It’s like somebody carved out a piece of Maine and put it in Michigan. That’s how Joanne McCallie looks at her move from Vacationland to the North Coast.

“It’s so interesting because there are so many similarities,” McCallie said. “The people here are friendly and approachable. Just like Maine, you head north to relax. Instead of the Atlantic Ocean, there’s Lake Michigan.

Note: it’s McCallie now, not the Palombo-McCallie Maine women’s hoop fans are used to. In fact, her online Michigan State biography refers to the coach as Joanne P. McCallie.

But she hasn’t changed, really. McCallie is the same focused, intense coach on the sidelines, as was evidenced recently when her youthful Lady Spartans knocked off Top 25 Georgia on national television. And as evidenced on HBO’s “Real Sports” when she was interviewed by Mary Carillo for a story on the plight of female college athletes who have children, she is the same thoughtful, well-spoken Joanne Palombo-McCallie local fans and media got to know during her eight years at Maine.

She says she hasn’t changed and just as she did at Maine, she is beginning to see things turn around at Michigan State.

Maine legacy

Eight years. 167 wins. Six NCAA tournament appearances, four conference championships and Maine’s first and only NCAA tournament win.

McCallie’s resume was good enough that there was practically a suitor for her services each of her eight years at Maine. She was wined and dined in Long Beach, Calif., and in Evanston, Ill. for the job at Northwestern. Florida State, Wake Forest, and Washington called.

Maine women’s basketball fans rode a seesaw of success and uncertainty about their coach. When she finally landed in East Lansing, fans called local talk radio lamenting that they had been abandoned. In reality, McCallie was doing what most people in her position do – bettering herself.

“I loved my experience at Maine. The people there were great to me. But the big difference is in the facilities. We have a state-of-the-art facility here,” McCallie said.

She says the facilities upgrade came courtesy of men’s coach Tom Izzo and his team’s national championship in 2000. The upgrade includes offices, video rooms, and practice gyms.

The facilities are vital in selling the school to potential recruits.

“They’re great for recruiting. Michigan is really a hotbed for girls basketball. We’ve worked very hard recruiting and we’re recruiting against everyone. We have a lot to sell, but it’s the same everywhere,” McCallie said.

And a Cindy Blodgett doesn’t come along every year.

“She was a rare find. It would be hard to attract a Cindy Blodgett [to Maine] now. That’s the saddest thing. We had built up America East to the point of getting two teams in [the NCAA tournament]. That’s Cindy’s legacy. [Maine] is in terrific hands. They’re going to win and make it to the tournament on their own right, but I wish they could have held the conference together.”

Old home week

On a recent Sunday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio, Joanne McCallie was preparing for the start of a basketball game between her Michigan State team and Ohio State when she heard a familiar voice.

“I turned around and there were Phil and Helen Locke of Bangor, Maine, wearing all of their Maine garb,” McCallie said.

McCallie said the Lockes were visiting their son in Columbus and decided to surprise her at the game.

“I felt sad because I couldn’t find them after the game. There were 6,000 people there and I couldn’t find them,” McCallie said.

Earlier in the season, the Lady Spartans were practicing when McCallie said she received a surprise visit from “Doc Bromley and his wife Julie from Ellsworth.”

Bromley, McCallie said, is a Michigan State graduate.

“They didn’t let me know they were coming. I turned around and they were there. I miss the people in Maine. It’s so good to see them. A lot of people who supported the program have been in touch.”

She says her husband John teaches economics at Michigan State and has lowered his golf handicap to six. Her basketball team is improving as well. After going 11-19 in her first season in East Lansing, the Lady Spartans are 12-6.

The night the Lockes surprised her in Columbus, Michigan State was in the process of winning its first conference game of the year.

“We really are young. We beat Ohio State by 14 with 24 turnovers. I called timeout and looked at what I had on the floor – four freshmen and one sophomore,” McCallie said.

Since then they picked up another Big Ten win over Penn State. And just as during her days at Maine, McCallie takes a positive approach.

“We have only one senior. We’re still very young. But I wouldn’t be surprised by anything with our kids.”

Don Perryman can be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or dperryman@bangordailynews.net