GORHAM, Maine – The University of Southern Maine Huskies' men's cross country team will be competing at the 2026 Little East Conference Men's Cross Country Championship on Saturday, October 31 at the Spartan Athletic Complex on the campus of Vermont State University Castleton. The men's 8k race will start at 12:00 pm.  

The Huskies have two returning All-LEC performers from last year's third-place finish in sophomores Harry Dunne (Hollis Center, Maine/Bonny Eagle) and Evan Schneider (Old Orchard Beach, Maine). Dunne placed ninth with a personal-best time of 26:07.4 to earn the LEC Rookie of the Year award and Second Team All-LEC status. Schneider also earned Second Team All-LEC honors by 14th with a time of 26:24.2. Schneider is coming off a first-place performance at the Connecticut College Invitational on October 17with a personal-best time of 25:11.7. Dunne will be making his return to the lineup after not racing since the Huskies' first meet of the season. 

Sophomore Conner Smith (Durham, Maine/Freeport) enters the meet a strong contender for the LEC Rookie of the Year award. Smith has impressed throughout his first collegiate cross country season with five total LEC weekly awards to his name. He has been the LEC Rookie of the Week following every meet that Southern Maine has competed in this season. He also doubled up on weekly honors as both the LEC Rookie and Runner of the Week after placing first at the Ron Ouellette Invitational with a time of 15:51.3 in the 5k.

In addition to Dunne and Schneider, the Huskies also have their fourth and fifth scoring runners back from last year's meet in senior Cyrus Evans (Farmington, Maine/Mt. Blue) and junior Preston Gerry (Gray, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester). Evans placed 17th last season with a personal-best time of 26:31.9. Gerry also ran a personal-best time at 27:03.5 to place 31st. Sophomore Ethan Cadorette (Biddeford, Maine) is another Husky to keep an eye on. Cadorette has been among the team's top-five runners in all four meets this season, including two meets where he was the third Husky to cross the finish line. He ran a personal-best time of 27:07.3 earlier this season at the Keene State Invitational to place 81st. 

The Huskies have won the LEC title eight times in program history (2006, 2007, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021). The team has had five student-athletes win individual conference titles including Tyler Jasud, who placed first in both 2008 and 2009.