Hare plays in national tourney

By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    During her high school basketball career, Jennie Hare, a Hodgdon graduate, had only one chance to play in front of a crowd at the Bangor Auditorium. But, recently, she got another rare opportunity to be on the big stage when her college team upset their way into the NAIA Division 2 national championship.
    “We did go to the nationals and it was great,” Hare said. “It was quite an amazing experience.”
Jennie Hare
    Hare, a senior forward at the University of Maine at Machias, has played for the Clippers for three years.
    “We had quite a season this year,” she said. “We actually went into our conference championships in last place.”
    “Jennie has been one of my favorite players. She comes to practice and always works hard. She is a natural born leader, who will someday make a good coach,” said Skip Alley, UMM women’s basketball coach.
    The Clippers upset top-ranked University of Maine at Fort Kent (67-52) and awaited the winner of the University of Maine at Presque Isle and SUNY Canton. UMM went against SUNY (56-54 winners) and came away as the Sunrise Conference champions, with a ticket to the NAIA Division 2 national championships in Sioux City, Iowa March 9-15.
    According to Alley, Hare came off the bench for the Clippers averaging 15 to 20 minutes a game.
    “I always had confidence in Jennie and she was always aware of what we wanted to do as a team,” he said of her play. “She was our only senior. I will miss not having her leadership and maturity on the team.”
    Hare’s college success was much different than her high school days.
    “Compared to high school, this was the exact opposite,” she said.
    Hare’s freshman year, the Lady Hawks went to Bangor, but her sophomore year, the team lost its chance to go in a playoff game.
    “Then my junior and senior years, we didn’t even get a playoff game,” she said. “I have always been very competitive and regretted the fact I never got to play in Bangor. When I got to experience this success in college, it was a life-changer.”
    Hare couldn’t think of a better way to end her basketball career then playing in the nationals.
    The Clippers lost in the first round of the national championships to top-ranked Davenport University.