Black Bear Sideliner biannual newsletter produced by UMaine Athletics

Betts, Greg

Elfring, B. L.

Mason, Bill

University of Maine Athletics Department

English

University of Maine

The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Black Bear Sideliner Department of Athletics 3-1979 Black Bear Sideliner, vol. 2, no. 1 University of Maine Athletics Department Bill Mason Greg Betts B. L. Elfring Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/univ_pubs_bbs  Part of the Higher Education Commons, and the History Commons This Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Black Bear Sideliner by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact um.library.technical.services@maine.edu. UNIVERSITY COLLECTIONCALIFORNIA GOLDBASEBALL BEARS LOOK WEST FOR MOREnow that the first signs of spring have ar­rived, baseball has also begun in earnest. The Bears are competing in the 13th annual California Riverside National Intercollegiate Baseball Tournament March 26-31, which they won in 1978, becoming the first eastern area team ever to capture the title.As one of the most prestigious baseball tour­naments in the country, topped only by the College World Series, the Riverside tourney is an annual pre-season showcase of some of the finest teams in the nation. Tournament Director Don Edwards feels this year's event will be no different."With Maine, Oral Roberts and Brigham Young among the teams in the tournament this year, it should be an exceptional one," he said.From the East, in addition to Maine, last year's Cinderella team, comes Indiana, Oral Roberts and Army, which is making its Riverside dubut.Representing the West will be host UC- Riverside, Brigham Young, Oregon and first-time participant Seattle University.Last year the dark horse Black Bears flew to California without a single day of outdoor practice to win the Blue Division and then de­feat Oral Roberts, 5-4, in the championship game. John Winkin's talented squad is coming back from a 20-9 season and returns many of last years heroes including rifle-armed catcher Mark Armstrong, designated hitter Ed Mitch­ell, center fielder Frank Watson, last year's Hustle Award winner, and ace pitcher John Dixon. The Black Bears also have a bumper crop of freshmen including righthander Tom Mahan and slick-fielding shortstop Peter Adams.The Titans of Oral Roberts enjoyed their finest record ever last year (45-12) and District No. 5 Coach of the Year Larry Cochell hopes his team can improve on its fifth-place finish in the NCAA College World Series.Brigham Young was 45-15 last season, win­ning the Western Athletic Conference's North­ern Division title. Leading the way for BYU will be second-team All American centerfielder Marc Thomas.Seattle finished third in the Northern Pacific Baseball Conference with a 26-13 mark a year ago and returns all but three members of last year's club.(continued on back page)BLACK UNIVERSITY COLLECTIONBEAR IVol. 2 No. 1 UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AT ORONO March 1979MAINE COURTMENWIN, SHOW PROMISEFinishing their seventh winning season in the last eight years with a 14-10 record, the Black Bear basketball team, under the direction of head coach Skip Chappelle, is looking for­ward to next season already.The Bears, who were in consideration for a possible National Invitational Tournament bid, return a strong nucleus to build on. Junior sensation Rufus Harris will return for his senior year, closing in on Bob Warner's career scor­ing mark. Freshman Clay Gunn, who emerged toward the end of the season as a starter and consistent rebounder, will be the key up front, as Maine graduated center Kevin Nelson and forward Roger Lapham, both four-year starters at UMO.Lapham closed his career in second place on the all-time scoring list with 1,523 points, while Nelson finished with 1,089 career points and seventh spot on the all-time list."The most pleasant surprise was Clay Gunn's emergence as a Division One player. We also look for Dave Wyman to continue his improve­ment. Rick Boucher has shown he can be a factor for us, and Rufus Harris will continue to lead the team in many departments and will be the nucleus we will build our program around," Chappelle said.Harris, who was accorded All-New England honors in District One by the USBWA, led the Bears in scoring with a 21.5 points per game average, and in assists with 98. Boucher (continued on back page)Great Scorers, Great FriendsKevin Nelson and Roger Lapham (34) in closing seconds of final gameBEAR ICEMEN MAKE MARK IN DIVISION IIMaine's hockey Black Bears finished an out­standing year with a 25-8-1 record and were seeded first for the ECAC playoffs, before being eliminated in the semi-finals by Salem State College by a 7-4 count before a record 3400 fans at the Harold Alfond Sports Arena.Although they dropped their last contest of the 1978-79 season, the Bears are looking for­ward to next season when they move into ECAC Division One play. Head Coach Jack Semler and his talented crew were very pleased with their accomplishments in Maine's second sea­son of varsity hockey."The team is proud of the fact that over the regular season, we played the most consistent hockey of any team in the ECAC. For just a second-year team with all sophomores and freshman, plus Dan Sweeney (Maine's only senior and this year's captain), that is quite a compliment to the players," Semler said.Leading Maine's drive into Division One will be top scorer Gary Conn, a sophomore center from Marblehead, Mass. Conn broke all his single-season scoring records this year as he amassed 65 points on 35 goals and 30 assists. Along with Conn will be sophomore centers Joe Crespi (Bridgewater, Mass.) and Brian Hughes (Melrose, Mass.). Crespi finished the season with a record 19-game scoring streak on the way to garnering 51 points on 25 goals and26 assists, while Hughes chipped in with 19 goals and 31 assists for 50 points.(continued on back page)Eilene Fox: Synonymous With WinningThe name Eilene Fox has become almost synonymous with the term "winning" since she joined the Black Bear coaching staff in 1975.In her three and a half years at UMO, coach Fox's tennis and basketball teams have com­piled a sparkling 70-21 record for a 77 percent winning average. Fox's teams have also cap­tured two state championships in tennis and three more in basketball.Fox has had a history of winning since her girlhood days in Bridgeton, N.J. She and her twin sister Nadine played on their very success­ful high school field hockey, tennis and bas­ketball teams for four years, serving as co­captains in basketball and field hockey their senior year."Both my parents were very athletic and avid golfers and tennis players," said Fox. "They always had an interest in sports and it eventu­ally rubbed off on my sister and myself."Both sisters enrolled at Trenton (NJ) State College where they majored in health and physical education. Before receiving their de­grees in 1968, the twins won the State of New Jersey Collegiate Doubles Tennis Champion­ships for three consecutive years.Fox got her first job teaching elementary school for two years in Lanhan, MD, a subur­ban community outside of Washington, D.C. After two years at Central Washington State College, she received her master's degree in sociology of sports along with coaching some tennis."Washington is a lot like Maine with the rocky coasts and the vast wilderness and the life style there is also similar to that here," said Fox.In 1972 Fox took a teaching job at the Uni­versity of Southern Maine. Along with her classroom responsibilities, she coached varsity tennis, basketball, softball and badminton. In 1975 her basketball squad posted an 11-3 record and finished second in the state tourna­ment.When a similar coaching position opened at UMO in the fall of 1975, she took the job and proceeded to pick up where she had left off at USM. The first Fox-coached tennis and basket­ball teams finished with 5-0 and 12-5 records, respectively, with the basketball squad win­ning the State Division A title.In the following year the winning trend con­tinued for Fox-coached teams with her tennis team posting a 5-2 record while winning the state championship and the hoopsters finishing at 15-3 while winning their second consecutive state title.In 1977-78 her tennis team won nine out of ten matches and her basketball squad finished runnerup in the state to the University of Maine at Farmington. This year the UMO netwomen won yet another state championship with an 8-3 mark.Her 1978-79 basketball team finished 14-6 and won another state title."Injuries and sickness were our biggest problems this year," said Fox. "This is definitely the toughest basketball schedule we've ever had with such top teams as Provi­dence, Connecticut and Boston University."I really enjoy teaching these girls. There's nothing more rewarding than working with a person and seeing them develop into a top- notch competitor."Fox is still active in sports competition her­self, playing tennis in the warmer months and cross country skiing in the winter. She and her husband Mark also have joined a new rac­quetball club in the area.RIFLE TEAMDOES IT AGAINFor the 17th time in the Iast21 years, Maine's rifle squad has taken the New England title, out-gunning a strong field with a balanced effort. The Black Bears, 10-1 during the regu­lar season, were paced by All-American marksman Tim Tobin with 571 points. Tobin was followed by Steve Murphy with 546 and Win Trafton with 544 marks.MSG Robert Bernier, the Bears' coach, will be stepping down this year. In four years at the helm, Bernier has led Maine to the NECRL title four times for a four-year regular season rec­ord of 56-2-1.WOODCOCK ANDCOMPANY TAKE2nd NE TITLESenior Julie Woodcock closed out her bril­liant career with five New England titles to pace the Black Bear women's swim team to its second straight New England championship. Woodcock, Beth Carone and diver Tricia Red­den led the way as Maine blasted its way to an amazing 218-point margin over runnerup Springfield College, the host school.The Bears finished the regular season 5-0, and, under coach Jeff Wren, have won their last 25 dual meets over three undefeated sea­sons at Wallace Pool. The closest meet of the season was the first as Maine toppled the Uni­versity of New Brunswick 66-47.Freshman Andre Aubut ECAC Rookie of the YearHERE COMES SOFTBALLMaine's newest varisty sport makes its debut under the tutelage of veteran women's coach Janet Anderson April 24 when women's softball opens its first season.The Bears will take on Colby College at Waterville at 3 p.m.Home games the first year will be played at Bangor's Dow Field and the Bears will play nine games, including the first game in the state tourney on May 12.Home games with Husson College, Thoma^ College and Bates College will highlight the schedule.Sophomore Beth Carone: Top Returnee On Next Year's Women's Swim TeamuruoSoph. Rick Reynolds3.4.1 -4BBS 1979 -2-1 c.lSCHOLARSHIP CORNER______ WINTER SPORTS TEAMS POSTAMAZING .700 WINNING MARKBlack Bear winter teams won better than 71 percent of all contests played, led by the New England champion rifle and women's swim tea ms.Coach MSG Robert Bernier's marksmen finished 10-1, while coach Jeff Wren's swim­mers logged a 5-0 mark. Other superlative records were turned in by coach Alan Switzer's talented men's swim team with a 9-2 record, coach Jack Semler's rising young ice hockey squad (25-8-1), and the indoor men's track squad, coached by veteran mentor Ed Styrna, with a 3-0 log.The men's basketball team (14-10), the women's basketball team (14-6) and the wres­tling team (5-4) were other squads with win­ning records.The women's gymnastics team split two deci­sions, while women's indoor track closed out at 1-2.The combined record of these ten teams was an amazing 84-34-1 for a winning percentage of .710, the best mark in many years. The men combined for a 56-24-1 record, while the women won 18 of 27 contests. The rifle team was composed of both men and women student-athletes._____ ______________________Two other teams enjoyed successful seasons. The men's ski team had strong performances at the St. Lawrence Winter Carnival and wereFriends of Maine Athletics:When we began our athletic scholarship drive on September 1, 1978, we set a goal of $238,000. This represented a big jump from previous years, but this increase is essential if we are to keep pace with our opponents from the Yankee Conference and around the country.I am pleased to report that we have already come a long way toward reaching this goal. The generous gifts of many alumni will bring outstanding athletes to Orono.Our only problem is that the remaining dollars come hard. We urgently need the support of-Main^men who have not yet joined us. With their help, we will reach our goal and ensure the scholarship aid necessary to building high quality Black Bear teams.constantly among the top seven teams at these meets, while the women's ski team, led by All­East skier Sandy Cook, was among the top five teams competing all season.All in all, Black Bear athletes asserted them­selves this winter, indicating the quality and balance of Maine's fine athletic program.Sam SezakChairmanBlack Bear AthleticScholarship FundBLACKBEAR SIDELINER RECORD CROWDS SEE BEARS PLAYPublished quarterly for University of Maine at Orono athletic program supporters and fans.Editor ................................................... Bob CreteauPhotography ..........................................Al PelletierJack WalasContributors ............................................. Bill MasonGreg BettsB.L. ElfringPrinted by ............................. UMO Printing OfficeMen's basketball and ice hockey attracted a record 81,700 fans at home games this winter, indicating interest in two of UMO's most popular sports is at its peak. Overall, the two teams played before 141,700 fans.Skip Chappelle's courtmen attracted 67,600 fans in 24 games, with an average home crowd of 2,683, counting Bangor and Portland.Mainezs hockey squad pulled in an average of 2605 in the new Harold Alfond Sports Arena for a combined home attendance of 49,500 in 19 contests and played before 74,100 fans in 34 games in their second — and — last year of Division Two competition.(continued from front page)BASEBALL HEADS WESTAll Pac-8 outfielder Tom Dodd will be counted on heavily to lead Oregon to a win­ning campaign. The Ducks were runners-up last year in the Northern Division of the then Pac-8.Army tied for sixth place last season in the Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League, end­ing up 10-17 overall.The Hoosiers of Indiana placed seventh in the Big Ten in '78 with a 20-23 season record and are paced by second baseman Bob John­son.Host Cal-Riverside (22-31) will be going through another building year in its quest for the Southern California Baseball Alliance Title.Maine will open the New England and sea­son April 6 at Northeastern. The first game at Mahaney Diamond is set for April 18 with a doubleheader against Husson College.(continued from front page)BLACK BEAR HOCKEYFreshman Andre Aubut, the ECAC Rookie of the Year, will spearhead the defensive corps again next season. Aubut established seven scoring marks for a defenseman in his initial campaign. The Laval Quebec native notched 10 goals and a team-high 35 assists for 45 points and fourth spot on the scoring parade.Goalies Jeff Nord (Quincy, Mass.) and Jim Tortorella (Concord, Mass.) will both be back for their third campaign for the Blue and White, forming one of the best goalie tandems in the ECAC.Sender's recruiting efforts will be aimed at quality players, instead of trying to get a quantity of players. He sees this as the major difference between Division One and Two. Two forwards have already decided to attend Orono next year. Michel Vincent, from Montreal, and Gaetan Bernier, from Laval, Quebec, are coming to join the ranks. Bernier played with Aubut on a metropolitan junior B team in Laval two seasons ago.Semler is still looking for another forward and at least one defenseman. Two top pros­pects from Quebec, and a transfer from St. Louis University, which is dropping its hockey program, would fill the bill nicely.Semler does not expect to have the success of this season next year. He rates the Eastern Division of Division One the toughest of the three. Quality teams such as New Hampshire, Boston University, Boston College, Northeast­ern and Providence will join Maine in the East."Realistically, our goal will be to play win­ning hockey and come up with a .500 season or better. Conditioning will be a real key, as we have to be ready to cope with the injuries that may come up throughout the season," Semler explains.SUPPORT THEBLACK BEAR HALL OF FAME1979 COMPOSITE SPRING SCHEDULEDate Sport Opponent TimeMar. 26 Baseball California-Riverside (R) 7:00 p.m. PST27 Baseball Oregon (R) 11:00 a.m.27 Baseball Seattle (R) 3:00 p.m.29 Baseball Indiana (R) 11:00 a.m.29 Baseball Oral Roberts (R) 7:00 p.m.30 Baseball Army (R) 11:00 a.m.31 Baseball Brigham Young (R) 3:00 p.m.Apr. 6 Baseball at Northeastern 3:00 p.m. EST7 Baseball at Massachusetts (2) 12:00 noon13 Baseball at Harvard 3:00 p.m.14 Baseball at New Hampshire 12:00 noon14 Track at New Hampshire 12:30 p.m.18 Baseball Husson (2) 1:00 p.m.18 Tennis at Bowdoin * 3:00 p.m.20 Baseball at Colby 3:00 p.m.20-21 Track at Boston College Relays 4:0021 Baseball at Vermont (2) 1:00 p.m.21 Tennis Colby 12:30 p.m.24 Softball at Colby 3:00 p.m.24 Tennis at Southern Maine 1:00 p.m.25 Baseball at Southern Maine (2) 1:00 p.m.26 Softball at Husson 3:30 p.m.28 Baseball Rhode Island (2) 12:00 noon28 Track Maine Invitational (at Bowdoin) 1:00 p.m.28 Tennis Bowdoin 12:30 p.m.30 Baseball Colby 2:30 p.m. EDTMay 1 Baseball at Husson (2) 1:00 p.m.2 Softball Husson 3:30 p.m.3 Tennis at Colby 3:00 p.m.4 Baseball Fairfield (2) 1:00 p.m.4 Softball Thomas 3:30 p.m.5 Baseball Connecticut (2) 12:00 noon5 Track Yankee Conference (at URI) 10:005 Tennis at Bates 1:30 p.m.8 Baseball at Holy Cross 3:00 p.m.8 Tennis Southern Maine 1:30 p.m.9 Softball Bates 3:00 p.m.10 Baseball Boston College 12:00 noon10 Softball at Southern Maine 3:30 p.m.12 Track New Englands 9:00 a.m.12 Softball States TBA14 Softball at Plymouth (2) 2:00 p.m.18-19 Track IC4A 11:00Baseball home games played at Mahaney DiamondSoftball home games played at Dow Field, Outer Hammond St., Bangor (7 innings) (R) Riverside National Intercollegiate Baseball Tournament(continued from front page)COURTMEN GO 14-10chipped in with a 7.7 point average and con­sistent strong play from his guard position. He also came up with 71 assists.Chappelle's eagers played national power Marquette to a 55-46 decision before 7,800 enthusiastic fans in the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, proving that UMaine basketball is on the way up in the ranks of New England college basketball.The key to any successful basketball pro­gram is the recruiting program. Maine head coach "Skip" Chappelle and assistant coach Peter Gavett have been canvasing the best schoolboy talentthroughoutthe northeast, and will be hearing from some of the key players. "We are in it with some good players and will know more in the weeks ahead. There are a couple of state of Maine players who we feel can make a contribution to our ball club," Chappelle commented.Maine is faced with another rugged schedule in the 79-80 season. With road games against Marquette and Alabama, and a home game in Portland with South Carolina.Wrestling Standout Captain Pat Daigle

Black Bear Sideliner, vol. 2, no. 1

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Black Bear Sideliner, vol. 2, no. 1

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