University of Maine women’s basketball standout Sigi Koizar and Maine Maritime Academy’s Brendan Newcomb have been nominated for prestigious basketball teams thanks to service work in their communities.
Koizar has been nominated for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Good Works Team, while Newcomb is a nominee for the National Association of Basketball Coaches Good Works Team.
Koizar is among 97 WBCA nominees while Newcomb is among 181 NABC nominees.
A final roster of 10 men’s and women’s players, five from the Division I level and five from Divisions II, III and the NAIA will be announced in February.
Allstate partners with the NABC and the WBCA to recognize a select group of men and women college basketball student-athletes for their community service achievements.
Koizar has been one of the top players in America East over the last few seasons but is also a tireless worker in the Bangor community. The native of Austria has offered her free time to teach basketball clinics, visit local schools, wrap presents during the holidays and volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House.
Koizar is averaging a team-leading 13.6 points per game this season for coach Richard Barron’s Black Bears. The senior guard is shooting 90.5 perent from the free-throw line while averaging 2.4 assists per contest.
UMaine is 3-4 heading into Friday’s contest at Clemson.
Newcomb, a native of Holden, is also a tireless worker in the Maine Maritime Academy community, and his work includes implementing the Coaches Powering Forward for Autism event at the school.
The event, held last season, raised $625 for autism awareness through a special game.
Newcomb has given basketball lessons to a local boy who has Tourette’s Syndrome, and he regularly volunteers his time with Maine Maritime Academy’s Special Olympics program.
The junior guard and graduate of Brewer High is averaging 13.8 points per game while shooting 42 percent from 3-point range thus far this season.
Newcomb is also shooting 85.7 percent from the foul line.
