ORONO – Heather Ernest, Julie Veilleux, and Melissa Heon arrived at the University of Maine at the beginning of a transition period for the Black Bear women’s basketball program.

During the last four years, that talented trio has helped coach Sharon Versyp re-establish UMaine as an America East Conference power and a regional player on the Division I stage.

Tonight, UMaine’s three seniors will be honored prior to their final regular-season game at Alfond Arena, a 7 p.m. contest against league rival Vermont.

Ernest, Veilleux, and Heon have played major roles in the team’s fortunes for four seasons. They have combined to help UMaine post a 73-39 overall record with two America East regular-season titles, scoring 3,601 points and 1,933 rebounds.

“It’s a very proud moment to see their growth on and off the floor and what they’ve done for the university and the program; and how much they appreciate what everyone here has done for them,” Versyp said.

From the rebuilding struggles of their first two seasons, to last season’s school-record 21-game winning streak and this year’s 15-game unbeaten skein, these seniors have been the nucleus of the ballclub.

When the Bears had only seven or eight players on the roster, Heon, Veilleux, and Ernest shouldered much of the playing load. In fact, the three durable seniors have averaged more than 28 minutes per game, combined, over the course of four seasons.

Ernest leads the way at 30.4 mpg, followed by Heon (28.9) and Veilleux (27.8). Veilleux has played in each of UMaine’s 112 games since her arrival, while Ernest has missed only one because of injury and Heon three with an injury.

“We’ve been battling together since I got the job,” said Versyp, who has been impressed with their commitment to the program and the progress they have made during their careers.

“These three have set a tone and a precedent,” Versyp said. “It’s obviously playing minutes, but it also is about them as people and students and what they’ve done for the community, how they’ve grown.”

Ernest will be remembered among the best ever to play at UMaine. With a minimum of four games left, the 6-foot-1 forward from Temple ranks fifth on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,705 points and is fourth with 977 rebounds.

Heon, a 5-9 guard from Somersworth, N.H., is UMaine’s No. 13 career scorer with 1,043 points. Veilleux, a 6-1 guard from Augusta, ranks 19th in scoring with 855 points and 16th in rebounding with 532.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” Versyp said. “When you’re looking at statistics individually, as a group of three, and looking at what our team has done in the last four years, they have been the key ingredient.”

Even with all their on-court accomplishments, Veilleux, Ernest, and Heon have taken advantage of the entire student-athlete experience at UMaine.

“Their development and their maturity, their character, is just amazing to me,” Versyp said. “The biggest thing is to see their growth from young adults to grown-up young women ready to attack the world.”

The seniors will be recognized prior to today’s game, then each will speak briefly to the fans after the contest.