Defender Dave Burke and goalkeeper Nemanja Kostic are among four more players who have committed to play soccer at the University of Maine.

Coach Paul Laughlin also announced the addition of midfielder/back Gurtej Dhillon and midfielder Adam Baxter to the program.

The quartet brings to 13 the number of players who have signed National Letters of Intent or committed to the Black Bears for next season.

“I am very happy to have finalized the 2007 recruiting class,” Laughlin said in a press release. “The returning players along with the new recruits should make for a competitive team in 2007.”

Burke is a 6-foot, 165-pound back from Holbrook, Mass., He will be a sophomore after spending two seasons (one as a redshirt) at Fairleigh Dickinson University

Burke was the all-time leader in career goals and points at Archbishop Williams High School.

“He should make an immediate contribution to the University of Maine team,” Laughlin said.

Kostic (6-4, 200) is a goalkeeper from New Belgrade, Serbia. He will be a sophomore after playing last season Virginia Intermont College.

“Nemanja is a very experienced goalkeeper,” Laughlin said. “I expect Nemanja to challenge immediately for playing time.”

Dhillon (5-9, 165) is a midfielder and back from Brampton, Ontario. He plays for the Winstars Soccer Academy.

“Gurtej has good feet and is quick,” Laughlin said. “Gurtej has played in many positions and is a versatile player.”

Baxter (5-11, 165) is a midfielder from Skegness, England, who was recommended by one of Laughlin’s former players.

“Adam is an athletic and technically gifted midfield player who can play both centrally and wide,” Laughlin said.

All NLI signees and commitments are contingent upon admission to UMaine and compliance with NCAA initial eligibility rules.

3 Bears garner academic awards

Kirby Davis, Erin Hatch and Eric Libby of the University of Maine have been named to the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team in the University Division.

Christa Hutchinson of the University of Southern Maine in Gorham and Jennifer Caban of Bates College in Lewiston were first-team picks in the college division.

Bates’ Kathryn Moore earned second-team recognition.

Recipients of the award, voted upon by the College Sports Information Directors of America, must carry a minimum 3.2 grade point average, be of sophomore or higher standing, and be a starter or key reserve.

Davis, of Falmouth, earned the honor for the second straight year. He graduated in May with a degree in civil engineering. He was the 2006 and 2007 America East men’s cross country champion. He owns the Black Bears indoor record in the 5,000 meters.

Davis was the 2006 AE Scholar-Athlete of the Year in track and won the honor in 2005 and ’06 in cross country. In 2006, he won the M Club Dean Smith Award as UMaine’s top male scholar-athlete.

Saco native Hatch, who graduated in May with a degree in psychology, was second in the high jump at the America East indoor and outdoor championships in 2007. She was named to the 2007 AE All-Academic Track Team.

Libby, who hails from Hampden, graduated in May with a double major in economics and business administration. He owns the school record in the 600 meters and was a 2007 AE All-Academic selection.

Hutchinson, a junior international relations major from Gorham, served as one of four USM track and field captains during 2006-07. She won the Little East Conference indoor title in the 600 meters (1 minute, 41.63 seconds).

Hutchinson also competed in cross country and outdoor track and field.

Casares named Bates swim coach

Peter Casares has been hired as the head men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach at Bates College.

Casares has been the swim coach and aquatics director at Wabash College since 2002 and in 2005 was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

In 2002, he became one of only three coaches in NCAA history to lead men’s and women’s teams to a national championship in the same season. He did so at Kenyon College.

“Peter is well respected in the swimming world, both as an accomplished Division III All-American swimmer and as a passionate coach and tireless recruiter,” Bates interim athletic director and longtime swim coach Dana Mulholland said in a press release.

Casares, a 1998 graduate of Gettsyburg College, was a five-time All-American and two-time team captain who owned eight school records at the time of his graduation. He then earned a master’s in sports psychology from Miami University in 2000 and served as an assistant coach there.

“I am honored to follow in coach Mulholland’s footsteps and will continue to create an environment that will allow student-athletes to reach their absolute potential, both in the pool and on campus,” said Casares, who is married to former Bangor High School three-sport athlete (soccer, basketball, tennis) Allyson Port.