The University of Maine-Farmington is adding men’s and women’s outdoor track and field as a varsity sport for the 2015-2016 season, UMF athletic director Julie Davis announced a news release Wednesday.
“With demonstrated interest both on campus and from our prospective students, our new varsity track and field program will be a win-win for Farmington as we bolster student engagement and attract talented student-athletes,” Jared Cash, vice president for enrollment, said in the release.
The club indoor and outdoor team has been growing for the past few years.
“I have always felt this sport would be a good fit for UMF’s mission and profile. The timing is right with great student leadership, momentum in the club, growth in our conference and a continued partnership with Mt. Blue High School,” Davis said. “The student leaders, Sean Cabaniss and Josh Wynne, put in countless hours to create the club opportunity for others with the goal of the program becoming varsity for future participants.”
Cabaniss said the addition of outdoor track and field is an incredible step forward for athletics and the campus at large.
“Both Joshua Wynne and I are ecstatic that we were able to start this program less than three years ago and see it grow to this level. We can’t wait to see how it will progress and bring positive changes to the university,” Cabaniss, a junior from Vassalboro, said.
Outdoor track and field recently was added to the North Atlantic Conference, which will host an inaugural championship this spring. UMF’s club team has been granted permission to participate in those championships but cannot receive any scoring credit. The team will compete in the 2016 NAC championship at the varsity level.
The club team has been using the Mt. Blue facility, and the varsity team will continue to do so.
UMF Nordic skiers heading to national meet
UMF’s Nordic Ski Team has qualified for the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association National Championship March 1 to 7 at Mount Bachelor in Bend, Oregon.
The women’s team qualified after finishing fourth at the USCSA Eastern Regional Championship last week in Vermont. Emily Ramsey, Ellie Pinto and Alisha Labbe will represent the team.
During last weekend’s 8.5K interval start, Ramsey finished sixth in 29 minutes, 59 seconds, while Labbe placed 17th and Pinto placed 24th.
Ramsey also finished sixth in the .8K sprint qualifier (2:55) and Labbe placed 14th.
In the 15K mass skate, Ramsey recorded a fourth-place finish (58:28).
On the men’s side, UMF’s Bryce Neal and Joshua Richards qualified for the national meet as individual competitors.
Neal ranked 20th after posting a 28:22 time in the 8.5K and placed 24th in the .8K sprint qualifier with a time of 2:58 while Richards finished 37th. Neal placed 27th in the 15K mass skate, and Richards was 32nd.
Husson lacrosse team sixth in NAC poll
The Husson University women’s lacrosse team has been selected to finish sixth in the North Atlantic Conference, according to the Preseason Coaches Poll.
Castleton State was selected the favorite in the poll. The three-time defending champions received a total of 80 points and eight first-place votes. Thomas was selected second (72) and was followed by Colby-Sawyer (53), New England College (53), UMF (43), Husson (42), Maine Maritime Academy (22), Green Mountain College and Johnston State (19).
The NAC lacrosse season opens Sunday.
NESCAC basketball semifinals Saturday
The New England Small College Athletic Conference will hold its men’s and women’s semifinals and championships this weekend with the men’s tourney tipping off in Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, while the women will play at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
In the men’s tourney, No. 6 Wesleyan will take on No. 1 Trinity at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by No. 5 Amherst vs. No. 2 Bowdoin at 4 p.m. In the women’s semifinals, No. 4 Williams will play No. 1 Tufts at 2 p.m. and No. 3 Amherst will battle No. 2 Bowdoin at 4 p.m.
The championship games are set for noon Sunday.