Written by; Jameson Bloch '26
FARMINGTON, Maine — The University of Maine at Farmington women's basketball team concluded its season this past Saturday with a 68–50 loss to Maine Maritime Academy. They finished with an overall record of 18–7 and a 15–3 record in the North Atlantic Conference.
Overview:
The Beavers finished as the No. 3 seed heading into the conference tournament and now turn their attention to the sixth-seeded VTSU-Lyndon Hornets in the first round. Lyndon finished with a 9-9 conference record and a 14–11 overall mark.
On the other side of the bracket, the fourth-seeded Thomas Terriers (12-6 conference, 16-9 overall) square off against the fifth-seeded SUNY Cobleskill Fighting Tigers (11-7 conference, 14-10 overall). Maine Maritime Academy locked up the No. 1 seed with a 16-2 conference record and a 17-8 overall record. The Husson Eagles earned the No. 2 seed with a 15-3 conference record and a 17-8 overall mark.
The 2026 NAC Tournament will begin Thursday, February 19, with UMF hosting Lyndon at 7 p.m. and Thomas hosting SUNY Cobleskill at 5:30 p.m. Husson will play the winner of UMF/Lyndon, while Maine Maritime will face the winner of Thomas/SUNY Cobleskill.
Season at a Glance
Farmington:
The Beavers finished with their highest win total since the 2005–06 season and were one win away from finishing as the top team in the conference.
Junior forward Jessica Dow (Saco, Maine) proved to be one of the best players in the NAC and a dominant two-way force for the Beavers. Dow was named NAC Player of the Week four times and NAC Defensive Player of the Week three times. During her junior campaign, she filled up the stat sheet, averaging 12.0 points per game (eighth in the NAC), along with 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. She was a lockdown defender, totaling 2.8 steals per game (second in the NAC) and just under one block per game (sixth in the NAC).
Sophomore guard Jadyn Pingree (Jay, Maine) continued to display her scoring ability after earning NAC Rookie of the Year honors last season. Pingree averaged 14.7 points per game, finishing as the fourth-leading scorer in the NAC. She also recorded 4.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.8 steals per game (eighth in the NAC). On December 13, in a win over Husson, Pingree scored a career-high 26 points, which tied the single-game season high for any Beaver.
The rest of the Beaver starting five included junior guard Audrey Mackie (South Thomaston, Maine), junior guard Melissa Mayo (Bridgton, Maine), and senior forward Sarah Poli (Benton, Maine). Mackie and Mayo finished third and fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 7.2 and 6.2 points per game, respectively. The majority of their points came from beyond the arc, as they combined for 68 made three-pointers. Poli led the team in rebounds with 138 total (54 offensive, 84 defensive).
Head coach Nate Carson (fifth year), along with assistant coaches Noah Carroll and Jim Bessey, looks to lead this Beaver squad on a deep playoff run in hopes of securing a North Atlantic Conference Championship.
VTSU-Lyndon:
Lyndon enters as the No. 6 seed with a 9-9 record against NAC opponents. The team is led by junior wing Skylar Begay (Tucson, Arizona) and senior post player Kiara Mack (Milton, Vermont). Begay leads the team in scoring with 13.6 points per game, while Mack averages 12.3 points per game. Mack anchors the team down low, averaging 8.5 rebounds per game (third in the NAC) and 2.1 blocks per game (first in the NAC).
Season Matchups:
The Beavers have gotten the best of the Hornets in their two meetings this season, most recently winning 82–74. In that contest, Lyndon held a 10-point halftime lead before the Beavers erased the deficit to secure the victory.
Historically Speaking:
SUNY Cobleskill captured the NAC Championship last year in a thrilling matchup against Maine Maritime Academy. This year, the conference tournament is formatted differently following the elimination of the East and West divisions.
Last season, UMF was the No. 3 seed in the East and fell to Husson in the first round of the playoffs. This year, the team looks to make a strong push in the conference, boasting its best record under Carson's leadership. The Beavers are seeking their first playoff victory since 2020, when they advanced to the NAC Championship game.
