The University of Maine women’s basketball team will kick off the conference portion of its 2019-20 schedule against its foe in each of the last two America East championship games, the Hartford Hawks, next Jan. 2 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
The two-time defending conference champion Black Bears return three starters, including guard Blanca Millan, the reigning America East Player of the Year, and All-America East third-team point guard Dor Saar. The other returning starter is forward Fanny Wadling, the team’s leading rebounder last season.
Hartford has a new head coach in Morgan Valley, who replaces Kim McNeill. McNeill left to take the head coaching job at East Carolina.
The Black Bears, 25-8 overall and 15-1 in league regular-season play last season, have won 14 straight games against league opponents, including three tourney victories.
Hartford was the lone America East team to beat UMaine a year ago, winning 49-46 at Hartford, Connecticut.
The Black Bears will play their first America East road game at Stony Brook next Jan. 5.
UMaine will return home for games with New Hampshire (Jan. 8) and Albany (Jan. 11).
The Black Bears then will play three straight road games, at UMass Lowell on Jan. 15, at Binghamton on Jan. 18 and at Vermont on Jan. 22.
Maryland Baltimore County and its new head coach, Johnetta Hayes, will visit the Cross Insurance Center on Jan. 26 before UMaine travels to Hartford on Feb. 1.
UMaine will return to Bangor for three straight home games against Vermont (Feb. 5), Binghamton (Feb. 9) and UMass Lowell (Feb. 12).
The Black Bears finish the regular season with three road games sandwiched around their Senior Day game at the Cross Insurance Center against Stony Brook on Feb. 23.
UMaine will visit Albany on Feb. 15, New Hampshire on Feb. 25 and Maryland Baltimore County on Feb. 29.
For the second straight year, the America East tournament will be played at the home courts of the higher seeds. The top eight teams qualify.
Tournament quarterfinals will be held March 4, the semifinals March 8 and the title game on March 13.
All America East home games will be aired on the ESPN networks, mostly on ESPN+/3.