GORHAM, Maine  –  University of Southern Maine Huskies' senior guard Jaycie Christopher (Skowhegan, Maine) has been named the D3hoops.com Region 2 Player of the Year, and third-year head coach David Chadbourne was selected as the Region 2 Coach of the Year. Additionally, Christopher and sophomore guard Lucy Wiles (Glenburn, Maine/Hampden Academy) both earned D3hoops.com All-Region honors after an outstanding 2025-2026 season for the Huskies' women's basketball program.  Christopher was named to the All-Region first team, while Wiles picked up second team honors. 
 
Recently named the 2026 Little East Conference Player of the Year, becoming the first Husky women's player to earn the award since the 2011-12 season, Christopher is just the second USM player to earn D3hoops.com Regional Player of the Year honors joining Husky Hall of Famer and two-time WBCA All-American Ashley Marble '07 who earned the award in back-to-back seasons in 2005-06 and 2006-07. 
 
Averaging a team-leading 18.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, Christoper is among the nations' leaders in NCAA Division III Women's Basketball, and was named to both the All-Little East Conference first team and the LEC's All-Defensive team. Shooting a remarkable 45.2 percent from three-point range this season (57-for-126), and 55.2 percent overall (196-for-355) the Huskies' 6-0 guard racked up 12 double-doubles this season.  Scoring in double-figures in all but one of the Huskies' games this season, and has reached the 20-point mark in 12 games. Hitting 30 points twice, Christopher scored a season-high 32 points in a 70-32 win over VTSU-Castleton to close out the Huskies' regular season. Snagging at least 10 rebounds in 13 games, Christopher has a season-high of 16.  In 30 games, Christopher compiled 568 points, 270 rebounds, 106 assists, and 30 steals with a remarkable 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio. 
 
After earning nearly Rookie of the Year award last season, including D3hoops.com Region 2 Rookie of the Year, Wiles continued to excel for the Huskies in her sophomore campaign putting up career best numbers across the board.  Earning first team All-Little East Conference honors in 2026, Wiles' All-Region selection is the first of her career.  Averaging 16.7 points, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.8 rebounds per game, Wiles is shot an outstanding 44.5 percent (188-for-422) from the field, and 42.4 percent (59-for-139) from three-point range. 
Scoring in double-figures in 25 games, Wiles reached at least 20 points in nine games and scored a career-high 32 points in a 75-50 LEC win at UMass Dartmouth. Through 58 career games, Wiles has 867 points, 162 rebounds, 170 assists, and 98 steals.
 
Led by Chadbourne, Southern Maine finished the 2025-26 regular season as the Little East Conference Regular Season Champions and Tournament Champions.  Southern Maine posted a 15-1 mark in conference play to earn the top seed in the tournament and then defeated UMass Dartmouth (80-57) in the semifinals, and second-seed Rhode Island College (71-54) to claim the 2026 Little East Conference Tournament Championship. 
 
Earning both the program's 22^nd regular season title and 21^st tournament championship, it marked the first time the Huskies have finished atop the conference since the 2012-2013 season. Earning the LEC's bid to the NCAA tourney, Chadbourne led USM to the program's 27^th overall appearance in the championship field, and the first since 2013.  Southern Maine claimed victories over Johnson and Wales (62-46) in the first round, and then upset No. 7 Bowdoin College on the road 67-59 to earn a trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2007.  The Huskies finished their 2025-26 season with a record of 27-3, earning the most wins for the program in 13 seasons.  Named the Little East Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season, Chadbourne is 58-27 in three seasons with the Huskies, and 37-11 against LEC competitors.
 
As the Little East Conference automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, Southern Maine will face Johnson & Wales University on Friday, March 6 (5:15 pm) at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. It marks the program's 27^th appearance in the NCAA tourney, and first since 2013.  So far through three seasons, Chadbourne is 56-26 overall and 37-11 in the Little East.
 
2025-2026 D3Hoops.com Women's Basketball Region 2 Team
Player of the Year: Jaycie Christopher, G, Southern Maine
Coach of the Year: David Chadbourne, Southern Maine
Rookie of the Year: Atiya Watson, G, Clark

First team
Pos.	Player	School	Yr.	Hometown
G	Jaycie Christopher	Southern Maine	Sr.	Skowhegan, Maine
G	Bri Frongillo	Emerson	Sr.	Hopedale, Mass.
G	Grace Jaffray	Johnson and Wales	So.	Blue Hill, Maine
G	Hannah Martin	Smith	Jr.	North Andover, Mass.
F	Sofia Neary	Salve Regina	Sr.	Wayne, N.J.
Second team
G	Abby Kennedy	Brandeis	Sr.	Half Moon Bay, Calif.
G	Brynn Rautiola	Keene State	Jr.	Rindge, N.H.
G	Emma Shinney	Endicott	Jr.	Wakefield, Mass.
G	Abby Wager	Rhode Island College	Jr.	Mansfield, Mass.
G	Lucy Wiles	Southern Maine	So.	Glenburn, Maine

 
 
-cac-