UNE announces new football, women’s rugby coaches
The University of New England has selected Mike Lichten as its head football coach and of Ashley Potvin as varsity head women's rugby coach. UNE Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Jack McDonald made the announcements in a well-attended press conference February 4, 2016.
Lichten comes to UNE after serving as head coach at Becker College for five seasons. While at Becker, Lichten transformed the Hawks' program, culminating with a 2015 season that featured a school-record seven victories and undefeated record at home. For his efforts Lichten was selected Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Coach of the Year, as well as All-Worcester Coach of the Year. He coached 49 All-ECFC selections over his five-year tenure.
Last month, Lichten attended the American Football Coaches Association 30 Under 30 Leadership Institute in San Antonio, Texas. He was selected from a pool of nearly 200 applicants and attended lectures on topics including ethics, leadership, NCAA rules, financial management, hiring and player safety.
Lichten was the defensive coordinator at Becker in 2010 after spending two seasons as wide receivers coach and defensive backs coach at Northeastern University (2008-2009).
A 2008 graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Lichten attained a Bachelor of Arts degree in history with a minor in education. He is currently pursuing a master of science degree in coaching education from Ohio University and is a native of Newton, Mass.
McDonald feels Lichten is the ideal person to build the Nor'easters' football program and is excited to add him to UNE's talented and accomplished coaching staff.
"From the very beginning of our search process that included more than 250 candidates, we received numerous nominations, recommendations and excellent references on Mike," commented McDonald. "These references were not only from some well-respected football people, but also from university, student affairs and many other non-athletics professionals. Mike really impressed our search committee and others on campus who shared in the interview process, and we are very, very pleased that he will be the coach of our first varsity team. Mike brings excellent experience in building a Division III football program that is committed to academics, athletics and community service."
McDonald continued: "I am also extremely grateful to the chair of our search committee, Dennis Leighton, as well as all committee members for their many, many hours during this very successful search process."
"I am honored and humbled to be the first football coach at the University of New England," Lichten said. "The opportunity to work for and represent President Ripich and Jack McDonald as we build a program that all of Maine and UNE will be proud of is exciting, and I cannot wait to get started. I am grateful for the opportunities I had at Becker College and the people I learned so much from these past five seasons. Creating a winning culture focused on academics, athletics and service in a program centered around the growth and experience of the players is going to be an incredibly rewarding challenge at UNE."
UNE will play a sub-varsity schedule in 2017 and commence varsity competition in the Commonwealth Coast Conference in 2018. The Nor'easters will open their varsity schedule Aug. 30, 2018 versus the United States Coast Guard Academy at Cadet Field in New London, Conn.
Potvin has served as UNE's club head coach since 2012, leading the Nor'easters to an unbeaten 17-0 record in New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) competition and a 30-6 overall 15's record. This past season, UNE captured the NERFU championship and participated in the National Small College Rugby Organization National Championship, winning the third-place game in the Northeast Region bracket. The Nor'easters finished the 2015 season ranked 16th in the nation.
A Biddeford native, Potvin graduated from Norwich University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies and Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education. While at Norwich, she was a member of the Cadets' highly successful rugby and ice hockey teams. As a rugby student-athlete, Potvin was a starter on squads that made a USA Rugby National Division II Final Four appearance and two USA Rugby National Division II Elite Eight appearances. She was chosen the team's Coach's Award winner. Currently, she teaches at Biddeford Middle School and has coached multiple sports in the school district.
"We are thrilled to welcome Ashley to Nor'easter Nation," commented McDonald. "In addition to Ashley's success leading our championship club women's rugby team, she brings experience as an NCAA Division III ice hockey and rugby student-athlete at Norwich, as well as her recent experience as a teacher and coach in Biddeford. Our student-athletes and the entire University of New England welcome Ashley, and we look forward to our first varsity season in 2016."
Next season, UNE will compete in the National Collegiate Women's Varsity Rugby Association – a league featuring such prestigious institutions as Harvard University, Brown University and Dartmouth College.
Read more in the Portland Press Herald and Bangor Daily News.