The University of Maine women’s basketball team has addressed a need by landing two guards from the NCAA transfer portal.
Asta Blauenfeldt, a transfer from Seattle University, and Amiyah Donaldson, who played at Western Nebraska Community College and the University of Charleston, have joined the program.
UMaine head coach Amy Vachon said she is “ecstatic” to have them in Black Bear uniforms.
“Both Asta and Amiyah bring a lot of game experience as guards who can play on and off the ball and direct a team,” said Vachon in a press release. “Amiyah is a dynamic guard who can shoot the three and has a tough pull-up. She plays both sides of the ball. She gets after it on the defensive end.
“Asta is a leader who can shoot the three and find her teammates when they are open,” Vachon added.
Vachon said they will give the Black Bears “depth at the point guard position.”
UMaine has not had a true point guard since Alba Orois unexpectedly returned to her native Spain following the 2021-22 season.
It was a point-guard-by-committee approach in 2022-23 because Orois didn’t announce her intentions until June of 2022.
The departed Anne Simon was their primary ball handler this past season and was America East’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season for the second time in her career.
Only her former UMaine teammate, Blanca Millan, had previously accomplished that feat in America East history.
In her five seasons at UMaine, Simon scored 1,982 career points, which is fifth on the all-time list. She is also fifth in steals (280) and 10th in rebounds (721).
She averaged 18.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.5 steals per game to lead the Black Bears to the America East title and NCAA Tournament berth.
UMaine does return several experienced guards in Olivia Rockwood, Paula Gallego, Sarah Talon, Jaycie Christopher and Sera Hodgson.
In her two seasons at Seattle, Blauenfeldt appeared in 57 game seasons including 22 starts and she averaged 5.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
She had 45 steals and was a 40.5 percent shooter from the floor including a 33.7 percent showing from beyond the 3-point arc.
Donaldson, who is from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, appeared in 11 games at Charleston before moving on to Western Nebraska Community College where she averaged 9.6 points, 1.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds.
She led the Cougars to a 25-7 record and started 27 of 32 games with 12 double-digit scoring performances.
She shot 42.8 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from long distance.
“Both Amiyah and Asta embody all the qualities we look for in student-athletes: hard workers, great people and tough,” said Vachon.
