PCSS assistant principal/AD departing for Hampden Academy
By Matt Junker, Bangor Daily News Sports Editor
The new Hampden Academy athletic director is very familiar with his new school — as an opponent, that is.
Jon McAllian was a standout basketball player at Bangor High School in the late 2000s before going on to play at the University of Maine. And now he’ll lead the athletic department at the Hampden school he used to play against.
Outgoing Hampden Academy Athletic Director Barry Terrill announced McAllian’s hiring on Sept. 11.
McAllian, who currently serves as both assistant principal and athletic director at Piscataquis Community Secondary School in Guilford, said he had heard about the Hampden opening and was immediately interested.
OUTGOING AD — PCSS Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Jon McAllian, pictured in this 2013 file photo when he was basketball coach for Bangor Christian, has been hired as the athletic director at Hampden Academy.
As a “homegrown guy” from the Bangor area, he said he has long been familiar with Hampden’s reputation.
“It’s something that I knew I wanted to be a part of,” he told the Bangor Daily News.
McAllian’s first official day in Hampden is slated for Oct. 20 as he finishes out his time in Guilford. Terrill is leaving to become assistant principal at Orono High School, his alma mater. Lon Bagley, an ed tech in the Hampden school district, will serve as interim athletic director starting in late September until McAllian begins his new role.
After playing basketball in high school and college, McAllian went on to serve as the boys basketball coach at Bangor Christian and then later became the school’s athletic director.
“I feel like I do have quite the range of experiences, and I want to pull from all of those experiences and see how they can help me throughout my experience at Hampden,” McAllian said.
The 6-foot-6 former Mr. Maine Basketball finalist helped lead Bangor High School to a 2007 Class A state championship.
“And even though I had athletic success, I also had experiences sitting on the bench — or, you know, having both sides of having great experiences with coaches, but yet having challenging times as well,” McAllian said.
He said that can help him connect with current student athletes, both in assisting them through challenging times and building on the good times.
“All of RSU 22 and the Hampden athletic department has done such a great job providing positive experiences for the greater Hampden area students,” McAllian said. “So I’m excited to be a part of that and their continued success, and really looking forward to collaborating with coaches and being another positive mentor to the student athletes.”