Men's Basketball 3/5/2026 7:07:00 PM

Men’s Hoops Nearly Sweep NAC Conference Major Awards

Written by; Jameson Bloch '26

WATERVILLE, Maine — The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) announced its postseason awards, recognizing four members of the University of Maine at Farmington men's basketball team, along with its coaching staff, for their outstanding performances this season.

Sophomore guard Zach McLaughlin (Hampden, Maine) was named NAC Player of the Year and earned First Team All-Conference honors. After coming off the bench for much of his first season, McLaughlin stepped into a larger role this year and flourished as a scorer. He led the Beavers having averaged 25.8 points per game, ranking fifth among all Division III players. In 24 games this season, McLaughlin has scored 619 points, leaving him just 29 points shy over the Farmington single season record for points scored in a season of 648 set by Cameron Brown during the 1977-78 season.

The sophomore standout also averaged 3.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, all improvements from his freshman campaign.
A gifted scorer, McLaughlin is able to score from anywhere on the floor. Finishing the season with remarkably efficient 46.5%/40.4%/78.9% shooting splits. McLaughlin scored 20 or more points in 17 of the 24 games that he appeared in this season, including scoring 30 or more in seven different games, and also added a 40-point performance in the NAC quarterfinals at home against SUNY Cobleskill.

McLaughlin closed the regular season on an extremely impressive streak, scoring 24 or more points in nine straight games to close the season. McLaughlin scored 35 points in each of the final two regular season games. In the first outing, he powered past Thomas, shooting 13-for-24 from the field (54%) while adding two rebounds, two steals, and a block in the win. In the regular-season finale, he torched Maine Maritime from beyond the arc, knocking down a career-high seven three-pointers en route to another 35-point performance. He also contributed four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Junior forward Jason Reynolds (Winslow, Maine) earned NAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors and was also named to the First Team All-Conference. Reynolds' defensive presence is anchored by his dominance on the glass, as he averaged 15.5 rebounds per game, including 10.6 boards on the defensive end of the floor — both marks leading all three NCAA divisions. He also recorded 20 steals during the season.

To this point, Reynolds has amassed 418 rebounds, the most by any Beavers during a single season in program history. Prior to Reynolds breaking the record, it stood since the 1965-66 season.

Reynolds made a major impact offensively as well, averaging 17.1 points per game, second on the team behind McLaughlin. He led all Division III players with 24 double-doubles this season, six more than any other player in the division. There was a stretch during the season
where Reynolds recorded 21 straight double-doubles,

A true stretch big, Reynolds was extremely efficient shooting the ball all season long. He finished the year shooting 49.0% from the floor, 37.6% from beyond the arc, and 62.9% from the free throw line. He hit 65 three during the season, putting him behind just McLaughlin for second on the team.

Reynolds' best performance came against VTSU-Johnson, where he poured in 35 points, knocked down eight three-pointers, and grabbed 15 rebounds in just 20 minutes of action, leading the Beavers to a decisive victory. He finished the season with nine 20-plus point efforts, and five 20-plus rebound efforts.

Senior forward Aidan O'Connell (Camden, Maine) received the NAC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, presented annually to a graduating senior who exemplifies academic excellence, athletic achievement, and strong character, as selected by conference coaches and Faculty Athletic Representatives. O'Connell maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average while majoring in Applied Economics and Public Policy, with minors in Data Analytics and Coaching.

His academic and professional accomplishments include conducting a business anthropology engagement research project with a local youth nonprofit to identify organizational improvement opportunities; participating in the Maine Government Summer Internship Program in 2025, where he worked with the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection researching emerging loan products and drafting policy proposals for the Maine Legislature; and serving as a compliance assistant for a FinTech startup, helping navigate state and federal regulatory requirements.

O'Connell was a two-time NAC All-Academic Team selection (2024, 2025) and was named to the NABC Honors Court in 2025. Athletically, he appeared in 11 games this season, averaging 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds per contest.

The University of Maine at Farmington coaching staff was named NAC Coaching Staff of the Year. Head coach Quinn Newton, in his second year, along with assistants Marcus Christopher and Tom Nadeau, led the Beavers to a 22-5 overall record — the program's best mark since the 2019-20 season. The Beavers dominated conference play with a 17-1 NAC record, the most conference wins since joining the NAC in 2004. Under their leadership, UMF also earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2010.

Sophomore guard Gabe Michaud (Gorham, Maine) was named Third Team All-Conference. Michaud started all 27 games and served as the facilitator of the Beaver offense. He averaged 6.1 assists per game, ranking 10th in Division III, while also contributing 7.7 points per game on 59% shooting and four rebounds per contest. Defensively, he averaged 1.4 steals per game while regularly guarding the opposing team's top perimeter player.

Michaud delivered a standout performance in an overtime win against Thomas, playing all 45 minutes and recording a career-high 22 points, six rebounds, six assists, and two steals.

Three Beavers — McLaughlin, Reynolds, and Michaud — were also named to the NAC All-Tournament Team.

In the semifinal matchup against fifth-seeded SUNY Cobleskill, McLaughlin scored a career-high 40 points, adding four rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in a dominant 94-63 victory. Reynolds controlled the boards with 19 rebounds to go along with nine points, while Michaud filled the stat sheet with nine points, six rebounds, and eight assists.

In the championship game against UMaine Presque Isle, McLaughlin led the team with 19 points. Reynolds and Michaud each recorded double-doubles, with Reynolds posting 16 points and 20 rebounds and Michaud adding 12 points and 10 assists. UMF used a dominant second-half performance to secure the 84-58 victory and punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

Sophomore guard Liam Jefferds (Scarborough, Maine) was also recognized, earning a spot on the NAC All-Sportsmanship Team. Jefferds appeared in 11 games this season, averaging 1.4 points per game.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#12 Liam Jefferds: G; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#5 Zach McLaughlin: G; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#10 Gabe Michaud: G; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#31 Aidan O'Connell: G/F; 6' 3"; Senior

#40 Jason Reynolds: F; 6' 4"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#12 Liam Jefferds
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: G

#5 Zach McLaughlin
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: G

#10 Gabe Michaud
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: G

#31 Aidan O'Connell
: 6' 3"; Senior
: G/F

#40 Jason Reynolds
: 6' 4"; Junior
: F

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned

dfp