March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Maine’s Fein earns honor from The Sporting News

Mickey Fein turned some heads last season, including those of opposing defensive backs, when the University of Maine quarterback established eight school records, including 236 completions and 26 touchdown passes.

With the start of his senior season still nine weeks away, the Black Bears’ co-captain and offensive leader is already earning more recognition.

Fein is the fifth-rated quarterback in Division I-AA in The Sporting News’ 1998 College Football edition. He is listed behind No. 4 James Perry of Brown and ahead of another A-10 adversary, Mike Cook of William & Mary.

Hofstra junior Gionvanni Carmazzi is listed as the country’s top quarterback.

Fein was the only UMaine player listed in TSN’s national rankings, which rate the top 10 players at each position. In spite of their national rankings, Cook was given the nod at quarterback on TSN’s All-Atlantic 10 preseason team.

In the team category, Atlantic 10 representatives included Villanova (No. 3), Delaware (No. 5), Connecticut (No. 17), and William & Mary (No. 21).

Last season Fein, a 6-foot-3, 225-pounder from Centerville, Mass., completed 236 of 414 passes (.570) for 2,885 yards in 10 games. He was intercepted 12 times.

The third-team, All-Atlantic 10 selection ranked sixth in the nation in total offense (287.9 yards per game) and was 26th in passing efficiency at 130.5.

The only other UMaine player mentioned in TSN’s publication is senior Pat Sheehan, who is listed as an All-Atlantic 10 tackle. Sheehan, a 6-6, 345-pounder from Iselin, N.J., was an All-A10 second-team pick last season.

Tailback Jerry Azumah of New Hampshire was named TSN’s preseason Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year, while the defensive nod went to safety Tony Booth of James Madison.

Thomas College in Waterville has named a new athletic director and a new field hockey coach.

Chris Young of Limestone has been tapped to take the athletic director job, while Brenda Beckwith was named earlier in the spring to coach field hockey.

Young, 32, a 1990 graduate of the University of Maine, has served as assistant athletic director, men’s basketball and golf coach at Thomas during his five year at the institution, and will continue to hold down those posts. He also serves as an instructor and advisor in the golf management program at the school.

Young, whose first official day on the job is today, takes over for Mike Keller. Keller took the men’s and women’ssoccer coaching positions at Maine Maritime Academy.

Young said he’s eager to start work.

“If you can remember when you were a kid, it kind of feels like Christmas, and you’re looking forward to getting downstairs to open your presents,” Young said.

Young said the school has spent more than $200,000 to build and improve fields, and enrollment has jumped from around 360 to 490 full-time students over the past five years.

“It’s people like Brenda and our other coaches at Thomas that make this job very exciting, to the point that we can stake out some ground in the Maine Athletic Conference and start competing against the Hussons and St. Joes, taking on those types of teams.”

Beckwith graduated from William Penn College in Iowa in 1981 and received a masters degree in physical education and coaching from Bemidgi State University in Minnesota in 1986.

Beckwith will get her fill of field hockey in the fall, as she will continue to coach at Winslow High School as well as leading the Terriers into their second year of play.

Young said Beckwith will coach both programs for one year before taking a more active role at Thomas.

Keller has been appointed as the head coach of the men’s and women’s soccer programs at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.

Keller takes over for Bill Ashby, who stepped down last fall. Ashby directed the Mariners to a 64-43-6 record in six seasons.

Named the 1995 Coach of the Year by the Maine Collegiate Soccer Coaches Association, Keller boasts eight years of collegiate coaching experience, including stops at UMaine-Presque Isle, New Hampshire, the University of Southern Maine and Thomas. He also coached at Cony High in Augusta.

“Mike comes to Maine Maritime with impressive peer, administrative and student recommendations,” said MMA athletic director Bill Mottola. “Mike has a true passion for the sport of soccer and a concern that it embrace the academic and social health of our students.”

Keller earned a degree in mathematics from UMaine-Farmington, then received a master’s degree in physical education at the University of New Hampshire.

UMaine swimming coach Jeff Wren has announced the Black Bears’ captains for the 1998-99 season.

Susie Herrick of Wenham, Mass., was named the captain of the women’s squad. She has been voted UMaine’s Most Valuable Swimmer each of the last three seasons.

Herrick holds school records in the 100- and 200-meter butterfly, and the 200 and 400 individual medley and has won four times at the America East championships.

The men’s captains are seniors Jason Williams of Orono and Joe Dinan of Cumberland. Williams specializes in breaststroke and freestyle events, while Dinan heads UMaine’s corps of distance swimmers.

Coach Paul Kostacopoulos and the members of the Black Bear baseball program are gearing up for the annual UMaine Baseball Classic golf tournament.

The event, a fund-raiser for the baseball program, is scheduled for Friday, July 17, at Bangor Municipal Golf Course. The entry fee of $100 includes lunch, a gift package, and a reception after the tournament.

To reserve your spot, call 581-1096.


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