Monday, September 25, 2006

Julie Plant and 1999-2000 USM Women's Basketball Team 
To be Inducted into New England Basketball Hall of Fame

     GORHAM, Maine  --  Former University of Southern Maine women's basketball 
standout guard Julie Plant (Gorham, Maine) and the 1999-2000 women's basketball 
team are among the honorees who will be inducted into the New England Basketball 
Hall of Fame on Friday, October 6, at the Ryan Center on the campus of the 
University of Rhode Island.  The New England Basketball Hall of Fame released 
its Class of 2006 today.  
     A Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Honorable Mention All-
American in 1999-2000, Plant earned numerous honors during her stellar four-year 
career.  A three-time All-Little East Conference selection, Plant was named the 
1996-1997 LEC Rookie of the Year and later earned LEC Player of the Year honors 
during the 1999-2000 season.  Plant also earned All-ECAC honors for three 
seasons (1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000).
     Plant helped the Huskies to appearances in the NCAA National Championship 
game in 1998 and 2000, and was part of four straight Little East Conference 
tournament championship teams.  The fourth-leading scorer in USM history, Plant 
tallied 1,451 points in 122 games (11.9 points per game).  Plant is fourth in 
assists with 472 (3.9 assists per game) and fifth in three-point field goals 
made (123) and steals (263).
     Plant continued her basketball career following graduation, moving into the 
coaching ranks, and was named the head coach of the Regis College (Weston, 
Mass.) women's basketball team in August 2005.  Prior to her appointment at 
Regis, Plant worked as an assistant coach of the women's basketball program at 
Glendale Community College (Glendale, Ariz.) and served as a WNBA Advance Scout 
for the New York Liberty. 
     "Julie had a distinguished four-year career," noted veteran USM head coach 
Gary Fifield.  "She is one of the many players who helped establish and maintain 
the tradition of success associated with USM women's basketball.  What separated 
her from other players was her competitive drive, intensity and overall 
commitment to success - characteristics I am sure will translate in her coaching 
career." 
     The Huskies' 1999-2000 women's basketball team is the second USM women's 
basketball team to be inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.  
The Huskies' 1997-1998 team, the first USM team to reach the national 
championship game, was inducted in 2004.  
     The 1999-2000 squad reached the championship game of the 2000 NCAA Division 
III National Championship tournament, finishing with a 26-6 overall record and a 
9-5 record in the Little East Conference.  The Huskies 26-6 record marked the 
21st consecutive season that USM posted at least 20 wins in a season.  Southern 
Maine also captured its fourth consecutive Little East Conference tournament 
championship.  
     Along with Plant, who served as co-captain of the team, members of the 
1999-2000 USM women's basketball team included Amanda Bourgoin, Kara Crockett, 
Danielle DeGraw, Niki Dominiczak, co-captain Ali Hathaway, Jess Hopkins, Amanda 
Kimball, Amy Lemieux, Jess Libby, Amy McLaughlin, Trish Ripton, Erin Shaw, Becky 
Watkins, and Jaime Zahm.  Joining Fifield on the sidelines were assistant 
coaches Jamie Hilton and Tom Murphy.  
     Inductees for the New England Basketball Hall of Fame were selected in 
specific categories.  High school boys, girls, coaches and teams were selected 
by state.  College Division I, II and III, Junior College and Prep school 
categories were selected without regard to state affiliation. Special inductee 
categories were also considered regionally and included referees, organizations, 
members of the media, contributors, semiprofessional players and individual 
selections from Special Olympics, deaf competitors, wheelchair athletes and the 
youth/volunteer category. 

-cac-