The University of Maine football team, which signed players during the new early National Letter of Intent signing period, has bolstered its roster with two midyear transfers.
The Black Bears have added offensive lineman Tyler Royal and wide receiver Brian Dolan, both of whom are eligible to join the team for spring practice and may compete during the 2018 season.
Royal is a 6-foot-3, 335-pounder who hails from Raleigh, North Carolina. The graduate of Millbrook High School comes to UMaine from Division II Cheyney (Pa.) University.
He played in 11 games as a freshman last season for the Wolves, who had a 1-11 record.
Dolan is a 6-2, 199-pounder from Sparta, N.J., where he played at Pope John XXIII High School. The former first-team all-conference and all-state honorable mention performer played in 10 games as a freshman last season at Division II Pace University and made eight receptions.
The Setters went 3-7 last fall.
Husson guard makes list
Husson University senior guard Raheem Anderson has been named to the 2018 Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award Watch List as one of the nation’s top players, according to Small College Basketball.
The watch list consists of 100 of the finest men’s basketball players in the country who compete in the affiliations of NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA Division I, NAIA Division II, USCAA and NCCAA.
This marks the third season of the Bevo Francis Award, as the award was previously given to Dominez Burnett of Davenport (Mich.) in 2016 and Justin Pitts of Northwest Missouri State in 2017.
On February 15, SCB will publish the next Watch List with 50 players. The list will be narrowed down to 25 players in a Watch List published on March 15. The finalists will be announced in a highlight video that will be released on March 31.
The 2018 Bevo Francis Award winner will be announced on April 2 but for the first time, the award will be presented to the award winner on May 19 at the newly created National Awards Show in conjunction with the SCB Alumni Association’s Celebration of the Game event at the Crowne Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri.
UMaine ‘Skating Strides’ game Saturday
The ninth-ranked UMaine women’s ice hockey plays Merrimack College on Saturday at Alfond Arena in Orono for the annual “Skating Strides Against Breast Cancer Game,” sponsored by FairPoint Communications. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The Black Bears will wear special pink jerseys, which will be auctioned off throughout the game and all money raised, including donations, will go to The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing.
Jerseys also will be auctioned off during Friday’s 7 p.m. men’s hockey game against New Hampshire.
Winslow outfielder honored
University of Southern Maine sophomore outfielder Dylan Hapworth of Winslow is among 42 players named to the D3baseball.com Preseason All-America teams.
Hapworth was named to the first team.
The D3baseball.com preseason All-America team was chosen from previous year’s All-American and All-Region nominations.
Hapworth was named to the D3baseball.com All-America third team, and was the only first-year player among the 2017 honorees. He was the ninth USM player to receive national recognition from D3baseball.com since 2008.
The hard-hitting outfielder had an immediate impact on the Huskies’ lineup offensively batting a team-high .394 (63 for 160) with 14 doubles, four triples, nine home runs and 42 RBI. We was named the Little East Conference Rookie of the Year and a first team all-conference pick.
Southern Maine (34-13 last season) advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Division III New York Regional Tournament. The Huskies open their 2018 campaign with a nine-game trip to Florida beginning on March 10 with a game against the University of Wisconsin La Crosse.