GORHAM, Maine –  Thirty-nine University of Southern Maine Huskies' Spring sport student-athletes have been recognized by the Little East Conference for their outstanding academic achievements earning a spot on the 2021 Little East Conference Spring All-Academic Team. Students from each of Southern Maine's seven Little East Conference sponsored teams have representatives on the academic squad: baseball, softball, men's outdoor track & field, women's outdoor track & field, men's tennis, men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse. The Fall All-Academic Team was announced earlier this year and 33 Huskies representing all eight of USM's LEC sponsored sports were recognized, while 25 Huskies representing all four of USM's LEC sports were honored. 

To earn the distinguished award, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore in standing both academically and athletically, have on cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher through the previous semester, and have been at their current institution for at least one full academic year.

 "Our student-athletes commitment to excel athletically and academically is evident by our continued strong representation numbers on academic award rosters," said Director of Athletics Al Bean. "The Department of Athletics is proud of our student-athletes and their achievements in the classroom while navigating unique and challenging circumstances related to COVID-19, their rigorous academic responsibilities and the commitment and challenges of being a student-athlete.  Their outstanding representation of the University in and out of competition speak to the quality of character that is representative of a Husky student-athletes.  I extend my congratulations and thanks to each of these students for wearing their Southern Maine uniform with academic and athletic distinction."

Twenty-two different University of Southern Maine majors are represented by the Huskies' 39 Spring LEC All-Academic team roster, including eight Business Management, seven Nursing, three Cyber Security, and three Sport Management majors.  The rest of the Huskies' All-Academic selections come from Athletic Training, Art, Art Education, Biochemistry, Exercise Science, History, Management, Liberal Studies, Linguistics, Social Work, Health Sciences, Biology, Sociology, Communications, Criminology, Psychology, and Accounting.  

Among the members of the 2021 Spring All-Academic team are senior NCAA Division III National Champion and All-American Sophia Slovenski (Cape Neddick, Maine), an exercise science major and member of the Huskies' women's volleyball, indoor and outdoor track & field teams.  From the men's outdoor track & field program, senior Zachariah Hoyle (Sidney, Maine), a U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Region selection in the 800 is a repeat All-Academic team member and recently completed his degree in history.

A two-sport student-athlete as a member of the Huskies men's ice hockey and men's tennis team Adam Papayanou (Valencia, Calif.) earned his spot as a double-major studying both criminology and psychology.  Recently named one of the two winners of the Department's Albert D. Bean Leadership Award, senior Tristan Dundas (Abbotsford, B.C.) earned the accoladed as a Business Management major and is a three-sport student-athlete as a member of USM's golf, ice hockey and men's lacrosse programs. Recently named CoSIDA Academic All-District, All-Little East Conference defender Morgan Eliasen (Lewiston, Maine) completed her nursing degree with a remarkable 3.990 GPA as a two-sport student-athlete.  Also a member, and a team captain, of the women's basketball team, Eliasen was named the 2021 Paula D. Hodgdon Leadership Award. 

Sophomore Cam Seymour (Saco, Maine), a Sport Management major, has earned a bevy of awards as a member of the Huskies' baseball team including CoSIDA Academic All-District, ABCA and D3baseball All-American honors and the title of LEC Rookie of Year.  Senior Ashley Tinsman (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) completed her career as a member of the Huskies' softball team with a record setting season, and earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors and a NFCA All-Region pick. Setting USM softball's single-season record for RBI in a season and game, Tinsman helped lead USM to its first Little East Conference regular season title since 1999 and its first bid to the NCAA Championship in 22 season. 

Fully embracing the NCAA Division III philosophy and its commitment to academics and the full student-athlete experience, the University of Southern Maine Department of Athletics supports nearly 500 student-athletes, who have a combined grade point average of 3.242.  This December, Huskies' athletics recognized a record 259 student-athletes with its William B. Wise Scholar-Athlete distinction (given to those who have achieved a 3.0 GPA or higher during the previous academic year).
 
 
 
2021 Little East Conference Spring All-Academic Teams
 

Baseball
Name	Institution		Class		Major		Hometown
Rodney Bean	Southern Maine		So.		Management		Norway, Maine
Ethan Brown	Southern Maine		So.		Business Management		Auburn, Maine
Matthew Burnett	Southern Maine		So.		Business Management		Ellsworth, Maine
Joshua Joy	Southern Maine		Jr.		Business Management		Smithfield, Maine
Janek Luksza	Southern Maine		So.		Undecided		South Paris, Maine
Cam Seymour	Southern Maine		So.		Sport Management		Saco, Maine
Sam Troiano	Southern Maine		Jr.		Liberal Studies		South Portland, Maine
Softball
Name	Institution		Class		Major		Hometown
Alexis Brown	Southern Maine		Sr.		Business Management		Malden, Mass.
Samantha Hauck	Southern Maine		Sr.		Linguistics		Painter Post, N.Y.
Brynn Hink	Southern Maine		Jr.		Sport Management		Porter, Maine
Kayla Horner	Southern Maine		Sr.		Social Work		Westbrook, Maine
Erin Martin	Southern Maine		Sr.		Health Sciences		Biddeford, Maine
Rona Scott	Southern Maine		So.		Biology		Beverly, Mass.
Hannah Shields	Southern Maine		So.		Nursing		Buckfield, Maine
Ashley Tinsman	Southern Maine		Sr.		Nursing		Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Men's Lacrosse
Name	Institution		Class		Major		Hometown
Sagar Dahal	Southern Maine		Jr.		Sport Management		Brunswick, Maine
Tristan Dundas	Southern Maine		Sr.		Business Management		Babbotsford, B.C.
Hunter Rushing	Southern Maine		So.		Business Management		South China, Maine
Women's Lacrosse
Name	Institution		Class		Major		Hometown
Kyleigh Alt	Southern Maine		So.		Nursing		Gray, Maine
Morgan Eliasen	Southern Maine		Sr.		Nursing		Lewiston, Maine
Hannah Gorham	Southern Maine		Sr.		Sociology		Lyman, Maine
Evelyn Hinkley	Southern Maine		Jr.		Business Management		West Gardiner, Maine
Maeve McGarrity	Southern Maine		Jr.		Communication		Scarborough, Maine
Dorina Sirois	Southern Maine		Sr.		Cyber Security		Saco, Maine
Men's Tennis
Name	Institution		Class		Major		Hometown
Adam Papayoanou	Southern Maine		Sr.		DM-Criminology and Psychology		Valencia, Calif.
Men's Outdoor Track & Field
Name	Institution		Class		Major		Hometown
Trent Dexter	Southern Maine		Sr.		Accounting		New Gloucester, Maine
Michael Geary	Southern Maine		Jr.		Cyber Security		North Yarmouth, Maine
Masho Gebremikael	Southern Maine		Sr.		Athletic Training		Portland, Maine
Jaequan Grant	Southern Maine		Jr.		Cyber Security		East Granby, Conn.
Zachariah Hoyle	Southern Maine		Sr.		History		Sidney, Maine
Women's Outdoor Track & Field
Name	Institution	Class		Major		Hometown
Mackenzie Banks	Southern Maine	So.		Business Management		Belfast, Maine
Taylor Chamberlain	Southern Maine	Jr.		Biochemistry		Lewiston, Maine
Catherine Close	Southern Maine	Jr.		Nursing		Orleans, Vt.
Emily Colby	Southern Maine	Jr.		Health Sciences		Lunenburg, Vt.
Maddie Fornasier	Southern Maine	So.		Nursing		South Burlington, Vt.
Ana Hewett	Southern Maine	So.		Nursing		Sidney, Maine
Rachel Raymond	Southern Maine	Jr.		Art		East Waterboro, Maine
Olivia Richmond	Southern Maine	Jr.		Art Education		Jefferson, Maine
Sophia Slovenski	Southern Maine	Jr.		Exercise Sciences		Cape Neddick, Maine

 
 
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