ORONO, Maine -- Head coach Nick Charlton and the Black Bears staff have announced their 2021 signing class which includes 22 newcomers to the Black Bears' roster. The class includes nine who inked their National Letters of Intent on Feb. 3 and 13 who previously joined the team as transfers, midyear commits, or early signees.

PJ Barr | OL | 6-3 | 285 | North Brunswick, N.J. / Saint Joseph H.S. (Bucknell) (Graduate Transfer for Fall '21)

• 2020 (Senior - Bucknell): Team captain with Brandon Benson, Rick Mottram and Simeon Page. 2019 (Junior - Bucknell): All-Patriot League Second Team selection ... one of three Bison to start all 11 games on the offensive side of the ball ... started nine times at left tackle and twice at left guard ... leader on a Bucknell offensive line that saw five different players earn their first career starts ... started 30th career game in the finale at Fordham ... took home the John Campana Award as Bucknell's outstanding offensive lineman. 2018 (Sophomore - Bucknell): One of seven Bison to start all 11 games ... shifted to right guard from left guard ... became first member of the class of 2021 to reach the double digits in career starts on Sept. 8 against Sacred Heart ... member of Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. 2017 (Freshman - Bucknell): Played in all 11 games, starting final eight at left guard ... became one of the first two freshman to start for the Bison on Sept. 23 against Sacred Heart. Saint Joseph High School: Three-year football letterwinner … three-time all-area selection … two- time first-team all-conference … team Underclassman of the Year as a sophomore … team Offensive Lineman of the year as a junior and senior … team captain as a junior and senior … McCarthy Report Top 100 players in New Jersey … 47 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and five sacks as a senior … team finished 9-1 and won the GMC White Division as a senior.
• "We are excited to welcome PJ to our football family from Bucknell University. PJ is a multi-year starter in the Patriot League and brings great experience and leadership to the position. A strong student and an offensive linemen with great versatility, PJ will be an outstanding addition to the University of Maine on and off the field." - Coach Charlton

Cole Baker | K/P | 5-11 | 200 | Wrenthem, MA / Cheshire Academy/King Philip Regional H.S.

• First-Team All-State
• Named to Boston Herald's MIAA Eastern Mass All-Decade Football Team
• 2018 MIAA All-State Team selection
• Named to the 2018 USA Today All-USA Massachusetts Football Team
• As a sophomore in 2017 at King Philip, registered a game-winning 30-yard field goal with 1:30 left to lift the Warriors past Lincoln-Sudbury in the Division 2 Super Bowl. As a junior, tallied nine field goals — with five coming from 30 yards or more — to help the Warriors make a third consecutive Super Bowl appearance.
• Helped guide King Philip to a 25-0 mark from 2016-18
• State champion Division 2 in 2016, Division 1A in 2017
• "Cole is a great addition to our kicking unit from a strong program in Cheshire Academy, CT. Cole has the ability to kick field goals, kickoff, and punt, bringing tremendous value to our specialists group. A Massachusetts native, Cole is a big part of our push to bring the top student-athletes in New England to the University of Maine." - Coach Charlton

Tyrese Baptiste | WR | 5-11 | 190 | Everett, MA / Everett H.S.

• Captain at Everett his senior season
• "We are thrilled to add Tyrese to our Top Flight unit and continue the strong legacy at the position. Tyrese joins us from Everett HS, MA, one of the top programs in the state, and will make an immediate impact for our offense. A highly recruited student-athlete, Tyrese brings athleticism, ball skills, and great route running to the position."

Charles Eberle | LS/LB | 5-11 | 180 | Califon, N.J. / Voorhees H.S. (Ithaca College)

• Attended Voorhees High School where he earned three varsity letters
• Earned all-conference honors his junior and senior year at Voorhees, All-County his senior year
• Named team captain in 2018
• At Voorhees, racked up 121 tackles, one interception, one sack, and four forced fumbles
• Guided Voorhees to a state championship his junior year.
• "After playing at Ithaca College, Charlie will join Black Bear Nation this fall as a long snapper/linebacker. Throughout this process, it has been great getting to know him and his family and we felt there was an immediate fit into our culture. Charlie will bring experience and great athleticism to the position and will be a welcome addition to our team."

George French | OL | 6-8 | 320 | Bethlehem, PA / Bethlehem Catholic H.S. (Penn State)*

• Two-time letterman at Bethlehem Catholic High School
• Invited to the East-West All-Star Game
• Team won three district championships. 
• Spent the fall of 2020 at Penn State.
• "George joins us from Penn State after a semester playing offensive line. George has the frame and ability to develop into a strong player up front and is a proven student in the classroom. He was high school teammates with Tavion Banks and I was fortunate to previously work with his former position coach at Penn State, so there is great familiarity and excitement about George joining the Black Bears." - Coach Charlton

Xavier Holmes | DL | 6-3 | 200 | Clarksburg, MD / Clarksburg H.S. (Jireh Prep)

• Three-year captain at Clarksburg
• At Jireh Prep (2020): 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, 21 tackles-for-loss, one interception which he returned for a touchdown
• Led Jireh Prep to its first undefeated season (10-0) in school history
• Named Clarksburg varsity team MVP in 2019
• All County First Team Defense - 2019
• "Xavier Holmes is an exciting defensive line prospect that has an array of skills. He can rush the passer, defeat blocks in the run game, and has versatility in his ability to play a number of positions. We are very happy Xavier will be joining our Black Bear family and continues the legacy of great student-athletes from the DMV joining us at Maine." - Coach Charlton

Eli Mahan | TE/DL | 6-4 | 250 | Fryeburg, ME / Fryeburg Academy

• "Eli joins the University of Maine as one of the top in state prospects, with great versatility on the football field. Getting to know Eli and his family has been a great experience and our staff is thrilled he has chosen to stay at home and play for the Black Bears. Eli will join an already exciting tight ends room and bring a lot of talent and skill on the field and in the classroom." - Coach Charlton

Logan Martin | 5-11 | 185 | WR | Dover-Foxcroft, ME / Foxcroft Academy

• 2019 LTC First Team Athlete
• 2019 Eastern Maine Player of the Year
• 2019 LTC Player of the Year finalist
• Named Foxcroft Academy's Player of the Year
• In 2019, scored a touchdown once every 4.8 times he touched the ball whether as a rusher, receiver or after intercepting a pass.
• Also in 2019, registered 90 carries for 750 yards and 15 touchdowns, tallied 44 receptions for 725 yards and 11 touchdowns, returned three interceptions for touchdowns, and added two kick-return touchdowns.
• Finished his career at Foxcroft Academy with 53 total touchdowns and over 3,000 yards
• Two-year captain at Foxcroft Academy
• "Logan joins us from Foxcroft Academy, ME and will be a welcome addition to our offense. Logan has been one of the top student-athletes in the state and will not have to travel far to join the University of Maine family. He has shown a great amount of talent on the field, while impressing our staff with his commitment to playing for his home state and excelling in the classroom as well." - Coach Charlton

Joey McCracken | QB | 6-2 | 180 | Lititz, PA / Warwick H.S.

• First Team 5A All-State in 2019 and 2020
• LL All-League Quarterback honoree in 2018, 2019, and 2020
• Pro-style quarterback
• Team captain in 2020
• Senior season he went 75-of-121 through the air for 1,312 yards with 11 touchdowns while leading Warwick to an 8-1 record
• Finished his career at Warwick with the most passing yards (5,791) in school history to go along with 65 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions while also running for 446 yards and three touchdowns
• LL League record-holder for single game passing yards (530)
• Guided team to LL Section 1 championship in 2018, LL Section 2 championship in 2020, and District 3 5A runner-up in 2020
• "Joey is an outstanding quarterback from Warwick, PA who we are extremely excited about. He has great potential, showing leadership, accuracy, and the ability to extend plays throughout his career. He has a strong football acumen and is an excellent student in the classroom. Joey will be a great addition to our very competitive quarterback room this fall." - Coach Charlton

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The following student-athletes signed with the Black Bears during the December signing period:

Kahzir 'Buggs' Brown  | DB | 6-3 | 190 | Trenton, N.J. / Trenton Central H.S.

• Registered 23 tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles to go along with eight catches for 210 yards
• Multi-skilled with experience at cornerback, strong safety, free safety, wide receiver, linebacker, kick returner, and punt returner
• 2020 team captain - honor roll
• "Buggs is a tremendous athlete from Trenton, N.J. and has the ability to be a lockdown corner and defensive back in the CAA. Throughout this recruiting process, it has been great to get to know his family, and to see what a special person he is. Buggs is a talented football player and student-athlete that will be an excellent addition to our Black Bear Family." - Coach Charlton

Antonio Corsi  | TE | 6-3 | 250 | Ottawa, Ontario / St. Francis H.S

• Ranked as the 16th overall player in New York (class of '21)
• Ranked as the No. 1 tight end in the state of New York for receiving yards in 2019
• First-team all-league (2019)
• All-Catholic first team (2019)
• All-western New York second team (2019)
• MVP of 2018 championship game
• "Antonio is a highly recruited tight end out of one of the top high schools in New York at St. Francis high school. On the field, he has the ability to play in line and be a great blocker, while also being a versatile pass catcher all over the field. Antonio and his family have been outstanding throughout the process and will continue our tradition of bringing the top Canadian players to the University of Maine." - Coach Charlton

Jabari Echols  | DB | 6-0 | 180 | Baltimore, Md. / Mount St. Joseph H.S.

• MIAA all-conference
• First-team all-conference defense
• Registered seven interceptions in 2019
• "Jabari was our first commitment of the class of 2021 and has led the way ever since. An excellent corner that shows versatility and great ability tackling and covering on film, Jabari comes from Mount St. Joes in Baltimore, MD, a high-level program in the DMV. A true student-athlete, Jabari will be a huge addition to our Black Hole defense, on and off the field. We cannot wait for Jabari to join us this upcoming summer." - Coach Charlton

Darius McKenzie  | LB | 6-2 | 230 | Ottawa, Ontario / Clearwater Academy International

• First-team All-Canadian linebacker
• Three-time defensive MVP
• Three-year team captain
• Played at St. Patrick Catholic - four-year honor roll member
• "Darius is a linebacker from Ottawa, Canada with the ability to play multiple positions and continue in the long line of great UMaine defenders. He has the ability to tackle in space, stop the run, cover the entire field, and pass rush; displaying all his skills at Clearwater Academy in Florida this past fall. Darius will be joining us at the midyear and have a full semester to develop and get ready to contribute next fall." - Coach Charlton

Richie Pekmezian | K | 5-10 | 160 | Oceanport, N.J. / Mater Dei Prep (Indiana State)*

• Named to NJ.com Top-100 kickers list (2019)
• Has 50+ yard range off the ground, averages 60+ yards on kickoff.
• "Richie is a New Jersey native that was able to gain valuable experience at Indiana State last fall. He has the ability to contribute in multiple ways in the kicking game and be an important member to our great special teams units. Richie will be outstanding in the classroom and community; we are excited for him to join us this January in preparation for the upcoming season." - Coach Charlton

Abdul Stewart  | DB | 6-1 | 190 | Coatesville, PA / Coatesville H.S.

• All-State at defensive back and wide receiver (2019)
• All-Chesmont, All-Area
• 2020 team captain
• "Abdul will be a huge part of our Black Hole defense moving forward, our staff is thrilled to add him to the class of 2021. Right from the first clip of his highlight film, Abdul shows his ability to play multiple positions in the defensive backfield and be a big-time safety for the Black Hole. Abdul shows a confidence on and off the field and arrives from Coatesville High School in Pennsylvania, a known power in the area. We are thrilled to add him to our program." - Coach Charlton

Vince Thomas | S | 5-10 | 170 | Raleigh, N.C. / Sanderson H.S. (Naval Academy)

• Spent two season at the Naval Academy
• Attended Naval Academy Prep School during the 2018-19 academic year
• Multi-year football letterwinner
• Two-time Cap-U Conference honors
• Captain at Sanderson H.S. during his senior year
• "Vince joins Black Bear Nation from the Naval Academy and will be a truly versatile player at the University of Maine. Vince has the ability to contribute at multiple positions on defense and special teams. He is a true all around student-athlete that will be a great addition to our program. We are excited for Vince to join us next month and are looking forward to him making an impact on and off the field this spring." - Coach Charlton

Jack Webb | OL | 6-3 | 260 | Arundel, ME / Thornton Academy (Sacred Heart)*

• Spent three seasons at Sacred Heart
• First-team Southern Maine Class A offensive lineman
• 2017 first team All-SMAA
• 2017 Gaziano Award semifinalist
• 2018 Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl West Team captain
• Guided Thornton Academy to state titles in 2014 and 2015
• "We are excited for Jack to be returning to his home state and playing for the Black Bears. Jack is a versatile lineman that can play multiple positions and will be a great addition to our offensive line room. The Saco, Maine native played for Coach Kezal at Thornton Academy, one of the best programs in our state, and already has college football experience at Sacred Heart. Jack will have the opportunity to compete this spring in our upcoming season." - Coach Charlton

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The following student-athletes signed with the Black Bears as mid-year signees:

Mike-Lee Joseph | DB | 6-1 | 190 | Bridgeport, CT / Capitol Prep (Pace University)* (Junior)
2019 (Pace Univ.): Appeared in all 10 games, making three starts…Recorded 37 total tackles, 20 solo tackles, two tackles-for-loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, and three pass defenses…Tallied more than one solo tackle in seven games…Registered a season-high nine total tackles against Stonehill College on Nov. 9. 2018 (Pace Univ.): Appeared in eight games… Racked up 16 tackles (15 solo), and one tackle-for-loss… Had at least one tackle in seven games, including a season-high five against New Haven on Sept. 8^th... Earned recognition on the NE10's Spring Academic Honor Roll. High School: Three-year team captain… Two-time Conference tackle leader… Was awarded All-State honors twice… Named to Class B All-New England Team… Selected to First All-CSC Team… Recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards in two seasons… All-State Returner.

Jonny Messina | K | 5-9 | 175 | Orlando, FL / Stetson Univ./Boise State* (Grad Student)
(2019 - Stetson): A PFL honorable mention All-Conference selection after connecting on a modern Stetson program record 15 field goals in 19 attempts … Also broke his own program record by converting on 41 PAT attempts (out of 42) … Finished his career as the program record holder in field goals made (34) and attempted (45), most PAT conversions (98) and as the program's all-time leading scorer (200) … Kicked a game-winning field goal on the final play of the game to beat Butler (27 yards on 10/5) … Kicked a game-winner against Jacksonville (29 yards on 11/2), for a second straight year … Was selected as the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week after both games … Was named to the PFL Academic Honor Roll. (2018 - Stetson): First team Academic All-PFL selection … Started all 10 games as the Hatters PAT/field goal specialist … Was named PFL Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the win over Jacksonville, which included kicking the winning field goal on the final play of the game … Was selected as team special teams player of the week for his performances against Marist and Jacksonville … Connected on 40-of-42 PAT kicks on the year … Was also good on 10-of-11 field goal tries, with his only miss against Morehead State on a long try against Morehead State … Had one kickoff, good for 58 yards, against Point … Was named to the PFL Academic Honor Roll. (2017 - Stetson): Saw action in all 11 games as the placekicker ... Connected on nine-of-15 field goal attempts ... Had 39 kickoffs for 2,187 yards, a 56.1 yards per kickoff average ... Had four touchbacks ... Punted 10 times for 421 yards (42.1 yards per punt average) ...  Had three punts downed inside the 20 yard line ... Connected on a season-high three field goals, including a season-long 42 yards at Valparaiso (9/30) ... Made two field goals at Morehead State (10/21) ... Made one field goal each at Sacred Heart (9/2), at Marist (9/9), vs. Brown (10/7) and at Jacksonville (11/11) ... Was named to the PFL Academic Honor Roll. (2016 - Stetson): Did not see playing time ... Was named to the PFL Academic Honor Roll ... Finished his freshman year with a 3.87 GPA. High School: Attended Olympia High School in Orlando, Fla. ... Was a three year member of the football team as a kicker under head coach Kyle Hayes ... Was named to the Associated Press All-State third team ... Was named to the first team kicker for the state of Florida by DownUnder Sports ... Selected to play in the Orange County Senior Bowl ... Awarded the game ball for kicking a game winning 29 yard field goal with six seconds left against Winter Park High School on 11/6/15 ... Made 9-of-12 field goals in 2015 ... Connected on a career-long and school record 49 yard field goal against Apopka High School on 10/9/15 ... Had a 58 yard per kickoff average, including 13 touchbacks ... Made 21-of-22 point after conversions.

Shawn Page | OL | 6-3 | 290 | Upper Darby, PA / Bloomsburg Univ.* (Graduate Student)
2019 (Bloomsburg Univ.): Played in 11 games for Bloomsburg. 2018 (Bloomsburg Univ.): Played in 10 games for the Huskies during the 2018 season. 2017 (Bloomsburg Univ.): Played in nine games for the Huskies during the 2017 season. 2016 (Bloomsburg Univ.): Redshirted. HIGH SCHOOL: First Team All-Delco at offensive line as a senior ... First Team All-Central League at offensive line and Second Team at defensive line as a senior ... Third Team All-Southeastern PA at offensive line ... registered 60 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, and 7.5 sacks as a senior ... Honor Roll student ... team captain for coach Rich Gentile.

Kolubah Pewee Jr. | DB | 5-10 | 170 | Staten Island, N.Y. / Tottenville H.S. (Army)*

• Earned All-City and All-State honors at Tottenville

Christian Thomas | WR | 6-3 | 205 | Camden, N.J. / Milford Academy
 

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*Student-athlete eligible to play in the spring of 2021

-UMaine-