CASTLETON, Vt. – The University of Southern Maine Huskies' women's cross country team recorded its best Little East Conference Championship placement since 2010 with a second-place performance on Saturday at the 2026 LEC Women's Cross Country Championship at Vermont State University Castleton. Sophomore Lana DiRusso (Freeport, Maine) placed fourth overall with a time of 23:17.1 to earn the LEC Rookie of the Year award and First Team All-LEC honors. Senior Gwen Catalano (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) placed fifth with a time of 23:27.8 to also earn First Team All-LEC honors. Junior Cora Casad (Lisbon Falls, Maine/Mt. Ararat) picked up First Team All-LEC honors as well with a personal-best time of 23:43.2 to place seventh.
 
The Huskies finished second in the team standings behind UMass Dartmouth. Freshman Ryley Hubert (Griswold, Conn.) and senior Julia Szewc (Hermon, Maine) rounded out the scoring for the Huskies. Hubert placed 18th with a time of 24:09.5 and Szewc ran a time of 24:36.4 to place 28th.
 
On the Course:

• Freshman Ava Collamore (Waldoboro, Maine/Medomak Valley) placed 31st with a time of 24:42.2.
• Sophomore Rohen Brown (Auburn, Maine/Saint Dominic Academy) placed 35th with a personal-best time of 25:09.0.
• Sophomore Addie Beale (South Berwick, Maine/Marshwood) finished 48th with a time of 26:12.7.
• Senior Elise Schultz (Windham, Maine) ran a time of 27:24.3 to place 59th.
• Freshman Alias Falardeau (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy) placed 64th with a time of 27:55.6.

 
Up Next:
The next meet for the Huskies will be the NCAA Division III East Regional Championship on Saturday, November 14 at the Wainwright Sports Complex in South Portland, Maine.