2025-2026 University Credit Union Student-Athletes of the Month
DECEMBER 2025
Recognizing the outstanding achievements of our University of Southern Maine student-athletes is something we are proud to do. Since January of 2022, Huskies' Athletics and University Credit Union have partnered up to highlight the varied and vital contributions USM student-athletes make in competition, in the classroom and in the community. Whether its big-time performances for their team, or big steps in their academic and career goals, or our student-athletes commitment to Community Service, USM & UCU are ready to celebrate our Student-Athletes of the Month.
Chosen by members of the Athletic Department administration, recipients of this honor successfully embody the Five Pillars of USM Athletics: Academic Excellence, Athletic Achievement, Personal Growth, Professional Development and Service to Community.
During the month of December, the student-athletes chosen have had outstanding career-best performances while setting a standard at the regional and national level: men's indoor track & field's
Michael D'Amico and women's basketball's
Jaycie Christopher
Michael D'Amico | Senior | Cybersecurity | Belgrade Lakes, Maine
Off to a strong start in his final season with the Huskies' men's indoor track & field program,
Michael D'Amico, one of Southern Maine's co-captains, placed first in the heptathlon at the 2025 Elm City Classic hosted by Colby College. In the Huskies' first competition of the 2025-2026 indoor season, D'Amico scored 4701 points to win the seven-discipline event. D'Amico placed second in the high jump (1.84m) and third in the long jump (6.20m) on day one, hile also finishing fifth in the 60 meters (7.49 seconds) and seventh in the shot put (9.60m). During day two of competition, D'Amico won the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.86 seconds. and then placed second in the pole vault (4.45m) and fourth in the 1000 meters (2:55.53) to secure first place. In addition to his new personal-record for total points, D'Amico set personal-best in the 1000m, pole vault, long jump, and 60m dash.
D'Amico went on to earn the first Little East Conference Field Athlete of the Week honors of the season (and third overall of his career) after the standout performance. D'Amico's standout performance ranks seventh in NCAA Division III so far this season and is the best in the East region.
Jaycie Christopher | Senior | Organizational Leadership | Skowhegan, Maine
Helping the women's basketball team to a 10-1 overall start to their 2025-2026 season, and an undefeated record of 5-0 in the month of December, senior guard
Jaycie Christopher has made an immediate impact at Hill Gym.
Named the Little East Conference, Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) and New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) Player of the Week, and to the D3hoops.com Team of the Week, Christopher was named the United States Basketball Writers' Association (USBWA) Division III women's basketball player of the week during the month of December.
Averaging 21.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game, Christopher used deadeye shooting to help lead Southern Maine (receiving votes, D3hoops.com/WBCA) to its 5-0 December record, including two of its three wins against LEC opponents so far this season.
Against UMass Boston on Wednesday, she scored a then-career-high 21 points (8-of-12 FG, 5-of-8 3FG) while adding eight rebounds and two assists in the Huskies' 64-47 win. Christopher then upped her career best by scoring 30 points (10-of-13 FG, 5-of-6 FT, 5-of-5 3FG) in a 79-55 win vs. Western Connecticut State on Saturday. She completed the double-double with 10 rebounds, while also securing five assists and two steals.
WHAT IS THE UNIVERSITY CREDIT UNION/ATHLETIC DIRECTOR STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE MONTH?
Throughout each academic year as Huskies' Athletics moves from fall to winter to the spring competition, Southern Maine student-athletes are consistently recognized at the state, conference, regional and national level for their outstanding and noteworthy performances on the field of competition.
Academically, Huskies are also known for their superior performances earning All-Academic team honors from a variety of awards bureaus as well as the University. During the 2024-25 academic year, USM student-athletes combined for a department grade point average of 3.2. Each year, Husky student-athletes receive recognition for their athletic, academic and community service activities.
Proudly supporting and emphasizing the Division III student-athlete model, Huskies' Athletics focuses its goals on five key areas for each of its nearly 450 student-athletes: Academic Excellence, Athletic Achievement, Personal Growth, Professional Development and Service to Community.
Many of USM student-athletes play big roles not only on their teams, but also in life - as student employees, mentors, student organization leaders, civic rights activists, residence life assistants, and more. With that in mind, former Director of Athletics
Al Bean partnered with University Credit Union to create a new way to honor and amplify the remarkable contributions of our student-athletes that go far beyond the stat sheet with the UCU Athletic Director Student-Athlete of the Month recognition.
"As a department, Huskies Athletics believes in the development of the overall student-athlete. As soon as they become a Husky, we are investing in their future. The goal for a USM student-athlete is for each and every one to realize their full potential academically, athletically, personally, professional and civically. Our student-athletes are leaders on and off of the field and in the community. With the creation of the UCU Athletic Director Student-Athlete of the Month honor, we are seeking to establish a tangible way to congratulate and encourage the work of student-athletes both inside and outside of the competitive arena."
The UCU Athletic Director Student-Athlete of the Month (one male, one female) will be chosen based upon Huskies' Five Key Pillars: Academic Excellence, Athletic Achievement, Personal Growth, Professional Development and Service to Community. Members of the Huskies' Athletic Administration will nominate and choose those student-athletes to be recognized.
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