Maine Football 2 Days From Opener, Husson Soccer Starts Wednesday

Yesterday was the CAA weekly media conference call, and UMaine is preparing for Thursday’s opener against Delaware at Alfond Stadium.
• Maine will play without senior defensive back Katley Joseph who is out with a knee injury
o Coach Charlton said Joseph is being evaluated and would not put a timetable on his return, or if he would return this season
• Delaware beat Maine 37-0 in the spring season
o Blue Hens have won 25 of 36 meetings between the two teams
UMaine is 63-58-5 all-time in its season openers and has won seven of its last eight home openers and each of its last four

Yesterday was the first day of the fall semester for UMaine students, and women’s basketball player Lexi Middlestat of Mount Blue High School was surprised by the coaches and the team with a full scholarship.
• Video of Middlestat finding out is on the women’s basketball social media pages

The North Atlantic Conference released their preseason polls for men’s and women’s soccer as the season gets ready to begin.
• With 11 teams in the conference there are now two divisions, East and West
• Husson Women picked first in the six-team East Women’s division, getting 4 of the 6 first place votes
o MMA was picked second with one first place vote, UMaine Farmington was picked third with one first place vote
o UMPI was tabbed 4th, Thomas5th in the East
• There are 12 men’s teams, 6 in each division and again Husson was picked first by the coaches in the East with 4 first place votes
o Thomas College had the other two first place votes and was picked second
o MMA third, UMF fourth, UMPI fifth
• Both Husson teams open their season tomorrow, The women at Dean College the men against USM