the changes hurt the continuity.

Wais said she tried everything to get them out of their late-season funk, including parking in a “lucky parking space” and wearing lucky clothing.

“It’s been a different year,” said Wais.

She added that it has been a fun team to watch and follow.

Head and Steele said they aren’t dwelling on the past this weekend.

“The new season starts today,” said Head.