GORHAM, Maine – The Little East Conference announced the results of its first-ever preseason coaches' poll for men's cross country on Tuesday with the University of Southern Maine team placing third.
 
The Huskies', who placed fourth at the 2022 conference championship meet, finished with 49 points in the poll.  Plymouth State, who won the LEC title last fall, were chosen as the conference favorites with 62 points and seven first-place votes followed by UMass Dartmouth with 56 points and the two remaining first-place votes.  Eastern Connecticut State finished four points behind Southern Maine with 45 points to place fourth.
 
Southern Maine returns six of their seven top runners from last season highlighted by All-LEC performers Jordan Duplessie (Caribou, Maine) and Cody Mathewson (Lebanon, Conn./ Lyman Memorial).  Duplessie, a junior who placed eighth at the 2022 LEC championships, and Mathewson, a senior who finished 14th at the conference championship, both earned Second Team All-LEC honors.  Each runner also earned an all-conference nod in 2021.  Duplessie placed fourth at the 2021 championship meet to earn First Team All-LEC honors and the LEC Rookie of the Year award.  Mathewson finished 12th to secure a Second Team All-LEC spot.
 
Sophomore Michael Cyr (Caribou, Maine) is another top returner for the Huskies. Cyr was the top rookie finisher in the conference last season placing 21st overall at the LEC Championship to earn the LEC Rookie of the Year award.  He was also the third-fastest Southern Maine runner at the 2022 NCAA Division III East Region Cross Country Championships finishing 73rd.
 
The veteran core for the Huskies also includes senior Jack Pecoraro (Westbrook, Maine) and junior Anthony O'Donnell (Portland, Maine/Deering) who each were consistently among the top-five finishers for the team last season.   Also returning are sophomore Camden Bessey (Westbrook, Maine) and senior Devin Witte (Ridgeville Corners, Ohio) who bring solid depth to the Southern Maine lineup.
 
Second-year head coach Rob Whitten has also brought in an exciting group of freshmen with potential to breakout in their rookie seasons.  Cyrus Evans (Farmington, Maine/Mt. Blue) placed sixth at the Maine State Cross Country Meet last season as a senior at Mount Blue High School and earned Second Team All-State honors from the Maine Track & Cross Country Coaches Association.  Kyle Hartford (South Portland, Maine) also was top-25 finisher at the Maine State Cross Country Meet in addition to being a two-time New England qualifier.  Rounding out the freshman class is Aidan Pecoraro (Westbrook, Maine), who is reuniting with his older brother Jack.  Joining the class of newcomers is sophomore Darien Davis (Lisbon Falls, Maine) who will be making his cross country debut after competing for the Huskies during the indoor and outdoor track seasons.
 
The Huskies will begin the season at the Keene State Alumni Meet on September 2.

2023 Little East Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll

Place	Team	Points (First Place Votes)
1.	Plymouth State	62 (7)
2.	UMass Dartmouth	56 (2)
3.	Southern Maine	49
4.	Eastern Connecticut	45
5.	Rhode Island College	34
6.	Keene State	33
7.	UMass Boston	19
8.	VTSU Castleton	16
9.	Western Connecticut	10