Parise Rossignol, the dynamic sophomore guard from tiny Van Buren High, has verbally committed to play women’s basketball at the University of Maine.

The 5-foot-7 Rossignol has 1,205 points in her career. In leading the Crusaders to the Eastern Class D semifinals this year, she averaged 30.4 points, 8.3 assists and 7.5 rebounds.

“I think I had my mind set since I was very young that Maine is where I wanted to go,” Rossignol said Tuesday night. “It’s Division I. It’s close to home. And it’s like family to us.”

Rossignol’s father, Matt (who is also her coach), played basketball at Maine from 1985-89 after a storied high school career that earned him the nickname “The Baron of Van Buren.”

Her brother, Derrick, just finished his sophomore year at Maine.

“I just like it there,” she said.

Rossignol, who has led the Van Buren girls’ soccer team to back-to-back appearances in the state championship game and plays tennis in the spring, said the early commitment won’t lessen the pressure on her over the next two years.

“I think it adds more,” she said. “I have to keep getting better. There are a lot of things I have to improve on. I have to get stronger.

“It makes me want to work harder to prove I deserve it.”