It has been a forgettable three months for University of Maine women’s basketball coach Amy Vachon.
First, in August, Vachon lost highly-touted incoming freshman Maddie Fitzpatrick for the year due to a season-ending knee injury. Fitzpatrick was a two-time Maine Gatorade Player of the Year.
But things got even worse for Vachon on Friday as it was announced that 2022-23 America East Player of the Year Adrianna Smith has also been lost for the campaign due to a left knee injury suffered in practice.
Smith, a 6-foot senior forward from Reston, Va., was named an All-America East first team selection for the second straight year last season.
Earlier this week, Smith was named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.
Last season, the tenacious Smith led America East in rebounding with 10.8 per game and in assists (4.7 apg) while finishing second to teammate Anne Simon in scoring with her 16.4 ppg average.
She was the only player among 349 Division I schools who averaged at least 10 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
She had 22 double-doubles which was fourth-best in the country and tops in America East.
She scored at least 16 points in 18 of UMaine’s 34 games, had five or more assists in 16 of them and notched 13 or more rebounds 12 times.
The Black Bears went 24-10 and won the America East regular season and tournament championships and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament where they were beaten by Ohio State 80-57 in Columbus, Ohio.
During her America East Player of the Year campaign, she led the conference in scoring (17.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg) and she was fourth in assists (3.5 apg).
She had 16 double-doubles.
“We are heart-broken for Adi,” said Vachon in a press release. “She came into this year in the best shape of her career.
“Words cannot express how much we will miss Adi’s presence on the court for us this season. Whatever Adi does, she does so fiercely, and that is evident to anyone who has watched her play the game she loves,” Vachon said.
The UMaine coach added that she expects Smith to attack rehab with the same passion.
“Although we will not have Adi as a teammate on the court, she will continue to be a great leader and an important part of our team this season,” Vachon said.
Smith will be eligible to be a medical redshirt which would give her another year of eligibility.
Smith’s loss will leave a massive void in the paint.
The departed Simon was the team’s second-leading rebounder last season with 7.2 rpg so 5-foot-10 guard/forward Caroline Bornemann will be the only returnee who averaged more than 2.2 rebounds per game a year ago as she averaged 5.5.
Bornemann is a Danish graduate student who has appeared in 106 career games for the Black Bears.
Six-foot-two Caroline Dotsey appeared in 20 games as a freshman last season, averaging 3.9 minutes per appearance.
Dotsey and six-foot-three freshman Ona Alarcon from Spain will be two options in the post.
The Black Bears will open the season on Monday, Nov. 4 with an 11 a.m. contest against La Salle University (Pa.) at the Memorial Gym in Orono.
