Webber commits to UMaine field hockey

By Larry Mahoney
BDN Staff

Two local girls who have always wanted to play field hockey at the University of Maine are going realize their dreams beginning next fall.

Speedy forwards Brooke Sulinski of Old Town and Abby Webber of Garland have verbally committed to attend UMaine.

They are teammates for the Black Bear Elite club field hockey program.

They are recruited walk-ons and won’t receive athletic scholarships but they are happy to be getting a chance to play for their state university.

“It’s still unreal. This has been a dream of mine for a long time and now it has come true. I’ve always wanted to represent Maine,” said Webber, who already has posted 26 career goals and 48 assists at Dexter Regional High School.

“I’m really excited,” said Sulinski. “I had always wanted to play at Maine but it wasn’t until recently that I realized I would be able to go there.”

Dexter coach Margaret Veazie and Old Town’s Jamie (Flagg) Emerson said their players will be nice additions for the Black Bears.

“She’s the hardest-working player I’ve ever coached and she’s got talent on top of it. She’s a dream player,” Veazie said.

“I told her what she needed to do (to play for UMaine) and she did everything I asked. She worked her butt off to get (head coach) Josette (Babineau) to look at her.”

Abby Webber

Webber would be the first player from Dexter High to play at UMaine in Veazie’s 17-year tenure. She also plays softball and basketball at Dexter.

Emerson, who played for Babineau at UMaine, said Sulinski is a “great fit for Maine with her speed and athleticism.

“She will fit right in and they’ll develop her into a Division I player,” said Emerson. “She’s really fast and she’s a hard worker. She has good stick skills and she knows the game which will be very useful as well.”

Emerson, like Veazie did with Webber, tutored Sulinski on what it would take for her to get the opportunity to play at Maine.

“She has given me me a real good idea what it‘s going to be like at Maine,” said Sulinski, who is also on the track team at Old Town.

Sulinski said she hadn’t considered playing Division I field hockey but Emerson convinced her that she had the ability to do so.

Sulinski and Webber said they intend to get stronger physically and work on all aspects of their games as they prepare to make the big jump from Maine high school field hockey to Division I.

“I want to reach my full potential,” said Sulinski, who scored over 15 goals a year ago.

“I like challenges,” said Webber. “I know I need to get stronger and improve my stick skills and shooting. I’m working on my reverse shots.”