FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Maine Duo Leads Bobcat Women To Hot Start

LEWISTON, Maine -- A pair of Maine natives, senior guard Dianna Devlin, of Eliot, and first-year forward Amy "A.T." Taylor, of Orono, a first-year forward/guard for the Bates College women's basketball team, have led the Bobcats to their best start in five years.

Bates, with a 4-2 record, is currently ranked fifth in the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) poll. They have posted wins over Westbrook College (85-52), University of the South (92-52), Western New England College (WNEC, 93-42) and Babson College (85-75). The most recent two wins came in the Babson Invitational, where Bates became the first team ever to knock off the hosts. Their only two losses have come to Maine-Farmington (65-77) and Bowdoin (67-77), who are ranked second and fourth, respectively, in the MWBCA poll. Coach Jim Murphy's squad is averaging 81.2 points per game as a team, second best in the state, while allowing just 62.5.

Taylor, in just her second week of collegiate play, garnered many awards for her performance at Babson. She was named Player of the Week in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), Rookie of the Week by the MWBCA, and Co-Rookie of the Week by the New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA). In the Bobcats' three games this week, Taylor averaged 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. She was named Most Valuable Player in the Babson Invitational, held in Wellesley, Mass. Against WNEC, she scored 16 points and had 13 rebounds and 5 steals. In the finals, she poured in a career high 26 points against Babson, and also grabbed 5 boards. For the season, Taylor is averaging 17.7 points per game, fourth in Maine, and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Taylor is a 1995 graduate of Orono High School, where she earned first team honors in Class B her junior and senior years and honorable mention on the All-State team her senior year. She is the daughter of G. Thomas and Katherine White Taylor of 38 Westwood Drive, Orono.

Devlin, the lone captain of this year's team, was also honored this week, making the MWBCA Honorable Mention list. In the three games, she averaged 18.7 points and 7.3 assists. For the season, she is averaging 15.7 points and is tops in Maine with 8.0 assists per game. In the Bobcats' win over Westbrook this season, Devlin set a school record with 15 assists in one game.

Devlin, a 1992 graduate of Marshwood High School, was a member of three straight league championship teams from 1989-91, and part of the state runners-up in 1991. She was second team all-State her sophomore year and first team all-State her junior year. She is the daughter of John and Corinne Devlin of 19 Bayberry Drive, Eliot.