GORHAM, Maine – The University of Southern Maine Men’s Cross Country program has been ranked ninth in the preseason edition of the 2021 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings it was announced Tuesday evening.
The Huskies are the ninth ranked team in the
East Region and are one of three Little East Conference programs represented in the poll with the University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth (eighth) and Plymouth State University (tenth) sandwiching the Huskies in the rankings. Southern Maine is the four-time reigning LEC Conference Champions winning titles in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) snagged the top slot while New England Small College Athletic Conference programs Colby College (second) and Bates College (third) round out the top three. The NESCAC was well represented with four teams in the regional rankings. This year marks the first season of the new 10-region realignment model for cross country that will go into effect on September 1st.
TO VIEW THE ENTIRE USTFCCCA PRESEASON RANKINGS RELEASE PLEASE CLICK HERE.
In 2019, their last full campaign, the Huskies won their fourth straight conference title and eighth overall in team history edging out runner up UMass-Dartmouth by 10 points, they then advanced to the NCAA Regionals and placed 13th out of 54 teams in the New England region. Southern Maine have been a fixture in the top 15 in the region since 2017 with their highest final ranking of 10th coming in 2017.
Returning to four-time LEC Coach of the Year Ryan Harkleroad’s team are sophomore Jacob Gamache (Auburn, ME) and senior Masho Gebremikael (Portland, ME). Gamache took home fifth place as a freshman in the 2019 Little East Championship with a time of 25:45.73 while Gebremikael placed eighth at 25:58.68. Both athletes were awarded All-Little East Conference honors for their efforts.
The Huskies kick off their season on Friday, September 3rd at 6:00 p.m. when they compete against Husson University at the Narragansett School in Gorham.
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