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The leading scorer on the men's basketball team decides to transfer with one year of eligibility left.

By JENN MENENDEZ, Staff Writer March 18, 2009

The University of Maine men's basketball team lost its leading scorer Tuesday when junior Mark Socoby of Houlton left the team for personal reasons.

Socoby, who has one year of eligibility left, said he is hoping to transfer to another Division I school, a move that means he would need to sit out a year because of NCAA regulations.

Socoby, perhaps more than any player on the team's roster, represented Maine's recent effort to rebuild the program with homegrown talent. He won a Class C state title with Houlton his sophomore year before transferring to Bangor High for his junior and senior years.

"I just think at this point in time it's the best option for me," said Socoby. "There's nothing that happened, no incident, no person that made this decision come about. It's more of just me kind of taking a look at where I am as a player and person."

Socoby, a 6-foot-6 guard, led Maine in scoring average (12.3), minutes per game (34) and steals (46) this season. The Black Bears were 9-21, 4-12 in the America East Conference, and lost in the first round of the conference tournament.

Socoby acknowledged the timing of his decision is curious, given he has just one year of eligibility remaining.

"This probably isn't the best timing or the way most people have done it in the past," said Socoby. "I don't make any decisions based on impulse. I think at this point it's what I need to do."

Socoby said he intends to remain a Division I player.

"Nothing's for sure right now," said Socoby. "Hopefully some interest will be drawn."

Socoby said he is in the process of being granted a release by Maine Coach Ted Woodward and said he planned to speak with teammates Tuesday night.

"It's probably the hardest part," said Socoby, "leaving my teammates and the things we've been through."

Roger Reed, Socoby's coach at Bangor High, was surprised to learn he was leaving Maine.

"Every time I talked to (Woodward), he was always very high on (Socoby)," said Reed. "I was under the impression things were going quite well for him.

"He loves basketball. There was never any question about his commitment to the game. I'm sure everybody thinks a lot of Mark. He's a great kid."

Woodward did not return phone calls but released a short statement: "Mark expressed interest to transfer and we wish him luck. We really like the guys we have now going into spring workouts."

NOTES: Athletic Director Blake James acknowledged Tuesday evening he is among a group of 14 semifinalists to become the next athletic director at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers.

James was named interim AD at Maine in July 2005 and promoted to the post permanently in May 2006. Florida Gulf Coast is a Division I school with 10,200 students.

"It was an opportunity to look at a job back in Florida where (his wife) Kelly's family lives," said James, who has one year left on his contract at Maine. "I wanted to at least investigate."

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:

jmenendez@pressherald.com