here was a lot of pride on display Peyton Dostie Collins' induction into the Little East Conference (LEC) Hall of Fame. Personal pride, school pride, and family pride.

Dostie Collins returned to the University of Southern Maine on October 26 to accept her hall of fame ring in a ceremony before a field hockey game at Hannaford Field in Gorham. One of the first people to congratulate her was her former field hockey coach, Bonny Brown-Denico, who is also her aunt.

"I think Peyton is one of those coach's gifts that happens once in a coaching career," Brown-Denico said. "She was outstanding in every aspect. We were very lucky to have her."

Outstanding is an understatement. Dostie Collins transferred to USM in 2013 and made an immediate impact, setting the program record for most points in a single season of field hockey (56). The LEC honored her as Offensive Player of the Year in 2013 and 2014. She ended her career as program leader in points (133) and assists (25).

The respect that Dostie Collins inspired in her teammates was shared by her opponents. Brown-Denico pointed to a particular game when she knew that that Dostie Collins had secured her reputation.

"We were playing Bowdoin," Brown-Denico said. "I just remember the coach called timeout and said, 'Peyton Dostie is gonna change your season if you don't shape up.' I think a nationally ranked team calling timeout because of one player is pretty impressive."

Dostie Collins was also a track star. She claimed the 2016 Division III National Championship in pentathlon. She won conference and regional championships in 29 events including long jump, high jump, 600-meter run, and 100-meter hurdles. The LEC named her Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year in 2013, 2015, and 2016. She also won the Outdoor title in 2016.

"There were hours and hours put into every practice," Dostie Collins said. "It was a lot of dedication to whatever sport I was playing at the time. Keeping a positive mindset helped a lot, too. You can control what you can control. I think that's something that helped me."

Dostie Collins also brought her discipline to the classroom by first attaining a Business Administration degree in 2015, followed by a Marketing degree in 2016. She then built a career as Human Resources Manager at cPort Credit Union. READ MORE