Quarterback Derek Robertson has joined an expanding list of University of Maine football captains who have entered the NCAA transfer portal in recent years.
Robertson is believed to have two years of eligibility remaining.
The senior is one of two captains from this fall’s team to enter the portal, joining tight end Rohan Jones.
Two of the 2022 captains, quarterback Joe Fagnano and tight end Shawn Bowman, transferred to Football Bowl Subdivision schools the University of Connecticut and Rutgers, respectively.
UMaine is in the Football Championship Subdivision, which has fewer scholarships and resources than the Football Bowl Subdivision schools.
Linebacker Deshawn Stevens, who was a captain for the 2019 and 2021 teams, transferred to the University of West Virginia and quarterback Chris Ferguson, a 2019 captain, moved on to Liberty University and then to Towson.
West Virginia and Liberty are Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
Robertson had a career year last fall for the 2-9 Black Bears, completing 63.9 percent of his passes (258-for-404) for 2,933 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was intercepted 13 times.
He threw at least three touchdown passes in six of his last seven games and his 2,933 yards were the third most in UMaine history and ninth best among quarterbacks at 122 Football Championship Subdivision schools. His 25 TD passes were third most in the Coastal Athletic Association and tied for ninth most in the nation.
His 266.6 passing yards per game is 10th in the nation.
He threw for a career-high 503 yards in a 34-28 loss to Campbell.
The All-CAA honorable mention tossed five TD passes in a win over Stony Brook and a loss to Hampton.
The Yonkers, New York, native and former Bridgton Academy quarterback concluded his UMaine career completing 383 of 647 passes (59.2 percent) for 4,466 yards and 37 touchdowns. He was intercepted 17 times.
Third-string quarterback Ayden Pereira also entered the portal, which will leave UMaine with senior back-up Anthony Harris as the only returnee with previous experience.
Harris appeared in seven games this fall and completed 13 of 18 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Robertson thanked the University of Maine for his four years in Orono on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Thank you to all of my teammates and coaches for everything they have done for me,” Robertson wrote.
