FARMINGTON, Maine — Veteran coach Paul Rodrigue has been named the University of Maine at Farmington’s head softball coach.
Rodrigue had been tabbed for the position last January but decided to spend time with family in Florida. While there, he volunteered at Indian River State College as the Pioneers’ pitching coach.
He takes over the helm of UMF softball after Amy Jones served as the interim head coach last season.
“We are very fortunate to have Paul on board as a member of our team and head coach for our softball program. He is most enthusiastic about the possibilities,” UMF Director of Athletics Julie Davis said in a news release. “The returning players and recruits are as eager as he is to get started this fall, and we look forward to great things.”
Rodrigue served at the University of Southern Maine in 2010 as a pitching coach and assisted with the UMaine Black Bears in Orono during the 2009 season.
Rodrigue was at Thomas College as an assistant coach for two seasons before taking over as head coach in 2003, a role he had for six seasons.
In his first season, Rodrigue guided the Terriers to the 2003 Sunrise Conference championship and was recognized as the Sunrise Conference Coach of the Year. The Terriers also won the North Atlantic Conference championship in 2004 and were conference runners-up in 2006.
Rodrigue’s high school coaching experience includes stints at Old Town, Mt. Blue, Cony, Gardiner and St. Augustine (Florida).
He was inducted into Kennebec Valley YMCA Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Maine Sports Legends Hall of Honor in 2005, and he was a successful business owner for 30 years.
Non-conference schedule set for UMaine women
The University of Maine women’s basketball team’s 2015-16 non-conference schedule announced Tuesday is highlighted by a home game against Clemson, trips to Minnesota, Purdue and North Carolina, and an appearance in the Gulf Coast Showcase.
Six of Maine’s non-conference opponents made the 2014-15 NCAA Tournament.
“This is a very challenging schedule but we believe that we are prepared,” head coach Richard Barron said in a news release.
“With 13 players returning and eight seniors, there is no better time to measure ourselves against some programs with great tradition from some of the top conferences in the country. We believe that we will be well prepared for America East play after our non-conference slate.”
Maine opens the season with a pair of exhibition contests. The Black Bears will meet Vanguard University for a neutral site showdown in Gorham before taking on Stonehill College at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
The Black Bears, who went 3-1 last season against the Ivy League, will travel to take on Harvard on Nov. 13 before looking for their second straight victory over Boston College on Nov. 15 in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
Maine continues on the road when it travels to take on NCAA Tournament participant Minnesota on Nov. 20 and close out the midwest road swing with a date at North Dakota State on Nov. 22.
Maine returns home to battle Central Connecticut State on Nov. 25.
The Black Bears will be one of eight teams who will travel to Estero, Florida, and take part in the 2015-16 Gulf Coast Showcase from Nov. 27-29. Maine will join Dayton, Louisville, LSU, Marist, Missouri State, Purdue and Stanford at the tournament.
Maine opens December with a home date against in-state rival Colby on the first of the month before traveling to take on Northeastern (Dec. 4) and Dartmouth (Dec. 6).
The Black Bears return home for a meeting with Bryant on Saturday, Dec. 12 before hosting Atlantic Coast Conference member Clemson on Friday, Dec. 18.
The Black Bears finish their non-conference run on the road at Purdue of the Big Ten Conference on Dec. 21 before closing the month against another 2014-15 NCAA Tournament member, at North Carolina, on the 31st.