Feet, don’t fail Alexa Kaubris now.

That’s the collective hope of everyone associated with the Bowdoin College women’s basketball program as the nationally ranked Polar Bears begin their pursuit of a ninth consecutive NCAA Division III tournament berth.

Kaubris, a senior tri-captain from Rumford and last season’s leading scorer and defensive stopper, has been sidelined for Bowdoin’s first three games due to a chronic foot injury. Her status for today’s home game against Salve Regina and a showdown Tuesday night against the University of Southern Maine is uncertain.

“We are hoping that she can return to action soon but really don’t know when,” said Kaubris’ father, Matt, who said the injury affected something known as the Liz Frank tendon.

Injured during a campus pickup game approximately two months ago, Kaubris initially expected to be out four to six weeks. Rest and treatment haven’t completely solved the problem.

Kaubris has battled plantar fasciitis throughout her career at Bowdoin. That’s the same injury that slowed Cindy Blodgett during her senior season at the University of Maine.

Matt Kaubris suspects that the problems are a simple case of wear and tear.

“Many people don’t realize the type of pounding the body takes over a number of years playing an intense sport like basketball,” he said. “Alexa really fell in love with the game her fifth-grade year. Since then she has logged a lot of court time doing what she loves — playing travel team, AAU ball, summer ball and as much pickup ball as possible.”

Bowdoin’s success in its first year under new coach Adrienne Shibles may hinge at least partially on those creaky joints. Kaubris, the former Dirigo High School star, led the Polar Bears with 12.2 points per game as a junior. She also yanked down more than five rebounds per game and topped the team in steals.

Without her, Bowdoin is 2-1 headed into its stretch of three home games before the Christmas break. Routs of Western Connecticut State and the University of New England were sandwiched around a 27-point loss to Brandeis.

USM’s super soph

Kaylie DeMillo moved into the University of Southern Maine starting lineup this season, and the sophomore from Jay wasted no time taking advantage of the extra minutes and increased spotlight.

DeMillo was named Maine Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Week for her performance in three USM wins the week of Nov. 17-23.

A streaky shooter with notoriously deep range, DeMillo drained 56 percent of her attempts from 3-point territory during a stellar stretch for the Huskies. She scored 25 points in a victory over the University of Maine at Farmington and 15 against Norwich, earning MVP honors in the USM Tip-Off Tournament.

Defense didn’t slide to the back burner, either. DeMillo averaged four steals per game in the opening week of the season.

Even when her shots haven’t fallen, DeMillo has been a driving force for the Huskies. Despite an 0-for-7 night from the field, DeMillo dished out six assists in the Huskies’ 67-57 triumph Tuesday at Bates College.

Have whistle, will travel

Eastern Maine Community College is the next stop in the lengthy basketball coaching career of Mike Kane. The Mt. Blue alum has taken the helm of the women’s basketball program at the Bangor school.

Kane has coached at all levels during 18 years on the bench. He served as the men’s basketball coach at the University of Maine-Augusta and led the women’s programs at UMaine-Farmington and Thomas. He also was the head coach at Mt. Blue and Londonderry High School in New Hampshire as well as an assistant at Dirigo.

While at Augusta from 2001-2004, he guided the UMA men to a 26-7 record, a conference championship and a berth in the USCCA National Tournament. He was an assistant at both UMF and Thomas when both programs advanced to MAC Final Four appearances. Kane served as recruiter for both schools and also served as the interim head coach at UMF.

At the high school level, Kane led Londonderry to a 46-6 record, including three straight conference titles and a state runner-up trophy in 1995-96. He guided Mt. Blue to a playoff berth in Heather Ernest’s freshman season and was an assistant to his brother, Gavin, on numerous state championship Dirigo teams.

Kane’s roster at EMCC currently includes former Dirigo starter Nikki Kaulback. The Eagles opened the season at the NHTI Tip-Off Tournament in Concord, New Hampshire. Kaulback lead the Eagles, averaging 29 points, six assists and five steals.

It’s a snap

Robie Leavitt of Sabattus (Oak Hill) and Curry College of Milton, Mass., have made another push into the second round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs.

Leavitt is the long snapper and a reserve lineman for the Colonels, who suffered their first New England Football Conference loss in 33 games this fall against Plymouth State.

While the Panthers won the conference title, Curry snagged one of six at-large bids to the 32-team tournament and made it pay off in the opening round. The Camels drove 70 yards in the final three minutes to score the game-winning touchdown in a 26-21 upset of No. 12 Ithaca last weekend.

Curry traveled to No. 16 Cortland (N.Y.) State on Saturday.

Quick hits

• Freshman tennis player Julia Bergeron of Lewiston was named Clark University women’s team most valuable player for the fall semester. Bergeron won seven singles matches for the Cougars, achieving four of those at the No. 2 spot on Clark’s ladder. She was the only player on the squad to score a victory over a conference opponent, notching two during the season.

• Kristin Humphrey of Auburn, a junior at Connecticut College, was named to the New England Small College Athletic Conference fall all-academic team. Players must earn a varsity letter and maintain a grade point average above 3.35 to make the squad.

• Rachele Burns of Gorham was one of four women’s basketball players to sign a National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Maine beginning in 2009-10. Burns was ESPN’s Maine Soccer Player of the Year. On the basketball court, she averaged 25 points per game as a junior.

Staff writer Kevin Mills contributed to this report.