Dustin Penner, a former University of Maine men’s ice hockey player, won the 2012 Stanley Cup on Tuesday night with the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings defeated the New Jersey Devils 6-1.
He joins former Black Bear Jimmy Howard, who previously won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings during the 2008 season, as the only UMaine players to have won the Stanley Cup. Penner was also a member of the Stanley Cup winning Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the 2006-2007 season. John Tortorella accomplished the feat in 2004 as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Penner played in all 20 Stanley Cup playoff games for the Kings, scoring three goals and adding eight assists for 11 points. Penner scored the game-winning goal in the Western Conference series-clinching victory over the Phoenix Coyotes, which propelled the Kings to the finals.
Penner led UMaine to the 2004 NCAA title game, earning all-tournament honors in the process. He scored the game-winning goal in Maine’s 2-1 victory over Boston College in the Frozen Four semifinal game.
Contact: Jessica Bloch, (207) 581-3777
A $7.9 million gift from the estate of Thomas P. Hosmer was recently received by the University of Maine Foundation to primarily support maintenance projects at the University of Maine. This is the third-largest single gift given to benefit the University of Maine.
According to Amos Orcutt, University of Maine Foundation president and CEO, more than 90 percent of the gift is designated for the Thomas P. Hosmer Fund, an endowed fund established at the foundation in 2005 to provide supplemental income for maintenance and repairs that would not otherwise be done due to budget limitations. The remainder of the gift is designated for an endowed scholarship and an endowed lab to benefit the University of Maine Department of Mechanical Engineering that are both also in Mr. Hosmer’s name.
“The fact that he chose maintenance as his legacy speaks volumes about Tom’s commitment to the university,” Orcutt says. “In fact, Tom said it best himself when he wrote in his fund description that the university is a special place and should look the part.” Orcutt adds he hopes Hosmer’s gift will help others realize that while there is always going to be a need for traditional scholarship support, there are other, less traditional ways of supporting the university that can be just as impactful.
“I am overwhelmed by Tom’s generosity,” says UMaine President Paul W. Ferguson. “His personal vision for UMaine is clearly captured in our new Blue Sky Plan that seeks to enhance our physical infrastructure through consistent funding for maintenance and repair. It is essential that our campus beauty as well as our classrooms and laboratories reflect the world class place of learning and discovery that UMaine represents.”
Mr. Hosmer graduated from the University of Maine in 1958 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was a consulting engineer for Arthur D. Little in Cambridge, Mass., from 1965 to 2002, and from 2002 to 2004 he was a senior mechanical engineer for Nuvera Fuel Cells, Inc. also in Cambridge. He passed away in May 2011.
The University of Maine Foundation is a separate nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that was established in 1934 and has offices on the University of Maine campus in Orono and in Falmouth, Maine. The foundation exists to encourage private support to promote academic achievement, foster research and elevate intellectual pursuits at the University of Maine in Orono and other charitable organizations and has assets approaching $200 million.
Contact: Amos E. Orcutt (207) 581-5100
Dustin Penner, who played hockey at UMaine and is now playing in the Stanley Cup finals with the Los Angeles Kings, was profiled on the Sports Illustrated website. The profile noted that although Penner “skated like Bambi” when he first arrived at UMaine, the wing player now has three goals and eight assists in the playoffs.
Contact: Jessica Bloch, (207) 581-3777
There will be a reception at the University of Maine’s Buchanan Alumni House following a memorial service on Saturday, March 10, for Carol Abbott, who passed away on Friday. Abbott was a UMaine alumna, the wife of former University of Maine football coach and professor Walter Abbott and the mother of current UMaine athletic director Steve Abbott. (more…)
The Bangor Daily News has a story about alumna Carol Abbott, the mother of current UMaine athletic director Steve Abbott and the wife of former UMaine football coach and professor Walter Abbott, who died Friday. Carol Abbott earned an English degree in 1959 from UMaine, according to the story, where she met Walter Abbott, who became an assistant football coach for the Black Bears in 1960 and later assumed head coaching duties from 1967-75.
Contact: Jessica Bloch, (207) 581-3777
The Bangor Daily News reported on Sunday’s Girls Hockey Day, which was held at UMaine’s Alfond Arena. About 35 girls from around the state met for an on-ice skills competition, a tour of the Alfond facilities, and listened to former UMaine women’s players Kim Meagher, Rachel Gettings and Jennie Gallo talk about how hockey had influenced their lives.
Contact: Jessica Bloch, 207-581-3777
Several legendary UMaine athletes and coaches have been named to the Maine Sports Hall of Fame, according to a report in the Bangor Daily News. UMaine education faculty member Walter Abbott, a former Black Bears football coach, will be inducted this year, as will alumni Phillip Coulombe (football), Emily Ellis (women’s basketball) and Dennis Libbey (baseball).
Contact: Jessica Bloch, 207-581-3777
Bangor TV station WABI reported on Sunday’s 3-on-3 basketball tournament that was a fundraiser for the Strong Minds, Strong Bodies organization headed by UMaine alumnus and former Black Bear football player Roosevelt Boone. Boone said the free program offers kids the opportunity to participate in physical activity and able to learn during the summer months instead of participating in at risk activities or at risk behaviors. The tournament was held in UMaine’s field house.
Contact: Jessica Bloch, 207-581-3777
Several state and national news outlets, including the website Boxscore News, noted that UMaine football coach Jack Cosgrove, a 1978 UMaine graduate, was named Tuesday the New England Football Writers Division I FCS Coach of the Year. Cosgrove, in his 19th season as head coach, has led the Black Bears to an 8-3 record and a berth in the FCS playoffs. The announcement was also noted on a Portland Press Herald blog.
Contact: Jessica Bloch, 207-581-3777
Several news outlets reported that former UMaine softball player Lynn Coutts has been named the Black Bears’ new coach. Coutts is a member of the UMaine Sports Hall of Fame and is married to former UMaine baseball baseball player Mike Coutts. In a Bangor Daily News story, Coutts said she is eager to move forward on the field, in the classroom and in the community. UMaine Athletic Director Steve Abbott said Coutts has great vision for the program. Coutts told the Portland Press Herald she is eager to start recruiting. Bangor TV station WABI also reported on the hiring.
Contact: Jessica Bloch, 207-581-3777