Maine Maritime Academy’s football program is set to make a comeback after being suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic. Coach Calvin Powell is eager to lead his team in their first varsity game since 2019 against Hartwick College on Sept. 7. The team has been hard at work preparing for the upcoming season, with a total of 45 players, including six Lobster Bowl participants, on the roster. Powell, who has experience in building programs from the ground up, is focused on instilling a culture of learning, growth, and development within the team. The program will play a five-game hybrid schedule this fall, with the varsity games counting against schools like Hartwick and Nichols College. Looking ahead to the full varsity season in 2025, the Mariners will join the Conference of New England, which includes other regional schools.
Players like linebacker Jack Mottola have personal connections to the program’s history, with his grandfather having been a coach and athletic director at the school. Mottola, a graduate student who transferred from a Div. I program, is excited to continue his football career at MMA and honor his family’s legacy. The decision to restore the football program came in 2022, following the hiring of former MMA president Jerry Paul, and has been met with enthusiasm from both players and alumni. With a renewed sense of purpose and determination, the Mariners are ready to bring back the storied tradition of MMA football and compete at a high level once again.
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Photo credit www.centralmaine.com