A New Chapter for Maine Field Hockey
The University of Maine’s field hockey program, once a mainstay of America East competition, endured its most challenging campaign in a decade last year. The Black Bears finished the season with a single conference victory, snapping a streak that had seen them capture the league title just five years earlier. The lone win came after a 10‑year run of sustained success, leaving the team with a 7‑12 overall record and raising questions about the future of a program that had become synonymous with consistency.
At the helm, Josette Babineau enters her twentieth season as head coach with a résumé that includes an America East tournament championship in 2021 and a berth in the NCAA Division I tournament. Babineau, a three‑time winner of the conference’s Coaching Staff of the Year award, remains committed to rebuilding the squad’s offensive firepower. She will be supported by longtime assistants Courtney Veinotte and newcomer Mike Van Iderstine, each bringing distinct expertise to the rebuilding effort.
Veinote, a former standout at Skowhegan High who spent seven years at Hofstra University, returns to the Pine Tree State after a productive stint on the East Coast. Van Iderstine, formerly a leader in the Field Hockey Canada talent pathway, joins as associate head coach, bringing international experience and a focus on player development. Together, the coaching duo is tasked with revitalizing a roster that has seen key departures but also welcomes back several seasoned players.
Among the returnees, senior goalkeeper Jayde Temby is working through lower‑body surgery, while freshmen Fiona Gunsch and Annabel Halkes are expected to share time in goal. On the field, starting fullback Eloise Penty led the team in goals and penalty strokes last season, and sophomores Louisa Plaehn and Nicole Kowalewski earned All‑America East honors. Veteran forward Saylor Kuefler contributed six goals and ten assists, tying for the team lead in scoring, providing a steady offensive anchor.
The departure of midfielders Zoe Furber, Olivia Geniti and Taylor Katsube — who were all named to the All‑America East first team — leaves sizable shoes to fill. Julia Pieters, a Dutch international, has also returned to the Netherlands, further reshaping the midfield landscape. To address the team’s struggle to score, the coaching staff emphasizes increased goal production, having been held to one goal or fewer in eight games a season ago.
The Black Bears will open the 2026 campaign with two exhibition matches, first against Brown on August 21 and then against Harvard on August 23. These games serve as an early gauge for a squad that blends veteran leadership with fresh talent, aiming to translate early momentum into a competitive season in the America East.