GORHAM, Maine – The Little East Conference announced the results of its preseason coaches' poll for men's cross country on Wednesday with the University of Southern Maine team placing second. The Huskies placed second at last season's conference champion and finished with 54 points and one first place vote in the poll. Four different teams received first place votes led by Plymouth State University with five. The Panthers topped the poll with 61 points followed by the Huskies. Third place went to the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth with 51 points and a pair of first place votes. Keene State College placed fourth with 47 points and one first place vote.
Headlined by 2023 All-Little East Conference performers in senior
Jordan Duplessie (Caribou, Maine) and fifth-year senior
Jack Pecoraro (Westbrook, Maine), the Huskies return the bulk of their roster from last season. Duplessie finished fifth at last season's conference championship to earn First Team All-LEC honors, while Pecoraro placed 11th to secure a spot on the second team. Pecoraro was the top finisher for the Huskies at the 2023 NCAA Division III East Regional Championships where he placed 45th.
The Huskies also have three more of their top six runners from last season back for another run at the conference title in junior
Michael Cyr (Caribou, Maine), senior
Anthony O'Donnell (Portland, Maine/Deering) and sophomore
Cyrus Evans (Farmington, Maine/Mt. Blue). Cyr placed 18th at the LEC Championship while O'Donnell was 26th and Evans finished 36th.
The Huskies will begin their third season under head coach
Rob Whitten on September 7 at the Ron Ouellette Invitational hosted by the University of New England.
| 2024 Little East Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll (FPV) |
| 1. |
Plymouth State |
61points |
(5) |
| 2. |
Southern Maine |
54 points |
(1) |
| 3. |
UMass Dartmouth |
51 points |
(2) |
| 4 |
Keene State |
47 points |
(1) |
| 5. |
Eastern Connecticut |
33 points |
|
| 6. |
Rhode Island College |
28 points |
|
| 7. |
VTSU-Castleton |
20 points |
|
| 8. |
UMass Boston |
17 points |
|
| 9. |
Western Connecticut |
9 points |
|
