Howard back on the field at Maine

By John Condakes

Three years ago, Matt Howard injured himself in a football game against Dover-Sherborn. A year later, he injured himself on the basketball court. The two injuries were identical except that they happened on different legs. Matt Howard has torn both of his anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs) and he has made two successful recoveries. Howard recently completed his freshman year at the University of Maine at Orono where he had been recruited to play baseball and was redshirted in order for him to retain his four years of NCAA eligibility. “I was about seventy percent in fall ball last fall and I was finally able to take off my brace for good in January,” told Howard.

Overall it was a good year for Howard. “I enjoyed it a lot, the school has been a great fit for me and I’ve enjoyed the team and the coaches,” he explained. Maine proved to be one of the better teams in the America East Conference this year as they lost in the conference quarterfinals to eventual champion Albany. Maine has appeared in the NCAA Tournament in two of the passed three seasons and will look to return again in 2008.

This summer, Howard got back on the diamond completely healthy for the first time in nearly two years. He started the summer season out in Pittsfield, Massachusetts playing for former Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette’s Dukes of the New England College Baseball League. That stint only lasted three weeks but “it was still a good experience because it was a competitive league,” explained Howard. “My first game back in Pittsfield was pretty weird to be honest. There were some 2000 people there and I walked in my first at-bat so that took some of the pressure off. It was good to be back and just get out there and play without the brace and get the first game under my belt.”

After his three weeks in Pittsfield, Howard decided to bring his skills to Woburn of the Intercity League. This allowed him to live at home which was a nice change for Howard. With Woburn, Howard received a larger amount of at-bats and innings in the field and was able to compile some impressive statistics without playing the whole season. Howard hit .300 with 2 doubles, a triple and a home run while he was 11/11 on stolen base chances and was hit by a pitch 3 times. The Intercity League is a bit of a different feel for collegiate baseball players because they are forced to use wooden bats instead of metal.

This fall, Howard will compete for a spot in the outfield along with other talented returning Maine Black Bears. “There’s going to be some big time competition for that spot and I’m going to do everything that I can to play,” said Howard. Maine’s schedule this year is especially competitive right off the bat as they start their season at a tournament down in Puerto Rico.They will also travel to Nevada to face UNLV and New Orleans, Louisiana to face national power Tulane. Matt Howard will certainly draw a few looks from the Maine coaching staff as he enters his redshirt freshman year and will look to make a big impact on the Black Bear lineup in 2008.

Photo credit: University of Maine at Orono