University of Maine - Athletics

Athletics

The University of Maine participates in the NCAA's Division I level, and is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association for football, Hockey East for ice hockey, and the America East Conference for all other sports. The school has won two national championships, both in men's ice hockey. In 1993, they defeated Lake Superior State University 5-4 behind a third period hat trick by Jim Montgomery. In 1999, they defeated rival University of New Hampshire 3-2 in overtime on a goal by Marcus Gustafsson.

In 1965, the football team competed in the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Florida against East Carolina. They were beaten in the game 31-0, but remain the only team from Maine to compete in a bowl contest.

The baseball team has participated in seven College World Series, six of them under coach John Winkin between 1976 and 1986, and one under Jack Butterfield in 1964. The Black Bears achieved two third-place finishes in 1964 and 1982.

Although the official fight song of UMaine is "For Maine", the school song is the more-known, "Stein Song". Written by Lincoln Colcord (words) and E. A. Fenstad (music), the tune rose to fame when Rudy Vallée arranged the current version. Vallee attended Maine from 1921–1922 before transferring to Yale, and his popularity helped make the song a national favorite. To this day, the "Stein Song" remains the only college fight song to ever reach number one on the pop charts, achieving this distinction in 1930. According to College Fight Songs: An Annotated Anthology, by Studwell and Schueneman, the "Stein Song" is one of the very best fight songs of all time.

In addition to varsity athletics, the university offers many club sports through its Campus Recreation department. Sport clubs represent UMaine by competing against teams and clubs from other universities and colleges. National governing bodies for each club provide competition guidelines and league structure.

Sport clubs are student led and student administered. Each has a budget that is run through Campus Recreation, which in part funds nearly all clubs. Clubs are eligible for funding through Campus Recreation after they have been active for at least one year and have a membership minimum of ten members. Current club sports include alpine skiing, baseball, crew, cricket, cycling, fast pitch softball, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, nordic skiing, roller hockey, rugby, shotokan karate, soccer, table tennis, tackle football, ultimate, and volleyball.

The Men's club lacrosse team received the Jeff Tweedie award through the University for outstanding team standing and club leadership for the Spring season of 2012. They play in the Pioneer Conference Lacrosse League of the MCLA.

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