UMaine women seek rare win over Vermont for NCAA bid

The Black Bears face the top-seeded Catamounts in the America East championship game on Friday.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 7:55pm

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The second-seeded University of Maine women's basketball team is looking to pull off a rare upset over top-seeded and defending champion Vermont in the America East championship game on Friday. UMaine has just one win in 12 conference tournament games against top seeds, with that lone victory coming in 1998. The winner of Friday's game will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Why it matters

This game represents a chance for the UMaine women's basketball team to make the NCAA tournament, which would be a major accomplishment for the program. Vermont has been the dominant team in the America East in recent years, making this an uphill battle for the Black Bears.

The details

UMaine and Vermont split their two regular season meetings, with each team winning on the road. The Black Bears will need to replicate their strong defensive performance from the second game in order to have a chance at the upset. Transition defense and limiting Vermont's second-chance points will be key. Offensively, UMaine will try to exploit any weaknesses in Vermont's stingy defense, which ranks 4th nationally in points allowed per game.

  • The America East championship game will be played on Friday, March 12, 2026 at 5 p.m.
  • UMaine's lone previous win over a top seed in the conference tournament came on March 7, 1998.

The players

Amy Vachon

The current head coach of the UMaine women's basketball team, who was a player on the 1998 team that upset the top-seeded Vermont Catamounts.

Adrianna Smith

A fifth-year senior forward for UMaine who was named the America East Player of the Year for the second time in her career.

Nikola Priede

A 6-foot-2 center for Vermont who was named the America East Defensive Player of the Year and the tournament's Most Valuable Player last year.

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What they’re saying

“Vermont has been the best team all season. I think everyone has said and I think they have been.”

— Amy Vachon, UMaine Head Coach

“Winning a championship on the road isn't easy but we know we can do it.”

— Adrianna Smith, UMaine Senior Forward

“It's about locking in and making it difficult for them. Everything will take care of itself.”

— Sarah Talon, UMaine Senior Guard

What’s next

The winner of Friday's America East championship game between UMaine and Vermont will receive an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA women's basketball tournament.

The takeaway

This game represents a rare opportunity for the UMaine women's basketball team to upset the dominant Vermont Catamounts and earn a coveted NCAA tournament berth. While Vermont has been the class of the America East in recent years, the Black Bears have shown they can compete with the Catamounts and will need to play their best game of the season to pull off the upset on the road.