ORONO, Maine – Six newcomers, four from Maine high schools and two from Europe, comprise the University of Maine field hockey team’s 2018 recruiting class, head coach Josette Babineau announced Tuesday.
“We want to welcome these great players to our program,” Babineau said in a news release. “They all bring an outstanding level of skill and experience. They have all been great leaders in their respective programs. They are very hard working and will fit in well with our team culture.”
The UMaine recruiting class consists of Hannah Abbott of Portland; Mia Borley of Durham, England; Nina Keur of Naarden, Netherlands; Sydney Meader of Boothbay Harbor; Kelsey Mehuren of Searsmont; and Claire Scobie of Hampden.
Abbott, a defender comes to UMaine from Cheverus High School and the Coastal Field Hockey Club. At Cheverus, Abbott earned all-state recognition and Southern Maine Athletic Association honors in 2016 and 2017. As a junior, she led Cheverus with 14 goals. Abbott also competed in basketball, track and softball for the Stags.
Abbott is the daughter of former University of Maine athletic director Steve Abbott and granddaughter of former Black Bear head football coach and AD Walter Abbott
Borely, a five-time goalkeeper of the year at Durham High School in England, has represented England and Wales on international levels, most recently competing for Wales at the U-23 level while attending various senior camps. She also has experience competing indoors at the Indoor European Championships. While in high school, she helped Durham win a regional title and collected two player of the year awards.
Keur helped Willem de Zwijger College Bussum to a Netherlands national championship in 2016. The midfielder also played for Gooische Hockey Club, which competes at the highest level in the country for her age.
Meader earned All-Mountain Valley Conference honors for four years at Boothbay Regional High School and was named a Miss Maine Field Hockey finalist as a senior. The two-time All-Maine forward holds school records for goals in a season and career, and was named to the Max Preps All-New England team. Meader also played for the Black Bear Elite Club.
Mehuren was a four-time Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference all-star while at Belfast Area High School, where the midfielder served as a team captain as a senior. She led the Lions to a Class B North championship in 2016 and earned all-state honors as a junior and senior.
Scobie was a two-year captain for Hampden Academy and earned All-KVAC first-team honors as a junior and senior. Max Field Hockey named Scobie one of the top 25 players to watch in New England this past season, and the forward and midfielder was selected to USA Field Hockey Northeast’s Level 1 Futures Site in both 2017 and 2018. She also played for the Black Bear Elite Club.
Maine finished the 2017 season ranked 25th nationally in the final NFHCA coaches poll with a 12-6 record overall, 6-2 while finishing as as regular season co-champions of the East Division of America East.
The eligibility of all student-athletes is contingent upon admission to the University of Maine and compliance with all NCAA rules, including registration with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
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