AUGUSTA — Since it started its men’s basketball team in 1964, the University of Maine at Augusta has offered intercollegiate athletics. In a little over a year, the school will have its own athletic hall of fame.

UMA athletic director Jennifer Laney announced the college is now seeking nominations to induct its first hall of fame class in May 2017. In conjunction with the hall of fame, the school is also seeking nominations for retired jersey numbers. Athletes, coaches and administrators who contributed to the athletic program are eligible.

“This is our way of giving back to the student athletes, coaches and administration that have impacted our program in such a significant way,” said Laney, who is also UMA’s women’s basketball coach. “It’s important we get nominations and feedback from our larger UMA community,”

Laney said the idea for a hall of fame came to fruition after conversations with new UMA president Dr. James Conneely. But the spark for the idea came well before that.

“A couple of years ago I went through the record books and saw we have such a rich history within our athletic department,” she said. “It was interesting to see the variety of sports we’ve offered at UMA. What’s even more interesting than that was to see the faces of the athletes who invested their time, energy and effort into the program.”

UMA currently offers men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, golf and bowling, but has also fielded teams in men’s and women’s soccer and softball as well as several other club sports in its history. The school competes regionally in the Yankee Small College Conference and nationally in the United State Collegiate Athletic Association.

To be eligible for hall of fame nomination, five years must have passed since the nominee’s last year of competition. All athlete nominees must meet one or more criteria that includes all-conference, all-American, MVP and team captain. Anyone can submit a nomination. Nomination forms and a more complete list of rules and criteria for the hall of fame and jersey retirement are available at http://www.umamoose.com/information/Hall_of_Fame/Hall_of_Fame.

Nominations are due January 31. Each year, a selection committee consisting of faculty, staff and alumni will select a maximum of four inductees for that year.

Laney said the school also is in the early stages of planning a location for the hall of fame on campus.

Randy Whitehouse — 621-5638

rwhitehouse@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @RAWmaterial33

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