Medomak Grads Earn Rare NCAA Basketball Tournament Experience Kory Donlin and Kytana Williamson played for the UMaine Farmington Men's and Women's Teams

A pair of former Medomak Valley basketball stars recently won conference championships and advanced to NCAA Division III championship tournament action for the University of Maine Farmington.

Medomak Valley 2024 graduate Kory Donlin is a UMF sophomore that competed on the men’s team that won the North Atlantic Conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010.

Medomak 2025 alum Kytana Williamson was a first-year player on the UMF women’s squad, which also won their conference tourney and earned a bid to the elite NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007.

The men’s team upset the No. 10 team in the country in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs on March 6, beating Montclair State on their home court in Montclair, N.J. The playoff win by the Beavers was only the second NCAA Tournament victory in program history, which dates back to 1922.

Donlin had a strong performance for the Beavers (23-6) in the win over the New Jersey Athletic Conference champion Montclair State (25-3), scoring 13 points and pulling down a pair of defensive rebounds. The Beavers trailed by as much as nine points and rallied from a five-point deficit at halftime to beat the Red Hawks 96-84.

The Beavers season ended when they lost to Skyline Conference champion Yeshiva 92-69 in the second round of the NCAA tournament on March 7. UMF fell behind early and trailed 47-34 at halftime before the New York City based Maccabees pulled away to earn a trip to the Division III Sweet 16.

The UMF women’s team was routed 108-44 by New York University, the top ranked team in the country, on March 6 in New York City. Williamson earned a spot in the starting lineup and scored a pair of points during the loss that ended the Beavers’ season with a 21-8 record.

The undefeated NYU (29-0) has vanquished a pair of opponents since beating UMF and is headed to a Final Four semifinal against the University of Scranton on Thursday, March 19. The two-time defending NCAA Division III champion Violets posted their 91st consecutive victory in a 72-47 blowout over the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse on Saturday, March 14 to establish the second-longest win streak in NCAA history.

On the way to playing in NCAA tournament games, both of the former Medomak stars have had to adapt to the college game, and each have played key roles that contributed to the success of their respective team.

“The biggest differences playing college basketball is the overall physicality that is allowed by the refs, and the speed of the game is faster because of the shot clock,” said Donlin. “In high school, I played a lot more inside and relied a lot on rebounds for scoring, whereas in college I have become much more of an outside, 3-point shooter.”

The speed, physicality, and overall skill level are significantly higher in college, according to UMF men’s head basketball coach Quinn Newton, who was quick to note that at the college level almost everyone on the men’s team roster was “the guy” in high school. His biggest coaching challenge is blending all that talent into a cohesive unit and being transparent with players so they know their valuable role on the team.

“With the advanced offensive and defensive systems, detailed scouting reports, and high-level coaching of opponents, everything is elevated,” said Newton. “There’s very little margin for error.”

Another difference with college basketball is that players are assigned specific roles to help the team, according to Newton. “What’s been impressive is that Kory didn’t try to reinvent himself coming to UMF basketball – he refined himself. Kory has always been willing to fill whatever role the team needs to win,” said Newton. “Whether that’s scoring, defending, rebounding, or bringing energy, he embraces it. That selflessness has allowed his game to translate very naturally to the college level.”

Donlin’s coach at Medomak, Nick DePatsy, is not surprised Donlin is a good teammate at UMF and finding success at the college level.

“Kory was always an excellent team player and a good person who understands what it takes to win,” said DePatsy. “He is very athletic, and can score from anywhere on the floor.”

Newton noted that the transition to college basketball takes time to adjust to the speed, physicality, and consistency required every day.

“Kory had to learn how to impact the game even when he wasn’t the primary scoring option,” said Newton. “He used what he learned as a freshman to fuel his development this season – understanding spacing, shot selection, defensive responsibilities, and how to make winning plays beyond just scoring. That maturity is a big reason he took the leap he did.”

According to Newton, while Donlin has natural talent, he has also pushed the envelope to see just how good he can be.

“Kory made a tremendous jump from his first year to this (sophomore) season,” said Newton. “He committed himself to developing his body in the weight room and sharpening his skill set. The strides he took physically and mentally really elevated his impact and he continues to bring his passion for the game and his competitive spirit every single day.”

Donlin learned from the experience of a sibling to help with his transition to college basketball. “My older brother Kyle helped me the most with preparing me because he was playing in college while I was growing up,” said Donlin. Kyle Donlin had a strong career playing for UMF from 2019-2023.

“My favorite thing has been the higher level of skill and strategy that goes into playing a collegiate basketball game,” Kory Donlin said.

Donlin finished his sophomore season as the third-ranked scorer on the UMF team, averaging 12.7 points per game. He also contributed an average of 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.6 steals per game.

“Kory’s scoring production, ability to create offense, and knock down shots at a high level were major factors toward our success,” said Newton. “Beyond the numbers, his confidence and poise off the bench helped stabilize us in key stretches throughout the year.”

Williamson is in an earlier stage of the process of adapting to the women’s college game. The former Miss Maine Basketball semifinalist who reached the elite 1,000-point milestone and scored the most points in Medomak history has had to diversify her skill set to earn more playing time at UMF, where older, more experienced players typically take on the role of scoring leader.

Like Donlin, Williamson has made a strong impression on her coaches by doing whatever it takes to help the team.

“Kytana has been excellent for us in her first season,” said UMF women’s head coach Nate Carson. “Her role is to be disruptive defensively. She is a top caliber athlete and has such a big engine that she can consistently apply pressure for a long time.”

Williamson’s consistent defensive performance during the regular season earned her a spot in the starting lineup in the NCAA tournament game against NYU. “The biggest difference on this team versus my high school team has been my role as a defender rather than a high scorer,” said Williamson. “Something I have enjoyed is being able to focus more on defense and having less pressure to produce on offense. Another change this year is how big of a commitment basketball is once you get to college.”

Carson is aware of Williamson’s history as a high scorer and knows that she will evolve and take on more offensive responsibility as she gains more experience at the college level.

“Kytana still scores in the same ways (she did in high school) but finds her points in the flow of what we do in our team systems and not necessarily as a focal point,” said Carson. “That, however, will come in time. Kytana plays the game correctly in so many ways that it’s hard to keep her off the court.”

 

In the meantime, Williamson is thankful for her college basketball experience and the people that helped her get there, as well as the new things it has brought into her life.

“My parents and family have always supported me, and have pushed me to be the best I can be,” said Williamson. “My favorite thing about college basketball has been meeting my teammates and building new friendships with them.”

Williamson completed her first season as the sixth highest scorer for the Beavers, averaging 4.1 points per game. She also averaged 2.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game.

 

Regardless of their statistics and performance on the court, there are more important character qualities and life lessons that the two former Panthers have learned and displayed while competing for a NCAA tournament team.

“Beyond basketball, Kory’s a high-character young man,” said Newton. “He has integrity, an elite work ethic, and he truly cares about his teammates. Those qualities are a big part of why he’s been such an important piece of our championship team.”

Williamson has made a similar impact on the UMF women’s basketball program. “Kytana is a wonderful young lady who has been such a joy to coach and have around her teammates,” said Carson. “I’m very excited to watch her grow in the program.”

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