Liz Coffin chips towards the green while competing in the Maine Women’s Amateur. Coffin, a former star on the University of Maine women’s basketball team, shot 84 in the second round. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

SACO — Liz Coffin’s basketball jersey has been retired and hanging in gymnasium rafters for over 30 years, but you can still catch No. 44 in action at the golf course.

The former Ashland High and University of Maine women’s basketball standout made the cut of the Maine Women’s Amateur on Tuesday. After two rounds of competition at the Biddeford-Saco Country Club, Coffin enters Wednesday’s final round in sole possession of 34th place with a score of 31-over.

Coffin is not in striking distance of the lead, even after improving on Monday’s 19-over round by seven shots, but that was never really the goal.

“I don’t have any high expectations of winning,” the 2015 Maine Basketball Hall of Fame inductee said. “I just set a few personal goals and try to enjoy myself.”

Liz Coffin lines up a shot during the second round of the Maine Women’s Amateur. Coffin was a star for the UMaine women’s basketball team and has her number retired. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

After starring as a three-time all-American center for the Black Bears from 1984-88, Coffin left Orono considered one of the best basketball players in school history. Her career rebounding (1,351) and scoring (2,153 points) marks currently rank first and fourth in school history, respectively. She played professionally in Spain for a season and was a league all-star. However, after she injured her foot and opportunities elsewhere dried up, Coffin returned stateside.

Coffin, 58, who now works in customer service at Brewer Motor Inn, was looking for some sport she could use as a competitive outlet, before finding golf in 2000 and being “hooked ever since.”

“I love the friendly competition and shooting personal bests,” Coffin said Tuesday. “You also meet so many great people.”

For Coffin, community is the most important and most gratifying part of the sport. Since she started playing competitively in 2003, Coffin has been a part of “The Sisters,” a social group of golfers who play in the Maine Women’s Am each year. The group has dwindled from 15 at its peak to five, but the sisterly bond is still as strong as ever.

When there are traffic jams at the par 3s, Coffin seems to know somebody from the other group. If she doesn’t, there’s no indication from their conversation.

Rose Lyons of Val Halla Golf Club met Coffin in the early 2000s, when the former basketball player was starting to play golf.

“She’s a genuine, all-around, good person,” Lyons said. “Even when she’s not playing at her best, she’ll still be a champion.”

The Donald Ross-designed course in Saco is a bit different from Coffin’s home course at Bangor Municipal, which features wider fairways and larger greens. Biddeford-Saco’s narrow and rolling holes have provided more sloped lies than Coffin is used to, but she quickly realized that she could stay in good position by playing shots a club down.

Coffin wears a supportive brace after a bad step down the stairs two weeks ago made her knee “swell up like a balloon.” She’s not in any pain, but it does mean most of her shots trail to the right. Her short game has “lost its touch” over the past year, but she’s confident it’ll be back soon.

“It’s like basketball,” Coffin said. “If you want to be a good foul shooter, you have to practice. I don’t practice putting and chipping.”

One of Coffin’s playing partners on Tuesday, Lin Berkowitz of Purpoodock Club interjects: “Because it’s boring!”

Coffin laughs and agrees.

“When you’re having a bad day, you just look at Tigger and Mickey Mouse (her head covers) and say, ‘See, you can do this.’ “