UNE athletes limited dining options.
The University of New England offers three main dining options for their students: the Ripich Commons dining hall, the Forum, and the Pub. Unfortunately, the dining hall closes at 8 PM on weekdays, the Forum usually closes around 8:30 PM, and the Pub only has fried options usually after 8 PM as well. What are athletes supposed to eat for dinner when their practices run later than 8:30 PM?
Lizzie Brytowski
February 25th 2025
University of New England Student
For some athletes at the University of New England, their practices do not get out until after 8 PM, which means when most of the dining options are closed and they have to fend for themselves when it comes to finding dinner options.
Multiple athletes at the University of New England have complained about the dining options for dinner. Most athletes claim the dining hall closes way too early that after practice there are minimal options for food. The student athletes who have cars on campus are able to go out to get food from places around Biddeford, but that is not cost or time efficient.
Marissa Durrett, a freshman softball player at UNE (she/her), says “Our practices get out and then I have to go back to my room and only eat a mac and cheese cup for dinner because nothing is open for me to go get something to eat”. Durrett does not have a car on campus so it is not easy for her to go out and get food from other places and the only thing she is able to eat for dinner is food she has to then buy from Target or a grocery store.
Danielle DeJon, a sophomore women’s hockey player at UNE, explains how she also struggles with the dining options either after their practices. “The dining hall doesn’t even have to be open later, I think the forum should be. Most of us are starving after practice and then have to just eat snacks we have in our room for dinner. Since we are all already practicing in the forum the forum should stay open a little later to accommodate for that.”
However, Sophomore Emma Michaud, who plays on the softball team explains how the dining options arent much of a problem for her. Michaud lives in Sokokis Hall and the dorm rooms in this building have their own kitchens. “I usually am able to buy stuff to make my own food after practices like pasta or pizza. I don’t have to go to the dining hall as often as most underclassmen would so it
