GORHAM, Maine – As part of a weekend long Homecoming and Family Weekend celebration the University of Southern Maine Department of Athletics will enshrine several former standout student-athletes and key athletic department figures as part of its 37th Annual Husky Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony on Sunday, October 15 (5:00 pm) at the Italian Heritage Center in Portland, Maine presented by Gorham House of Pizza. The seven new inductees will bring the number of former Huskies in the Hall to 251.
Gathering to celebrate the outstanding legacies, achievements and performances of past University of Southern Maine student-athletes, coaches and administrators, the Husky Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony is one of the highlights of each academic year, and brings some of the Huskies' best and brightest back to the University.
Among the Class of 2023 is former men's basketball standout Chris Burleson '13
Chris Burleson, Class of 2013, Baseball
An American Baseball Coaches' Association (ABCA) Division III All-American, and a D3baseball.com Division III All-American shortstop for the Huskies' baseball team, Chris Burleson concluded his successful playing career as the University of Southern Maine and was drafted by Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds in the 36
th round of the MLB Draft.
A career .350 hitter with 139 RBI, 39 doubles, 12 triples and 12 home runs, Burleson matched his offensive ability as a part of the Huskies infield with a career .922 fielding percentage with 285 putouts and 310 assists. Ranked 19
th in career games played (174), Burleson is first in career runs scored (214), first in walks (151), sixth in stolen bases (72), seventh in triples (12), eighth in home runs (25), 11
th in total bases (359), 21
st in hits (221), 22
nd in RBI (139) and 19
th in slugging percentage (.569).
During the 2008 season, Burleson was named the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III Player of the Year, the Little East Conference Player of the Year and an ECAC Division III New England All-Star first team selection after hitting .383 (72-for-188) with a career-best 50 RBI. Earning All-America honor from the ABCA in 2008, and then from D3baseball.com in 2009, Burleson helped Southern Maine to a record of 131-55 overall and 45-15 in Little East Conference play, including three trips to the NCAA Regional Championships in 2006, 2008, and 2009.
Burleson earned his degree in Business Administration in 2009. Active in his community's youth sports programming, Burleson works in Software Sales for Kepware Technologies of PTC, Inc.
