The University of Maine baseball team was picked to finish fourth this season in an America East preseason coaches poll released Tuesday.
Defending conference champion Stony Brook was picked first in the poll with four first-place votes and 34 total points. The University of Maryland Baltimore County finished second with 32 points and three first-place votes and was followed by Hartford with 25 points and UMaine with 20.
UMaine returns America East second-team selections, sophomore Justin Courtney of Bangor and senior tri-captain Logan Fullmer, on the pitching staff.
Courtney had a 5-6 record with two complete games and had a 3.24 ERA last season. Fullmer appeared in 21 games and pitched 57.2 innings. Fullmer was tied for leading the team in saves with four and also 51 strikeouts to go along with a 3.75 ERA.
Senior Brett Chappell returns this season as last year’s leader in RBIs with 38. He had a .316 average. Senior tri-captain Brendan Geary also returns after hitting .280 last season with 20 RBIs. Senior tri-captain Jonathan Salcedo, a catcher, returns after playing 28 games last season.
The team has 10 newcomers on this year’s roster.
UMaine opens its season with a three-game series at Clemson on Feb. 19.
The Black Bears open America East play on March 26 with a three-game series against Binghamton at Mahaney Diamond in Orono.
Husson football set on 10-game schedule
The 2016 Husson University football schedule has been finalized, and the Eagles are set to play 10 contests with seven Eastern Collegiate Football Conference tilts and three non-league games.
“We are excited for having a 10-game schedule,” Husson coach Gabby Price said in a news release.
The two-time defending ECFC regular-season champs will kick off their season on the road at Alfred (New York) University on Sept. 3. It will be the third straight season that the Saxons and the Eagles open against each other with Alfred leading the all-time series 4-0.
Husson’s home opener takes place on Friday, Sept. 16, at the Winkin Sports Complex against Dean College in the Eagles first Friday night game since 2011. Husson is 1-3 in night games.
The Eagles will host the Pioneers of Alfred State (New York) on Sept. 24 on homecoming weekend to close out the nonconference portion of the 2016 schedule.
The team’s ECFC opener is Oct. 1 when the Eagles travel to Throggs Neck, New York, to face the Privateers of SUNY Maritime before Husson returns home to face Gallaudet University on Oct. 8.
Husson also will host Anna Maria (Oct. 22) and defending ECFC champ Norwich University on Nov. 5. The Eagles also have road contests on Oct. 15 at Castleton (Vermont) University, on Oct. 29 at Becker in Worcester, Massachusetts, and on Nov. 12 at Mount Ida in Boston.
“The ECFC will be a great challenge,” Price said.
The NCAA Division III playoffs begin on Nov. 19.