Page 19 - The BellTower - Spring 2016

ATHLETICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AT FORT KENT
Bengal Champions Reign Again
UMFK builds on its tradition of collegiate athletic excellence as players and coaches earn national recognition for on-field performance and twenty UMFK Fall Athletes earn All-Academic Honors for classroom achievement.
It was a season of symmetry at the University of Maine at Fort Kent with both the men’s and women’s Bengal soccer teams winning more than twenty games each against just two losses on their paths to winning USCAA National Soccer Championships in a dominating fashion. The women’s volleyball team also achieved a historic feat by mak-
ing their first appearance in the USCAA National Tournament in school history. Men’s Season Highlights
The UMFK Men’s Soccer team cruised to a 21-2 record, outscoring opponents 126-18, scoring fifty goals more than any other team. The Bengals finished the season winning thirteen straight matches and were first in goals, shots, shots on goal, assists, and shutouts. This is the UMFK Men’s second USCAA National Championship this decade.
Individual Men’s Team Honors:
• Coach Bill Ashby was named the USCAA National Coach of the Year;
• Ben Kluvers (Junior) earned USCAA
Player of the Year honors for second
straight year; and,
• Ben Kluvers (Junior), Butch Forbes
(Sophomore), Ross Downie (Senior) and Willy Monthe (Senior) were
all named USCAA First Team All- Americans.
Women’s Season Highlights
The UMFK Lady Bengals amassed
a 20-2 record with its only two losses coming against NCAA Division II oppo- nents. The Bengals outscored opponents 134-12 and finished the season winning 14 straight games, giving up just four goals during that stretch. The last eight matches were shutouts with the Bengals outscoring opponents 51 to 0. The team finished their USCAA Championship
Campaign first in the nation in shots, goals scored, shots per game, shots on goal, assists and shutouts.
The 2015 National Championship is UMFK’s third straight USCAA champion- ship and fifth in six years under Coach Lucas Levesque.
Senior goal keeper Michelle Delgadillo closes out her collegiate career having allowed only seven goals all season and posting 10 shutouts over the 2015 cam- paign. In two years of USCAA National Tournament competition she never allowed a single goal.
Individual Women’s Team Honors: • Coach Lucas Levesque named
USCAA National Coach of the Year
for the third time;
• Katherine Ferland (Senior), USCAA
Player of the Year for a second
straight year;
• Katherine Ferland, (Senior), Marie-
Laurence Montagne (Junior), and Emma Ashby (Junior) named USCAA First Team All-Americans; and
• Catherine Bruno (Junior) was named Second Team All-American.
Women’s Volleyball Highlights
The UMFK volleyball team had an overall record of 22-11. The Bengals played their toughest schedule in school history, with eight of those losses com- ing to top 10 teams. UMFK got their first ever win over a top 10 team in the open- ing match of the National Tournament, defeating Alfred State who was the num- ber four overall seed in the tournament and a team that had just crushed the Bengals a week prior. UMFK continued its dominance over Maine teams, going 13-1, losing only to St. Joe’s (ME) who at the time was 13-0.
Bengals seniors Tiara Nolen, Hope Grace and LaTishsa Carballo combined to win a school record forty-five matches in just two seasons. Second year Coach Tom Bird now has an overall record of 45-16. Individual Highlights:
• Brianna Krystek (Junior) was named First Team All-American.
• Selina Castro (Junior) was named Honorable Mention All-American.
2015 USCAA
Coaches of the Year
Bill Ashby
Positions: Athletic Director & Men’s Soccer Coach Education: University of Maine Machias (BA), University of Mary (MBA)
Family: Pam Ashby, Son Jackson & Daughter Kennedy Overall Coaching Record: 390-173-24
National Championships: USCAA 2010, USCAA 2015 Coaching Career: 31 Seasons
2006-Present: UMFK 183-14-6
2002-2005: Brescia University 50-29-6 1998-2001: University of Mary 58-24-3 1992-1997: Maine Maritime Academy 64-44-6 1989-1991: Husson College 22-31-2
1984-1987: UMaine Machias 13-30-1 Accomplishments:
Men’s Soccer: USCAA National Coach of the Year: 2015; Sunrise Conference COY: 2010, 2009, 2007, 2006; NAIA Region COY: 2007, 2006, 2003, 2001, 1999; NSCAA Regional COY: 2010, 2008, 2007,
2001; KIAC COY: 2004, 2002; USCAA National Championships: 2015, 2010; USCAA National Tournament Appearances: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010; NAIA National Tournament Appearances: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2001; NAIA Elite 8: 2008; NAIA Sweet 16: 2010, 2007; WMAC COY: 1991; USCAA National Athletic Director of the Year: 2014; Sunrise Conference Athletic Director of the Year: 2009; NAIA Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year: 2011
Lucas Levesque
Positions: Assistant Athletic Director and Women’s Soccer Coach
Education: Thomas College (BS)
Family: Amy Levesque, Daughters: Abby and Sophia Overall Coaching Record:
186-35-5 (Women’s Soccer)
138-83 (Women’s Basketball)
National Championships: USCAA 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010
Coaching Career: 12 Seasons
2004-Present UMFK 186-35-5 (WS)
2003-2011 UMFK 138-83 (WBB) Accomplishments:
Women’s Soccer: USCAA National Coach of the Year: 2015; Sunrise Conference COY: 2009, 2004; NAIA District COY 2010; National Championships: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010; USCAA National Tournament Appearances: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010; NAIA National Tournament Appearances: 2010, 2009, 2008; Winningest Coach in School History
Women’s Basketball: Sunrise Conference COY:
2009, 2006, 2004; Sunrise Conference Tournament Champions: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2004; NAIA National Tournament Appearances: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2004; Winningest Coach in School History
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