First field hockey endowment established at University of Maine Foundation

Longtime friends of University of Maine Athletics, Susan G. Randall ’89 and Tony Randall, have established the first endowment for UMaine’s field hockey team, benefitting one of the university’s most successful athletic programs for years to come.

“Sue and Tony have been great supporters of UMaine Athletics for many years,” University of Maine Director of Athletics Ken Ralph says. “This gift shows the depth of their commitment to the women in this program and supports our continued efforts to provide all of our students with a great experience in Division I athletics.”

The Randalls have been a staple with the UMaine Athletics community since the 1980s, providing food for banquets and items for auctions to raise money for the field hockey program, along with the annual Bears ’n Claws Lobster Dinner to support women’s basketball.

After working in UMaine’s central administration for 25 years, Sue Randall joined the Athletics Department as an athletic business manager in 1995. She was promoted to assistant athletic director for business, serving in that position until her retirement in 2015. When field hockey head coach Josette Babineau was hired in 2007, Randall was an athletic administrator for field hockey.

The endowment will help the program with operation costs, and donations to the fund will benefit the program for the long term.

The field hockey team had a successful 2018 season, finishing with a 16–5 overall record, advancing to the America East Championship game for the second time in the last four seasons. The high-octane Maine offense ranked fifth in the nation in goals per game (3.57 goals) and 13th in the country in goals allowed per game (1.38). Maine was nationally ranked the entire campaign, finishing No. 19 in the final Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll of the season. The year marked the fifth time in the last eight seasons that the Black Bears ended the season nationally ranked.

To donate to the Susan G. ’89 and Anthony L. Randall Field Hockey Fund, visit the University of Maine Foundation website.

The full news release is online.