GORHAM, Maine – On Thursday and Friday the University of Southern Maine golf team will be competing at the 2022 Little East Conference Golf Championship at Ellington Ridge Country Club at Ellington, Conn. The Huskies will be entering the event on high note after winning the USM Fall Invite on their home course earlier in the week. The first round tees off at 10AM on Thursday.
 
Participating Programs: The University of Southern Maine, Castleton University, Eastern Connecticut State University, Keene State College, Rhode Island College, and Western Connecticut State University
 
2021 Results: The Huskies placed third in the five-team field at the inaugural event in 2021 hosted by Castleton at Rutland Country Club. Southern Maine posted a team score of 657 (320-334) to finish behind ECSU (615, 297-318) and Castleton (647, 313-334). Zach Ellsworth (Saranac Lake, NY/Northwood School) was the top finisher for Huskies and earned All-LEC honors after tying for fifth place with a score of 162 (79-83).
 
Huskies Lineup: The Huskies have had a pretty consistent line up throughout the nine events they have played this season. A trio of seniors in Brogan Kane (Scarborough, Maine), John Welch (South Portland, Maine/Cheverus) and Carter Burnell (Biddeford, Maine) have been mainstays in the lineup as has Ellsworth. Typically, the fifth spot in the lineup has gone to freshman Sam Farr (Gorham, Maine). As a team the Huskies have won four events and finished in second place in three other events.
 
Kane is coming off an impressive performance at the USM Fall Invite in which he tied for third (153, +9) thanks to a one-over-par (73) second round. The event marked the fifth top-five finish this season for Kane. Kane earned the LEC Golfer of the Week award earlier this season after winning the New England College Golf Invitational with a score of 74 (+2). The senior tied for fifth at the Castleton Invitational after shaving eight strokes off his round one score to finish at 152 (+12). At the University of New England Invitational Kane tied for fourth place with a score of 77 (+8). Last year at the LEC Championship Kane recorded a top-10 finish by placing seventh with a score of 163 (+23).
 
Welch tied for second at the Castleton Invitational after shooting a 151 (+11). He carded a 74 (+4) in the first round and a 77 (+7) in second. Welch also recorded a top-five finish at the NEC Golf Invite where he tied for fourth with a score of 80 (+8). At the 2021 conference championship Welch shot an 80 on the first day and an 87 on the second to finish tied for 12^th (167, +27).
 
Burnell tied for ninth (165, +25) at last season's inaugural championship. This season Burnell tied for fifth at both the USM Fall Invite (154, +10) and the Emmanuel College Saints Invite (80, +8). He also recorded top-10 finishes in all but one event that he has competed in.
 
The top finisher for the Huskies at the event last season, Ellsworth was named the team captain prior to the start of the season. He tied for second at the NEC Golf Invite (79, +7) and tied for fifth at the Saints Invite (80, +8). He also placed eighth at the Castleton Invite (155, +15) and tied for 10^th at the UNE Invite (80, +11). At the USM Cup the pairing of Ellsworth and Kane tied for second after shooting even par (72).
 
Farr has been named the LEC Rookie of the Week twice this season. He first earned the honor after tying for fourth place at the NEC Golf Invite with a score of 80 (+8). Farr claimed his second conference award by shooting a 78 (+6) in both the first and second round of the USM Fall Invite to tie for ninth (156, +12).
 
Heading to the Tournament?
-If you are planning to head to the LEC Championship here are some useful links.
 
LEC TOURNAMENT PAGE | ELLINGTON RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB WEBSITE | COURSE TOUR | DIRECTIONS