Harris Named LEC Field Athlete of the Year
USM Coaches Picked as Coaching Staff of the Year 

            GORHAM, Maine -- The Little East Conference office announced Wednesday that University of Southern Maine senior Connor Harris (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little) has been voted the Field Athlete of the Year by the coaches for the 2017 outdoor season.

            In addition to Harris' individual honor, the Huskies' coaches, led by third-year head coach Ryan Harkleroad, was named the Coaching Staff of the Year for the third straight year.  Other members of the Huskies' coaching staff include Mike Drummey (pole vault), Charlie Ewers (sprints), Becky O'Brien (throws) and Patrick Smith (jumps).

            Harris is the second USM athlete to receive the outdoor Field Athlete of the Year since the LEC began its postseason award program in 2007-08.  Former four-time outdoor All-American Jamie Ruginski received the honor in 2014 and 2015.

            A two-time LEC Field Athlete of the Week during the 2017 spring season (April 3, April 24), Harris won the New England Alliance and LEC long jump titles and was runner-up to teammate Drew Gamage (Sabattus, Maine/Oak Hill) in the triple jump.  A week later at the New England Division III Championships, Harris won the triple jump with a career best mark of 14.72 meters (48-3 ½) and finished fourth in the long jump with a jump of 6.70 meters (21-11 ¾).

            Harris received the LEC Field Athlete of the Week honor (April 3) after finishing second in the high jump (1.93m/6-4), long jump (6.40m / 21-0) and the triple jump (13.96m / 45-9 ¾) at the season-opening Tufts University Snowflake Invitational.  Harris picked up his second LEC Field Athlete of the Week honor (April 24) after winning the triple jump (14.46m / 47-5 ¼) for the second straight year and placing third in the high jump (1.88m / 6-2) at the annual State of Maine Outdoor Championships.

            Harkleroad and his staff led the Huskies to their third straight Little East Conference outdoor title, and seven in the last 10 years.  In the process, USM became just the second program to sweep the LEC cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field titles in the same academic year.  The Huskies matched the performance of the 2009-10 Southern Maine teams.

            At the LEC Championships, USM won seven events en route to taking the team championship, and had 18 individual all-conference performances (top three).  Last weekend at the New England Division III Championships, the Huskies finished fifth among the 32 teams scoring for their fourth consecutive top five finish.

            USM will send qualified competitors back to Williams College next weekend (Friday and Saturday) for the NEICAAA New England Outdoor Championships. 

Little East Conference
Men's Outdoor Track and Field Awards

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