Brittany Colton, the top-scoring defenseman at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts, will be playing for the University of Maine in the fall.
She will be a scholarship player, has already been accepted into the school and will begin taking summer classes at UMaine with the rest of the freshman class on Tuesday, July 5.
Colton had seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 28 games. She had six goals and 16 assists in 51 games during her first two seasons at Lawrence Academy. She is a two-time all-league player and was a captain.
She also has played for the prestigious Massachusetts-based East Coast Wizards club program, which was founded by two-time United States Olympian and Harvard University Hobey Baker Award winner Scott Fusco in 2005.
Colton and the Wizards’ U-19 team played in the national club championship this season, according to UMaine head coach Richard Reichenbach.
“She is someone who can step right into the lineup and be among the top four. She can play in all situations,” said Reichenbach. “She’s solid, she’s strong, and we really like the way she moves the puck. She plays with her head up.
“And she has a great slap shot,” he added.
Colton also is a right-hand shot on a team comprised primarily of left-shot defensemen.
She is one of three incoming freshman defensemen along with Swedish Under-18 team captain Ebba Strandberg and Canadian Brittany Kucera.
And Reichenbach said defenseman Kristin Gilmour, who was a medical redshirt a year ago after playing in 26 games as a sophomore, will be back.
The defense corps will definitely be youthful as Alyson Matteau, the team’s third-leading scorer and top-scoring defenseman with six goals and six assists last season, and Cassidy Herman (3 & 3) were both freshmen and Mikayla Rogers (0 & 9) was a sophomore.
“We’re excited about our defense corps,” said Reichenbach, who noted that Matteau and Herman also possess hard slap shots.
SMCC names new baseball coach
John Flanders has been named the new head baseball coach at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland.
Flanders was the head baseball coach and equipment manager for five seasons at Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts, where his teams compiled an 86-82-2 record.
Flanders also has served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Curry College, Stonehill College and Salem State University.