Husky greats of the past and present came together to celebrate 100 years of athletics at the University of Southern Maine.

Costello Sports Complex in Gorham hosted the anniversary festivities on December 9. The daylong roster of events included reunions, award ceremonies, and, of course, competitions.

"There was a great foundation laid many, many years ago," said Director of Athletics Al Bean. "We've tried to really continue that tradition and make it a good home for people who are participating in this program.

The Athletics program grew under the leadership of coaches like Richard "Doc" Costello and Paula Hodgdon. Their impact continues to be felt through the many facilities, scholarships, and awards that bear their names.

As the program's current steward, Bean has his eyes on the future. The upgrades he'd like to make to buildings and equipment require money. He hopes supporters will turn out this spring for the new Paula Hodgdon Walk for Women. The money it raises will help to expand offerings for female athletes.

The opportunities available to today's student-athletes span 22 teams, evenly divided between men and women. The results speak for themselves with a long record of regional and national championships at both the individual and team level. As recently as this fall, USM claimed Little East Conference (LEC) championships in women's soccer and field hockey.

"Southern Maine, most especially in track and field, clearly has been in my time here a dominant program overall," said LEC Commissioner Pamela Samuelson. "In this sport as well as other sports you can name across the board, I think it shows the job that the coaches and the administrators do in providing the environment and the great culture that they have here to be successful."

Samuelson inducted several Huskies into the LEC Hall of Fame during the anniversary celebration. And the parade of honors didn't end there.  READ FULL STORY