ORONO — He stars in the highlight that made the ESPN Top 10 plays.

But when Chris Treister is finally done with the University of Maine, he will have much more … like a Master of Business Administration degree.

Treister, a senior from Cape Elizabeth and a Portland High School alum, has put in maximum effort on campus, in the classroom, and with football.

Not everything has worked out the way he’d like, but Treister will eventually walk away a success.

“He’s done all the things. Attention in the meetings, intensity, practice habits, leadership, performance,” Maine football coach Jack Cosgrove said. “It’s a tribute to the kid. He’s been like this ever since he’s been here. Rock-solid student-athlete and young man. We’re fortunate to have him.”

Unfortunately for Treister, a quarterback, the Black Bears also have Warren Smith, also a quarterback, who transferred to Maine in 2009 after his school, Iona College, dropped football.

The two have battled for the starting job the past two years, with Smith winning out, barely, each time.

“This whole quarterback thing was as close and difficult a decision as you could have imagined,” Cosgrove said. “I’d like to think if it went the other way, we’d still have the same success.

“When the decision was made, it didn’t taste very good for him, I’m sure.”

No, it didn’t. But Treister had experience with disappointment. He learned from it.

“Something I’ve been through for a few years now,” Treister said. “Being a veteran on the team, I knew it couldn’t affect me in a negative way, like it has in the past.

“I had to take my role and go with it, continue to work hard and do the things I’ve done since I’ve been here. Take my opportunities when they come.”

So far, this season, those opportunities have come on special teams as the holder for field goals and extra points. Three times, Maine has run fakes that have resulted in scores.

The most dramatic one came on Oct. 8, in overtime against James Madison. JMU scored first in OT to take a 24-17 lead. The Black Bears responded with a touchdown, closing to 24-23.

On the extra point try, the Black Bears lined up in its “muddle formation” with the offensive linemen set to the far left of the center, and Treister standing in the backfield, as if to receive a long hike.

Normally such formations end up with the linemen returning to their usual spots and the team kicking the ball.

But Treister had options.

“The ball can be snapped to the left, to a running back for a running play,” explained Treister. “Or we can shift (to a regular formation), kick the ball and tie the game.

“Or, the third thing, which I did, was roll out with a run/pass option.”

Screaming out the play in an extemeley loud JMU stadium, Treister received the shotgun snap, rolled right and then charged to the goal line. Treister was hit hard at the 2. He flipped, twirling like a helicopter blade, and landed in the end zone — winning the game 25-24 and making the ESPN highlights.

That game may turn out to be the key to the Black Bears (7-2) reaching the NCAA playoffs.

Treister is a redshirt senior, which means he sat out a season and has had five years to complete his degree. Treister knew right away he wanted to utilize those five years.

“A lot of people, unfortunately, don’t take advantage of the opportunities, academically, that are presented here,” Tresiter said.

Having earned a BA degree in international affairs last spring, Treister enrolled in a MBA program this fall.

In football, Treister will be ready on the sidelines if Smith is injured, or if a special play on special teams is needed.

And, more notably, Treister will be ready, with two degrees, when he leaves campus.

* * *

The Maine hockey will try to rebound from a pair of losses last weekend with two home games against UMass-Lowell tonight and Saturday.

The River Hawks (3-3-0, 1-2-0 in Hockey East) were swept by Boston College two weeks ago, but rebounded last Saturday with a 7-1 thumping of Boston University.

Maine (3-4-1, 3-3-0) looked overmatched against BC last Friday, in a 5-1 loss, and then improved Saturday, but still lost to New Hampshire 3-2.

* * *

UMaine women’s basketball opens its season at 7 tonight at Central Connecticut State.

The Blue Devils, a 62-57 winner at Maine last year, are coming off a 19-11 season, but did not return their top five starters.

But Maine is in an even more rebuilding effort under first-year coach Richard Barron, coming off a 4-25 season.

Samantha Wheeler, a 6-foot senior and an all-conference selection in 2010, is still out indefinitely, dealing with the effects of a concussion suffered last November.

Rachel Burns, a 5-6 guard from Gorham, will likely not see playing time right away while she completely recovers from knee surgery.