GORHAM, Maine  - Even marriage can be a competition when you are as driven to win as Nicole Kirk.

A friendly wisecrack toward her husband made for a memorable moment at the induction ceremony for new members of the Husky Hall of Fame, which honors exceptional athletic achievement at the University of Southern Maine. The ceremony took place on October 6 at the Italian Heritage Center in Portland.

Kirk's running prowess made her a hall of fame shoo-in. She holds USM's indoor track records in the 55m, 60m, and 200m races, as well as the outdoor track records in the 100m, 200m, and 400m. She is a Little East Conference (LEC) champion five times over.

After graduating in 2016 with a Nursing degree, Kirk married fellow USM alum Jamie Ruginski. He was as dominant a runner on the men's side as Kirk was on the women's. Kirk gestured toward him during her acceptance speech and said that she looked forward to being in the audience for his induction at a future ceremony.

"At least I can always say that I beat him into the hall of fame," Kirk joked in her speech. "This is one race that I finished first."

There was still room at the podium that night for another elite runner. Kevin Desmond was in the same 2016 graduating class as Kirk. He is now working on a master's degree to supplement his BS in Exercise Science. His visits to the track are less frequent these days, but being tapped for the hall reminded him what it was like to live and breathe running.

Some of his greatest success came in the 800m, which earned him All-American honors and multiple LEC championships. As proud as he is of his individual accomplishments, Desmond especially relished the wins he shared with his teammates.

"I think what was most special to me was probably the relays," Desmond said. "The team aspect of that was more exhilarating than the individual sport for myself. All the relays were, in my opinion, my fastest and my most enjoyed event."

Along with the track stars, the other inductees represented a wide range of USM's athletic offerings. A total of 259 names now grace the hall of fame's ranks with the addition of the eight newest members:

• Ryan Adams ('03), Baseball
• Courtney Cochran Macdonald ('12), Basketball
• Nick Grady ('14), Baseball
• Jacki Kelly ('15), Lacrosse
• Kevin Desmond ('16), Cross Country/Track & Field
• Nicole Kirk ('16), Cross Country/Track & Field
• Rosie Forster ('18), Lacrosse
• B.L. Elfring (1995-2021), Administrator