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SEASON OPENING GAME
University of New England at Southern Maine
Tuesday, November 18 (5:30 p.m.)
At Warren Hill Gymnaisum Gorham, Maine
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Wednesday, September 3, 2008
USM Announces Athletic Department Reorganization
Gary Fifield Named Associate Director of Athletics
Mike McDevitt Named Interim Women's Basketball Head Coach
GORHAM, Maine -- The University of Southern Maine Athletic Department
today announced a major reorganization within the department and introduced a
new interim women's basketball head coach at a press conference held at the
Costello Sports Complex.
USM Director of Athletics, Al Bean, announced that veteran women's
basketball head coach and Assistant Director of Athletics, Gary Fifield, has
retired as women's basketball coach and is assuming the new role of Associate
Director of Athletics. Bean also announced that Mike McDevitt, an assistant
coach with Fifield for the past five seasons and former head coach at St.
Joseph's College, has been named interim head coach of the women's basketball
program for the 2008-2009 season. Both moves are effective immediately.
In prepared remarks, Bean said, "Gary Fifield's retirement as women's
basketball coach is among the most significant personnel decisions in the
history of this athletic program. When Gary came to USM in 1987, he followed in
the footsteps of a legend in Dr. Richard A. Costello. During his own 21-year
tenure on the bench, Gary built his own legacy, and in the process, elevated USM
women's basketball to be among the truly elite programs in the nation. His team
and personal records are truly astounding at any level in any sport.
"The Huskies domination of the Little East Conference with Gary at the helm
is nothing short of amazing and the numbers are staggering," continued Bean.
"It's tough to imagine USM women's basketball without Gary leading the team from
the bench. I want to personally thank Gary for his incredible commitment to our
student-athletes and the women's basketball program. His efforts have truly
made a difference for our students and for the University of Southern Maine.
"In addition to his prowess as a basketball coach, Gary is a very capable
administrator. He has been an immeasurable help to me and the entire staff in
his dual role as an assistant director. With the recent departure of an
assistant director from our department, significant administrative
responsibilities needed to be reassigned. Coincidentally, for the past couple
of years, Gary and I have been discussing his possible retirement from coaching
and a shift to full-time administrative responsibilities. The staff departure
opened the door for Gary and I to reopen that discussion about reshaping his
duties. Working in consultation with Vice President Craig Hutchinson, we came
to agreement for Gary to assume significant administrative responsibilities as
the department's first associate director of athletics. I'm extremely confident
that he will impact the department significantly in his new role and will help
to guide and mentor our younger staff members.
"While an incredible chapter in USM coaching history comes to a close, we
could not be more confident and more fortunate than to turn to Mike McDevitt to
lead the program in the coming year. When Gary and I discussed his retirement
and the prospect of turning the program over to someone to carry on, the list
was extremely short. At the top of that very short list was Mike McDevitt. His
decision to accept the one-year appointment made this restructuring a reality.
We are familiar with Mike's work as the former head coach at St. Joseph's
College and for the past five years as an assistant on our bench. Mike will be
a great fit, maintain continuity with our program, and we welcome his addition
to our staff. I have great confidence that he will continue the great tradition
of our women's basketball program."
In 21 seasons as USM women's basketball coach, Fifield compiled a 541-86
record and led the Huskies the NCAA Division III Final Four five times (1988,
1998, 2000, 2005, 2006), including three appearances in the national
championship game. At the end of the 2007-08 season, his .863 winning
percentage was the highest among active Division III coaches with five or more
years on the sidelines, and his 541 career wins ranked seventh among active
coaches.
During that span (1987-2008), he guided the Huskies to 17 Little East
Conference tournament championships, including 11 straight from 1997 through
2007, and won or shared the LEC regular season crown an amazing 19 times. Last
season, Fifield led the Huskies to a 25-4 overall record and a 13-1 regular
season mark in the Little East Conference.
Fifield guided the Huskies to an NCAA tournament berth in 20 of his 21
seasons as head coach. His teams won 20 or more games every season, extending
the Huskies' streak of consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins to 28, an NCAA
Division III women's basketball record. Six players combined to win the Little
East Conference Player of the Year award 11 times, and five players were named
to the WBCA/Kodak Division III All-America team.
Among his numerous honors, Fifield was named the WBCA Division III National
Coach of the Year in 2005 after leading the Huskies to 31-3 overall record and a
third-place finish in the NCAA tournament. He also was named Little East
Conference Coach of the Year 13 times. He served as an assistant coach at the
U.S. Olympic Festival in 1993, and was inducted into the New England Basketball
Hall of Fame in 2003.
Fifield came to USM from South Royalton (Vermont) High School in 1987,
succeeding legendary coach, the late Dr. Richard "Doc" Costello, as women's
basketball coach. He also coached the USM men's soccer program for five seasons
(30-35-10).
McDevitt returns to the sidelines after spending the past five seasons as
an assistant coach at USM. During that time, he helped the Huskies run up a
remarkable 144-14 record, make four trips to the NCAA "Sweet Sixteen" and two
appearances in the Final Four.
During his 16 seasons (1987-2003) as head coach at St. Joseph's, McDevitt
compiled a 326-117 record (.736 W-L pct) and guided the Monks to seven
conference titles. His teams won 20 or more games 12 times, made seven
appearances in the NAIA national tournament and he was named Maine Athletic
Conference Coach of the Year five times (1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1999).
Prior to becoming the head coach at St. Joseph's, McDevitt served as an
assistant coach of the men's basketball team for three seasons (1984-87). The
St. Joseph's alum also had stints as the Monks head coach for men's golf (1997-
2004) and women's volleyball (1987-92). McDevitt was the Director of the Alfond
Center for five years (1999-2004) and was an assistant athletic director at St.
Joseph's for nine years (1990-1999).
A four-year starter for the Monks men's basketball team while earning a
degree in business administration, McDevitt scored 1,381 points and grabbed 674
rebounds during his playing career. He was named the Western Maine Athletic
Conference Player of the Year for the 1982-83 season, and received six all-
conference, all-district and all-state citations over the course of his four
years.
Gary Fifield's Record at USM Year-by-Year
Overall Little East
Season W L Pct. W L Pct. Place
1987-88 27 3 .900 10 0 1.000 1st
1988-89 25 3 .893 10 0 1.000 1st
1989-90 25 5 .833 9 1 .900 1st
1990-91 23 7 .767 7 3 .700 T2nd
1991-92 26 4 .867 9 1 .900 T1st
1992-93 25 4 .862 10 0 1.000 1st
1993-94 22 7 .759 11 1 .917 T1st
1994-95 23 4 .852 11 1 .917 1st
1995-96 25 4 .862 11 1 .917 1st
1996-97 25 4 .862 11 1 .917 1st
1997-98 29 3 .906 14 0 1.000 1st
1998-99 25 4 .862 13 1 .929 1st
1999-00 26 6 .813 9 5 .643 T2nd
2000-01 20 7 .741 12 2 .833 T1st
2001-02 25 3 .893 13 1 .929 T1st
2002-03 26 4 .867 13 1 .929 1st
2003-04 29 2 .935 14 0 1.000 1st
2004-05 31 3 .911 14 0 1.000 1st
2005-06 32 2 .941 14 0 1.000 1st
2006-07 27 3 .900 13 1 .929 1st
2007-08 25 4 .862 13 1 .929 1st
Totals 541 86 .862 241 21 .919
Mike McDevitt's Coaching Record Year-by-Year
Overall Conference
Season W L Pct. W L Pct. Place
1987-88 21 9 .700 7 1 .875 1st
1988-89 20 8 .714 5 3 .625 2nd
1989-90 25 5 .833 8 0 1.000 1st
1990-91 24 5 .828 8 0 1.000 1st
1991-92 23 8 .742 6 2 .750 2nd
1992-93 24 5 .828 7 1 .875 1st
1993-94 23 5 .821 8 1 .889 1st
1994-95 22 6 .784 6 2 .750 2nd
1995-96 16 11 .593 4 5 .444 4th
1996-97 14 13 .519 6 6 .500 3rd
1997-98 12 12 .500 6 6 .500 2nd
1998-99 20 7 .741 10 2 .833 1st
1999-00 22 5 .815 8 2 .800 2nd
2000-01 22 5 .815 11 1 .917 1st
2001-02 23 3 .885 12 0 1.000 1st
2002-03 15 10 .600 na na
Totals 326 117 .736 112 32 .778
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