CAMBRIDGE, Mass. –
The University of Maine women’s basketball team will not participate in the
2013 America East Women’s Basketball Championship presented by SEFCU that
begins on Friday, March 9, the university announced on Monday evening.
The announcement comes in the aftermath of the
Feb. 26 bus accident on Interstate 95 near Georgetown, Mass. in which the bus
driver was injured and a Maine player sustained a broken hand.
"It has been a difficult time for these
student-athletes following the accident," says Robert Dana, vice president
for student affairs and dean of students. "Our focus has been and
continues to be the health and well-being of these players in their athletic and
academic lives. Knowing students as I do and having consulted with experts, my
recommendation to President Ferguson, AD Abbott and Coach Barron is that the
UMaine women's basketball team end its season to spend this time continuing to
recuperate. They are back in the UMaine community and that's what matters.
Seeing them back on the road for the tournament would have been difficult and
not in their best interest."
Coach Richard Barron and Athletic Director
Steve Abbott talked with the student-athletes Monday morning and afternoon before
notifying America East of Maine's decision.
“We are very sympathetic to the traumatic event
Maine women’s basketball has experienced,” said America East Commissioner Amy
Huchthausen. “We entrust this decision to the experts and professionals on
Maine’s campus to do what is best for the student-athletes, coaches and staff.
The America East still looks forward to a great tournament in Albany this
weekend.”
Maine was the No. 8 seed in the 2013 America East
Championship and was scheduled to play No. 1 seed Albany in session two of the
tournament on Friday, March 8, at 6 p.m. Fans who have already purchased
single-session tickets for session two will receive a full refund. Session two
tickets for all reserved section seats will now be reduced to $5.
In addition, fans who have already purchased all-session
passes will receive a partial refund by calling the Albany ticket office at
518-442-DANE. Those fans also will receive a $10 discount for a future America
East Championship event.
The game between No. 4 seed Stony Brook and No. 5 seed New
Hampshire which was scheduled during session two at 8 p.m. has been moved to
the 6 p.m. time slot. No. 1 seed Albany advances to the semifinals Sunday at 1
p.m.
Women’s
Quarterfinals
Friday, March 8 at
SEFCU Arena, Albany, NY
Game 1- #2 Hartford vs. #7 Binghamton, 12:02 pm
Game 2- #3 UMBC
vs. #6 Vermont, 30 minutes following conclusion of prior game
Game 3- #4 Stony Brook vs. #5 New Hampshire, 6:02 pm
Men’s
Quarterfinals
Saturday, March 9
at SEFCU Arena, Albany, NY
Game 1- #2 Vermont vs. #7 New Hampshire, 12:02 pm
Game 2- #3 Hartford vs. #6 UMBC, 30 minutes following
conclusion of prior game
Game 3- #1 Stony Brook vs. #8 Binghamton, 6:02 pm
Game 4- #4 Albany vs. #5 Maine, 30 minutes following
conclusion of prior game
Women’s Semifinals
Sunday, March 10
at SEFCU Arena, Albany, NY
Game 4- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 11:02 a.m.
Game 5- Winner Game 3 vs. #1 Albany, 30 minutes following
conclusion of prior game
Men’s Semifinals
Sunday, March 10
at SEFCU Arena, Albany, NY
Game 5- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5:02 p.m.
Game 6- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 30 minutes
following conclusion of prior game
Men’s Championship
Game
Saturday, March 16
Game 7- Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 11:32 a.m. (at
home court of higher remaining seed)
Women’s
Championship Game
Saturday, March 16
Game 6- Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 7:02 p.m. (at
home court of higher remaining seed)