Hall of Fame Profiles: Liz Wood served as the catalyst for the resurgence of UMaine’s women’s basketball
10/21/2022 7:43:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The 2022 University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Friday, Oct. 21 at Jeff's Catering in Brewer. To read about the full 2022 Induction Class, please click here. The 2022 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be live streamed at www.YouTube.com/UMBlackBears/live.
Orono, Maine -- There were expectations heaped on Liz Wood and her fellow freshmen when the nine women arrived at the University of Maine in 2012.
First-year head coach Richad Barron was intent on re-establishing the program as a championship contender and Wood was a key member of that important group.
With the encouragement and support of her coaches and teammates, the versatile and poised standout from Catlett, Virginia, unwittingly became the unquestioned leader of the group.
A standout both on the court and in the classroom, Wood takes her rightful place among the program's best ever as a member of the UMaine Sports Hall of Fame.
"Liz was the catalyst for the resurgence in women's basketball at Maine," Barron said. "She excelled in all three areas that we emphasized: on-court excellence, academic performance and commitment to serving the community."
Upon her graduation, Wood was the only UMaine women's basketball player to complete her career ranked in the top 10 in five major categories. She was first in games played (127), third in steals (282), sixth in rebounds (902), seventh in total points (1,462) and eighth in assists (363).
Wood was among the league's best during her four seasons. She was named the 2013 America East Co-Rookie of the Year and was a three-time, all-conference choice. She earned a first-team nod in 2015, when she was recognized as the America East Co-Defensive Player of the Year.
She also led the Black Bears in rebounding for four consecutive seasons while helping UMaine post back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2015 and 2016 en route to two shared conference regular-season titles.
It was a challenging transition initially for Wood, who said she lacked self-confidence. The team's early struggles wound up being her proving ground.
"I think Coach Barron and the rest of the staff really saw a leadership ability in me that I didn't see in myself yet and really encouraged me to get out into that spotlight," Wood said. "It was uncomfortable, but I think it's probably the point in my life where I've grown the most as a person, as a leader, as a teammate, in the grand sense of the word like."
In addition to her basketball accomplishments, Wood was awarded the prestigious M Club Dean Smith Award given to UMaine's top student-athlete. She was chosen the America East Female Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2016.
"She inspired, motivated and led everyone around her," Barron said, "not just her teammates and coaches, but other teams, university administrators and the community alike."
Wood is appreciative of the support of the university and Black Bear fans, but nothing resonates more than the relationship she shared with her teammates.
"Those are my sisters, so I would trust him with my life," Wood said, "and I think I've never had a bond that close with a group of girls before."
Wood also takes tremendous pride in having played a role in the resurgence of UMaine women's basketball.
"You're attracted to success and like to win, but you want to be in a place where you're appreciated and where the culture is good," Wood said. "I think we did a really good job of creating that for future players, so that's probably what I'm most proud of."
Wood, who went on to play two seasons professionally in Germany alongside former Black Bears teammate Anna Heise, has completed medical school through the Navy and is applying for residency programs. She plans eventually to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology.
Orono, Maine -- There were expectations heaped on Liz Wood and her fellow freshmen when the nine women arrived at the University of Maine in 2012.
First-year head coach Richad Barron was intent on re-establishing the program as a championship contender and Wood was a key member of that important group.
With the encouragement and support of her coaches and teammates, the versatile and poised standout from Catlett, Virginia, unwittingly became the unquestioned leader of the group.
A standout both on the court and in the classroom, Wood takes her rightful place among the program's best ever as a member of the UMaine Sports Hall of Fame.
"Liz was the catalyst for the resurgence in women's basketball at Maine," Barron said. "She excelled in all three areas that we emphasized: on-court excellence, academic performance and commitment to serving the community."
Upon her graduation, Wood was the only UMaine women's basketball player to complete her career ranked in the top 10 in five major categories. She was first in games played (127), third in steals (282), sixth in rebounds (902), seventh in total points (1,462) and eighth in assists (363).
Wood was among the league's best during her four seasons. She was named the 2013 America East Co-Rookie of the Year and was a three-time, all-conference choice. She earned a first-team nod in 2015, when she was recognized as the America East Co-Defensive Player of the Year.
She also led the Black Bears in rebounding for four consecutive seasons while helping UMaine post back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2015 and 2016 en route to two shared conference regular-season titles.
It was a challenging transition initially for Wood, who said she lacked self-confidence. The team's early struggles wound up being her proving ground.
"I think Coach Barron and the rest of the staff really saw a leadership ability in me that I didn't see in myself yet and really encouraged me to get out into that spotlight," Wood said. "It was uncomfortable, but I think it's probably the point in my life where I've grown the most as a person, as a leader, as a teammate, in the grand sense of the word like."
In addition to her basketball accomplishments, Wood was awarded the prestigious M Club Dean Smith Award given to UMaine's top student-athlete. She was chosen the America East Female Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2016.
"She inspired, motivated and led everyone around her," Barron said, "not just her teammates and coaches, but other teams, university administrators and the community alike."
Wood is appreciative of the support of the university and Black Bear fans, but nothing resonates more than the relationship she shared with her teammates.
"Those are my sisters, so I would trust him with my life," Wood said, "and I think I've never had a bond that close with a group of girls before."
Wood also takes tremendous pride in having played a role in the resurgence of UMaine women's basketball.
"You're attracted to success and like to win, but you want to be in a place where you're appreciated and where the culture is good," Wood said. "I think we did a really good job of creating that for future players, so that's probably what I'm most proud of."
Wood, who went on to play two seasons professionally in Germany alongside former Black Bears teammate Anna Heise, has completed medical school through the Navy and is applying for residency programs. She plans eventually to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology.
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