The #5 Maine men's hockey team finished a very successful first half of the season by sweeping Stonehill College last weekend. The Black Bears will be off for two more weeks until they play Bentley University in Portland on December 29. Maine carries a five game win streak and seven game unbeaten streak into the second half.

Here is a recap of the first half by our UMaine reporter Chris Lessner-

https://easternmainesports.com/2024/12/12/recapping-the-first-half-of-the-season-for-maine-mens-hockey/

Maine men's hockey got one first place vote and moved up to #4 in the USCHO national poll released on Monday, December 16.

Full top 20 poll-

https://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-i-mens-poll/

Maine men's and women's basketball return to action this weekend, as they begin to wrap up non-conference play ahead of the America East openers in early January.

Read the story here by our UMaine reporter Chris Lessner-

https://easternmainesports.com/2024/12/19/maine-mens-womens-basketball-wrapping-up-non-conference-play/

After the loss to Bentley University on Sunday in Portland, the Maine men's hockey team drops to #7 in the new USCHO poll released on Monday, December 30. The Black Bears also sit #7 in the current pairwise rankings. See the current polls below.

National Rankings- https://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-i-mens-poll/

Pairwise- 

https://www.uscho.com/rankings/pairwise-rankings/d-i-men/

For the fifth time in his career, Baltimore Ravens fullback and former Maine football player Patrick Ricard has been named to the AFC Pro Bowl team. Ricard is the only former Black Bear with more than two Pro Bowl game appearances (Montell Owens- 2).

Story here from UMaine Athletics-

https://goblackbears.com/news/2025/1/2/football-ricard-earns-fifth-nfl-pro-bowl-selection.aspx

After a weekend split with defending national champion and #6 Denver, Maine stayed at #7 in the national poll released on Monday, January 6. The Pioneers also stayed at #6. The Black Bears are at #6 in the pairwise with 15 games left in the regular season all in Hockey East beginning this weekend at #8 UMass-Lowell. Here is the full national poll and pairwise rankings below:

National Rankings- https://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-i-mens-poll/

Pairwise- https://www.uscho.com/rankings/pairwise-rankings/d-i-men/

After sweeping #8 UMass-Lowell on the road this past weekend, Maine men's hockey is now #3 in the pairwise rankings and have moved up from #7 to #5 in the country in the latest USCHO poll. 

Pairwise rankings- https://www.uscho.com/rankings/pairwise-rankings/d-i-men/

National Poll- https://www.uscho.com/rankings/d-i-mens-poll/