Liz Wood was one of the notable exceptions.

Wood’s name was called Thursday evening when the America East Conference handed out its annual women’s basketball season awards.

Even though the Black Bears pulled out of the conference tournament, UMaine was represented in Albany by athletics director Steve Abbott and Senior Woman Administrator Eileen Flaherty.

Wood, a 5-foot-10 freshman from Catlett, Va., earned a spot on the league’s all-rookie team.

The coaches were able to see past UMaine’s season-long struggles (4-24 record, 11-3 AE) as a team, and named Wood co-rookie of the year.

Most of the statistics back up that selection, although Albany freshman Shereesha Richards, the co-winner, certainly deserved strong consideration for the honor.

In conference play Wood, a versatile guard/forward, ranked fourth in America East by scoring 12.9 points per game. She was the No. 5 rebounder with 7.3 per contest.

Wood ranked seventh in steals (2.0) and was 15th in blocked shots (0.5). She shot 39 percent from the field (71-for-183), 64 percent from the foul line (36-for-56) and 30 percent (16-for-54) from 3-point range.

By comparison Richards, a talented 6-1 forward from Oceanview, N.J., ranked seventh in scoring (12.4) and eighth in rebounding (7.1). Her glowing stat was her .670 field-goal percentage (75-for-112).

Richards, who was No. 4 in steals (2.5), shot 62 percent (48-for-78) from the foul line and attempted only one 3-pointer.

Suffice it to say Richards had a much easier job playing with the juggernaut Great Danes (25-3, 16-0 AE), who outscored league opponents by an average of 23.8 points.

Opponents had many other Albany players about which to concern themselves, including co-player of the year and defensive player of the year Ebone Henry, 6-8 center Megan Craig, 3-point shooter Lindsey Lowrie and tenacious forward Julie Forster.

Henry, Lowrie and Forster are all seniors on a team that won the AE title a year ago. Richards just had to pick her spots and pick up the slack, with the focus on her teammates.

Things couldn’t have been more different for Wood, who was not playing alongside any all-conference stars.

She played both guard and forward, depending upon what UMaine needed, and later in the season often found herself matched up defensively against much taller, more experienced post players.

Despite her freshman status, Wood emerged as a calm, steadying force on a Black Bears team that was in constant flux because of injuries, inexperience and inconsistency.

In AE play, she led UMaine in scoring and rebounding and was second in minutes played (33.5 mpg). Wood was the only player to appear in all 28 games for the Bears, and started each.

Early in the season, as the coaching staff attempted to find some semblance of chemistry and consistency, Wood demonstrated a willingness to be aggressive, even in the face of offensive struggles.

She demonstrated a high basketball IQ, contributing in every facet of the game. She was fearless and relentless, regardless of the situation.

Admittedly, Wood did experience some turnover woes (2.9 per game).

When all was said and done, Wood proved she was the best overall player on the UMaine team. Over the next three seasons, she likely will demonstrate that she is among the best in the America East Conference while helping the Bears turn the program around.

This season, Wood was the rookie of the year.

McFetters sets UMaine mark
McFetters, a sophomore from Barrington, R.I., recently set a school record in the weight throw during a dual meet against the University of New Hampshire.
McFetters threw 55-10 1/2, beating the previous mark of 55-0 set by Rebecca Even in 2009. The throw easily qualifies for the ECAC Championships and is the top throw in America East this season.
Also in that meet, Masters turned in the second-best pole vault in school history at 12-01 1/2, which qualifies for the ECAC Championships and won the event. Angelica Nelligan-Smith of Glenburn finsihed second in the event at 11-1 3/4, good for fifth all time at UMaine.
Fereshetian’s 8.24 clocking to win the 55-meter hurdles was the third-fastest in school history.

The men’s squad finished fourth and the women’s team placed sixth. Albany swept the team championships.

Distance specialists Corey Conner and Kelton Cullenberg and shot-putter Justin Gagne came away with individual titles.

Conner continued her dominance on the track, claiming two victories. On Monday, the senior from Townsend, Mass., won the 5,000 meters with a time of 16 minutes, 24.13 seconds. The time, third-best in school history, qualified Conner for the ECAC Championships.

Conner followed that up Tuesday by earning first place in the 3,000 meters. Her time of 9:26.30, which ranks No. 3 in UMaine annals, also put her in the ECACs.

Cullenberg spearheaded the Black Bear men on Monday when he captured the 5,000 crown with a time of 14:44.58. It was a top-five effort at UMaine and qualified for the IC4A Championships.

He also wound up third in the 3,000.

Justin Gagne carried the UMaine banner Tuesday when he came away with the shot put championship. Gagne’s heave of 57-3 1/2 ranks third in school history and puts him in the IC4A field.

UMaine’s distance medley team brought home a gold medal with a time of 10:05.83. That unit included Ryan Hardiman, Michael Tudor of Scarborough, Gregory O’Donnell of Hampden and Alex Moser of York Harbor.

It was an IC4A time.

Other individual standouts for UMaine include James Reed, the runner-up in the 60-meter hurdles (8.01) and the fourth-place finisher in the 60 meters (7.05). Moser was second in the mile (4:13.96) and claimed fourth in the 1,000 (2:30.14).

Nathanel Meade of Waldoboro finished second in the triple jump (47-11 1/2) and Frank Del Duca of Bethel was the second-place performer in the triple jump with an IC4A-qualifying jump of 23-3 1/2.

The women’s team also received a runner-up effort from Robyn McFetters in the weight throw at 53-2 3/4, which ranks third in school history and qualified for the ECACs.

Ali Fereshetian of Turner also had an ECAC-worthy run in the 60-meter hurdles, with an 8.85 that is third in school history.

Next up for UMaine are Saturday meets against the University of New Hampshire.

I am among those who would have preferred to see San Francisco take home the Lombardi Trophy, especially given the Ray Lewis dynamic.

Even so, as the Ravens players celebrate their first day as world champions, there are several reasons why fans of the University of Maine football team and the Colonial Athletic Association should appreciate Sunday night’s outcome.

The Ravens were victorious with former CAA stars in some key positions. They included Super Bowl MVP quarterback Joe Flacco out of the University of Delaware, cornerback Corey Graham of New Hampshire and special teams standout James Ihedigbo of Massachusetts.

Also representing the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) level were starting center Matt Birk of Harvard, backup center Gino Gradkowski, a rookie out of Delaware, and reserve linebacker Adrian Hamilton of Prairie View.

Baltimore also has a couple of Division II products in slippery wide receiver and kick returner Jacoby Jones (Lane College) and starting cornerback Cary Williams from Washburn College.

UMaine has for several years maintained strong representation in the NFL with the likes of Mike DeVito, Montell Owens, Matt Mulligan of Enfield, Lofa Tatupu, the late Jovan Belcher, Stephen Cooper and Brandon McGowan.

Baltimore’s front office clearly has recognized the value of some lesser-heralded players from below the Football Bowl Subdivision level. Some, it drafted. Others, the Ravens picked up as free agents.

Flacco has started every game for five seasons with the Ravens, who made him only the second sub-FBS quarterback ever drafted in the first round, joining the late Steve McNair (Alcorn State).

Flacco played two years at Delaware after transferring from Pittsburgh and wound up earning first-team All-America status after setting 20 Delaware passing records. He did not face UMaine, as the teams did not play each other while he was there.

Birk has been a mainstay in the NFL during a 15-year career, including the last four with Baltimore. The six-time Pro Bowl pick was an All-Ivy League and All-New England star at Harvard, which went 9-1 during his senior season in 1997.

He earned a degree in economics.

Graham is an opponent well-known and well-respected by his UMaine peers. After patrolling the secondary for the Wildcats, he signed with the Chicago Bears.

The sixth-year pro joined the Ravens this season, earning a share of starting duties at cornerback for only the second time in his career. He ranks as UNH’s all-time kickoff returns leader and started 42 games for the ‘Cats.

Ihedigbo, a native of Amherst, Mass., also signed with Baltimore in his sixth NFL season. He spent 2011-12 with the New England Patriots and was a backup safety and special-teamer for the Ravens.

Ihedigbo was a walk-on at UMass, where he became a three-year starter. The All-CAA performer was a menace and also gave the Black Bears fits.

The Ravens’ other CAA product is Gradkowski, a first-team All-CAA and All-America offensive lineman.

If their contributions weren’t impressive enough as part of the Super Bowl season, consider Jones — who scored on an NFL-record, 109-yard kickoff return and another long pass play on Sunday.

Jones also was a first-year member of the Ravens and a sixth-year pro. The New Orleans native, who was first signed by the Texans, didn’t even start playing football until his junior year of high school.

Williams finished his college career at DII Washburn after two years at Fordham of the Patriot League. He is a fifth-year pro in his fourth season with the Ravens, for whom he is two-year starter at corner.

Think what you want about Baltimore, which is most-maligned because of the presence of Ray Lewis, whose off-field activities have been cause for great concern to many.

However, the Ravens should be applauded for their ability to identify talented players who spent their college years at smaller, lesser-known schools. Eight men who fit that description will spend the rest of their lives wearing coveted Super Bowl rings.

It serves as a reminder that there are many outstanding football players out there who don’t play at Alabama, LSU, Ohio State and USC. They can be seen at Alfond Stadium in Orono and at other FCS and Division II venues, where high-caliber football is played on fall Saturdays across the country.

Coming off Tuesday night’s loss at New Hampshire, the Black Bears have a 2-19 overall record that is among the worst in program history.

Coach Richard Barron and his staff are trying to rebuild the program almost from scratch, having brought in nine first-year players this season to join a group of only four healthy returning players.

The growing pains have been in evidence, as UMaine has had only one senior and one junior upon whom to rely for significant experience and leadership.

One area where the UMaine women’s team has been an unquestioned success is in its community involvement.

Black Bear players regularly visit local elementary schools to interact with young students. And Barron is active doing his “Time Out” luncheons and other speaking engagements.

Again this year, Barron is spearheading UMaine’s involvement in the Play4Kay initiative.

Play4Kay is a nationwide fundraising program that uses women’s college basketball as the platform to promote breast cancer awareness and research across the country in support of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Yow, the former longtime head coach at North Carolina State, died of cancer in 2009. She is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Barron, who knew Yow, was a driving force behind UMaine’s Play4Kay fundraising last season. In an effort to bring home the importance of the cause, he offered to shave his head if the UMaine community could raise $10,000.

That’s what happened and Barron sat in the jump circle at Alfond Arena to allow fans to watch him have his head shaved. He hoped it would be a reminder about what many cancer patients experience when undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

With his hair again on the line, Barron has challenged UMaine fans to show their support for the cause by rallying to donate $10,000 for Play2Kay. However, time is running out.

UMaine’s Play4Kay game is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 9 — a 1 p.m. contest against Albany at Alfond Arena. As an added incentive, the person who makes the largest single donation by Feb. 6 at noon will be able to sit on the bench as an honorary coach.

However, NCAA rules prohibit prospective student-athletes and relatives of student-athletes from participating in the contest.

Those who wish to donate to this year’s Play4Kay initiative can do so by visiting www.Play4Kay.org/MaineBlackBears or by clicking the link at GoBlackBears.com(.)

Barron should be praised for his proactive approach in reaching out to UMaine fans and the community.

Even with his youthful team languishing while trying to establish some consistency, he involves himself and his team in a variety of activities that transcend basketball.

It will take more time, but the wins will come. In the meantime, Barron and the Black Bears will continue to try to make a difference in Greater Bangor.

Attending Black Bear games at Memorial Gym was a no-brainer for me, because as an avid sports fan who grew up in Bangor, I had always been around UMaine athletics.

Hundreds of other students felt the same way, but those days are long gone.

However, UMaine athletics is again reaching out to its student population in the hope they will support Black Bear teams.

Even with temperatures outdoors expected to be in the single numbers on Tuesday, UMaine hopes to create more of a summer atmosphere inside Alfond Arena. That’s because the university is sponsoring “Beach Night Money Madness” for the men’s basketball game between UMaine and Vermont.

UMaine plans to give away thousands of dollars in cash and prizes. The loot includes a $500 prize for the student wearing the best outfit utilizing a beach theme.

Another nine honorable mention beach-goers will win $100 apiece, while other random money drawings are planned throughout the game.

Suffice it to say college students can always use a little extra cash, so UMaine hopes some will dig into their drawers and closets and pull out their shorts, straw hats, sandals and other beach accoutrements.

Students who attend the game also will be given a free pair of Black Bear sunglasses.

It’s a win-win proposition for the students who do turn out, because they are admitted free to athletic events anyway.

Part of UMaine’s motivation in offering money and prizes to students undoubtedly is the fact the game will be broadcast nationwide on ESPN3. Though it’s not one of the network’s major television outlets, the Maine-Vermont game will be shown live on ESPN3′s Internet feed.

It is available across the country on many college campuses and also on some local cable systems.

That means widespread exposure, which isn’t necessarily a good thing if there are only a few hundred fans in the seats as cameras pan around Alfond Arena.

It’s disappointing that UMaine basketball — both men and women — has such a spotty following on campus.

Even with several thousand undergraduate students attending classes this semester, probably 50 — at the most — show up at any given home basketball contest.

This kind of special promotion might breathe a little extra enthusiasm into Tuesday’s game. The energy provided by students greatly enhances the experience for all fans.

The sad reality is, students don’t seem interested unless there is a special event to entice them. And UMaine athletics doesn’t have the financial wherewithal to have these kind of giveaways very often.

Hopefully, at least Tuesday night’s game will have a better student presence.

When Feb. 6 arrives, high school prospects will start signing on the dotted line to play at the college of their choice.

It might be good if the University of Maine’s head football coach did likewise — in his case, on a contract extension — before the signing period.

If nothing else, it would end any speculation about the potential for a coaching change in Orono.

None is forthcoming, as UMaine athletics director Steve Abbott indicated he expects the contract situation with Jack Cosgrove to be resolved.

“There has been progress. We’ve had very positive discussions,” Abbott said. “We’re just down to working out a few details at this point. We don’t have a deal, but I’m fully expecting and hoping that we will soon.”

It appears to be a matter of putting the terms down in writing to make them official.

Cosgrove has held the position since 1993 and has poured his heart and soul into the Black Bears program ever since. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have concerns.

In December, he was seeking assurances from Abbott and the university about the vision for the short-term future of UMaine football.

“Vision” means dollars. And short of a former player or donor stepping up with a significant gift or endowment, there isn’t likely to be much extra funding available for football at financially-challenged UMaine.

This isn’t Cosgrove’s first rodeo. He realizes things probably won’t change significantly in that regard, but you can’t blame him for trying to procure further support for his program.

So, what’s the hold up?

Cosgrove, whose contract expires in June, should be in line for another three- or four-year deal that includes a small salary bump. He is set to earn $175,000 during 2012-13.

Some argue having a head coach six months from the end of his contract at this critical time of the year will adversely affect UMaine’s recruiting.

Not likely.

Behind closed doors, Cosgrove certainly is giving recruits assurances that he’ll be on campus when they arrive for training camp in August.

In the vast majority of cases, UMaine is the only school to offer a full scholarship to the young men who wind up in the program. Most don’t have other Division I options.

That’s part of the allure — or maybe it’s mystique — of Black Bear football.

He might not admit it, but Cosgrove thrives on the us-against-the-world, chip-on-the-shoulder mentality that exists at UMaine. Even for all the headaches he goes through to put a good product on the field, he and his staff are committed to help mold 18-year-old kids into 21-year-old young men with college degrees.

The Black Bears remain consistently competitive in the Colonial Athletic Association, even though UMaine has trouble sustaining high-level success on a year-to-year basis.

It is a program that requires a certain kind of leader. Cosgrove is that man.

That said, there are several athletes from the Penobscot Valley Conference/Eastern Maine Indoor Track League who are setting the pace statewide in the respective events.

Here is a quick look at some of those outstanding competitors.

The Class A girls ranks feature a familiar face atop some of the state leaderboards. Brewer High senior Teal Jackson has again established herself as a front-runner in the sprints.

Jackson owns the fastest state-meet qualifying times in the 55 meters and the 200 and she has the second-fastest time so far in the 400.

She clocked a 7.58 last weekend in the 55, a time that is six-hundreths of a second faster than Sasha Letourneau of Lawrence High in Fairfield. Jackson has run a 26.03 in the 200, nearly a second ahead of Letourneau, while her 1:01.46 from the Jan. 5 EMITL meet is second only to Audrey Weyand of Bonny Eagle (1:00.73).

Across the Penobscot River in Bangor, Grace MacLean has set the bar high in Class A. She is Maine’s top performer in the 55 hurdles (8.50), the long jump (17 feet, 5 inches) and the high jump.

The senior set a league record with a high jump of 5-4 last week.

The only other eastern Maine event leader among Class A girls is Lindsay Folsom of Cony High in Augusta. Her pole vault of 11-4 is nearly two feet better than Courtney Lizzotte and Abby Reynolds of Bangor, both of whom have gone 9-6.

Western and Central Maine competitors appear to have pretty much a corner on the market when it comes to leading efforts in the Class A boys division.

Jon Stanhope of Bangor has registered the fastest time in the mile thus far at 4:31.76, while Andrew Toothaker of Hampden Academy sped to a win last week in the 55 hurdles with a state-best time of 8.14 seconds.

In Class B, Waterville continues to make lots of noise among Eastern Maine teams, both girls and boys.

However, there are EMITL competitors putting up some impressive numbers.

Ellsworth’s Aleta Looker has been the pace-setter in the 400 and 800 meters and has been near the top among the milers. The junior ran a 2:20.06 last week in the 800 meters, a time that is more than nine seconds faster than Nora Hubbell of Mount Desert Island.

Looker owns a Maine season-best of 1:02.79 in the 400, and ranks second behind Waterville phenom Bethanie Brown (4:59.14) in the mile. Brown’s time of 10:35.22 is 31 seconds faster than Abby Hersom of Oceanside in Rockland.

Brown on Thursday was named the Gatorade Maine Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. She won the Class B individual state championship in 17:56.32, placed seventh at the New England Championships (19:18.60) and wound up 11th at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional (18:42.3).

Brown has committed to attend the University of Connecticut on an athletic scholarship.

In the jumps, Old Town’s Tia Jackson has been among the Class B standouts. The junior went 5-2 in the high jump a week ago to assume the top seed in the state and also leads the triple jump at 35-7.

Waterville’s other No. 1 seed is Sarah Shoulta in the 55 hurdles (8.95).

Dan Curts of Ellsworth is one of several Class B boys in the PVC/EMITL who have established themselves atop the state’s performance lists indoors.

The junior turned in a double victory last week when he covered the mile in 4:26.52 and won the two-mile in 9:49.47.

Foxcroft Academy’s Don Boyer also leads the pack in two events. The senior leaped into the top spot in the high jump with a 6-2 effort a week ago and also has the best 55 hurdles time (8.08).

Boyer also is the No. 4 seed in the 400.

Other event leaders from the EMITL include Tyler White of Orono in the 800 (2:05.79) and Trevor Alley of MDI in the shot put (47-11.5).

Waterville, out of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference, has a couple of top seeds in Jordhan Levine in the triple jump (42-1.5) and Devin Burgess in the pole vault (14-0).

Two EMITL meets are scheduled for Saturday. The 10 a.m. competition brings together Hampden Academy, MDI, Ellsworth, Foxcroft Academy, Central of Corinth, Bucksport and Sumner of East Sullivan.

The 2:30 p.m. meet will be contested among Bangor, Brewer, Old Town, Hermon, Orono, John Bapst of Bangor and Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln.

The most troubling is the men’s hockey situation.

Coach Tim Whitehead’s Black Bears (4-11-2) ended 2012 on an upbeat note when they doubled their previous win total by capturing the championship at the Florida College Classic.

But the stumbling start, which includes an unprecedented 0-6-2 record at Alfond Arena, is worrisome for not only Whitehead and his program, but UMaine athletics as a whole.

If the Black Bears continue to be anemic on offense and keep losing, there will be ramifications.

The problem isn’t simply the school’s dwindling reputation as a national hockey power. If UMaine doesn’t start winning games, fans will continue jumping off the proverbial bandwagon.

That would mean lost revenue for UMaine, which builds its budget around near-capacity crowds at Alfond Arena. In this economy, as the athletic department struggles to make ends meet, there are no easy ways to overcome a substantial hit at the ticket office.

That doesn’t appear to have been a major issue yet. Men’s hockey is averaging 4,385 tickets issued which, if the figure represents paid admissions, is an average decrease of only 52 fans per game since last season.

Anecdotal evidence suggests many fewer seats have been occupied at Alfond Arena.

This year’s UMaine squad, hit hard by graduation and pro signings and hampered by youth and a lack of proven, elite-level players, does not appear to be a Hockey East title contender, nor a candidate for the NCAA tournament.

Even so, Whitehead’s teams have shown a propensity for strong second-half play the last two seasons, so a resurgence isn’t out of the question.

But if the Black Bears finish 2012-13 the way they started, athletic director Steve Abbott and his higher-ups likely will take a serious look at Whitehead’s future.

It would cost UMaine approximately $190,000 — one year’s salary — to buy him out. With 18 months remaining on Whitehead’s contract, it makes fiscal sense he should keep his job.

At the “mid-major” level of Division I athletics, one bad season seldom results in a coaching change without other significant, extenuating circumstances. The soft-spoken Whitehead has consistently handled himself with class both on and off the ice.

His fiercest critics, who have grumbled about the direction of the program — UMaine has an 89-94-22 record since the start of the 2007-08 season — will clamor for his ouster.

They will point out that there is a precedent, as Abbott fired former women’s basketball head coach Cindy Blodgett in 2011. It required UMaine to buy out her $109,772 contract, using one of then-UMaine President Robert Kennedy’s “discretionary funds.”

That move came after Blodgett’s teams won only 24 games in four years, a protracted period of poor performance.

Whitehead’s team has always been competitive. UMaine has won 58 games in the last 3 1/2 seasons, has an overall record above .500 (58-54-15), and reached the NCAA tournament last season.

It’s not the kind of success to which UMaine fans became accustomed but, under the circumstances, it doesn’t warrant a $190,000-plus coaching change.

However, barring an amazing turnaround, the Black Bears are poised to finish this season with one of the worst records in program history. Only three times previously has UMaine failed to win at least 11 games.

Whitehead is skating on thin ice. If he doesn’t get his team back in the upper echelon of Hockey East and into the NCAA discussion during the next 15 months, he’ll likely be gone.

Admittedly, it has been brutal, but anyone who has followed any of these programs closely shouldn’t be that surprised about how things have gone thus far.

The overall record of the basketball and hockey teams stands at 8-42-3 and none is likely to contend for a championship this season.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t have potential.

Inexperience is a dynamic plaguing the basketball teams, the women in particular. That is something that can only be solved with time or an influx of outstanding players.

Coach Richard Barron’s Black Bear makeover is really only in its first year, since his initial recruiting class is now in the fold.

UMaine (1-9) has nine freshmen among its 13 healthy players and is ranked as the youngest team in all of Division I.

That newcomers are being blended into a small corps of veterans led by junior Ashleigh Roberts and sophomores Danielle Walczak and Courtney Anderson of Greene, the only Mainer on the ballclub.

With the influx of talent, Barron has been trying to implement an entirely different system. For all intents and purposes, the Bears started over when they reported in September.

This group appears to have welcomed the many challenges it has encountered, including bringing together players from the U.S. and six foreign countries.

There is a palpable camaraderie within the squad, which has shaken off its 1-9 record and, according to Barron, has continued to put forth outstanding effort with a positive attitude.

The fearless Roberts has begun to demonstrate the ability to put the team on her back, at times. She also is playing much more under control.

Walczak has improved her low-post moves, while Anderson is more efficient trying to run the offense. Senior Corinne Wellington looks to provide a rebounding presence off the bench.

Perhaps the biggest concern for the veterans is their propensity for committing turnovers. However, their efficiency and leadership will be critical in holding things together as the Bears try to establish more stable roles for the newcomers who prove they are capable.

Guard-forward Liz Wood has most well-rounded game of the freshman contingent and should emerge as one of its most productive performers. Center Anna Heise has the potential to be a dominating inside presence as she combines size with a soft shooting touch.

Speedy guard Brittany Wells could become a defensive sparkplug and contribute some 3-point scoring, while guard Sophie Weckstrom has been UMaine’s best 3-point shooter to date.

Forward Mikaela Gustafsson is a good shooter who needs to learn how to take advantage of her sizeable frame, while Milica Mitrovic provides outstanding intensity.

Guards Chantel Charles, Michal Assaf and Lauren Bodine all contribute even more versatility.

Even though realistically there isn’t room for 13 players to make meaningful contributions during every game, this year’s team features a wide variety of skill sets.

The challenge for the players is to learn the system, work diligently, remain confident and fill the roles that are established for them.

Barron and his staff must teach concepts effectively, blend personnel and develop confidence among the players to help the Black Bears again begin winning consistently in America East.

UMaine might be “a year away,” or maybe more, from doing so. But I would expect the improvements to become much more visible and measurable before this winter is over as a young team gains much-needed experience.