GORHAM, Maine   – University of Southern Maine Huskies' Athletics has earned the inaugural Little East Conference Sportsmanship Cup.  The LEC Sportsmanship Cup is the newest institutional honor sponsored by the Little East Conference. 
 
The Huskies' top honor in the LEC Sportsmanship Cup comes on the heels of USM's second place finish in the 2021-2022 Little East Conference Commissioner's Cup.  The Commissioner's Cup is the LEC's top honor for overall institutional athletic performance among the conference's nine primary institutions in its championship sports.
 
The Huskies won the LEC Sportsmanship Cup with appoint average of 6.68 across their 19 LEC sports.  Twelve of USM's teams ranked in the top three in voting and 18 of the Huskies' 19 programs were in the top four.  Castleton University finished in a close second (6.58), followed by Eastern Connecticut in third (6.42). 
 
To determine the ranking, primary member head coaches across all 21 LEC sports ranked their peers in the areas of conduct of student-athletes, coaches and spectators, and interactions with event management and operations. The team with the top ranking was awarded nine points, second was awarded eight points, and so on. Point averages were then determined based on the number of LEC sports sponsored by each institution, as is done with the LEC Commissioner's Cup.
 
Announced by the conference office on Tuesday, LEC Commissioner Pamela S. Samuelson offered her remarks. "Congratulations to Al Bean and all in Huskies' Athletics.  This recognition by their peers is a tribute to the efforts of the coaches, student-athletes and staff in setting the standard for the LEC in this inaugural year of the award." 

Committed to excellence on an off of the field of competition, USM Athletics places emphasis on its Five Pillars of Huskies' Athletics: Academic Excellence, Athletic Achievement, Personal Growth, Professional Development and Service to Community.  Finishing second in the LEC Commissioners' Cup standings with a scoring average of 5.63 points, the Huskies were the top scoring program in men's cross country, women's indoor and outdoor track & field, and second in field hockey, softball, men's outdoor track & field.  Twelve of the Huskies' 19 LEC sponsored sports finished in the top four of their respective seasons. 
 
For sports in which the LEC conducts in-season play (baseball, basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball), points are determined by the ranked order of finish in the final regular season standings. For sports that do not conduct in-season play (cross country, swimming & diving, track & field), points are awarded based on the order of finish at the LEC championship meet.
 
"Integral to our department is obviously working towards success against our competition, but all involved in Huskies' Athletics and the University value winning and competing the right way. I'm very pleased that our opponents and colleagues in the Little East Conference have voted USM as the top school with regard to the Sportsmanship Cup," said Southern Maine Director of Athletics Al Bean. "As administrators, we all understand the importance of sportsmanship and ethical conduct and the role it plays in intercollegiate competition. In addition, this award honors the way we treat our opponents in all facets of their visit to our campus and the way we manage home athletic events. I am very proud of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff for their good work and outstanding performance in this area."