By Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor
Baseball
USM Men’s Baseball team comes into this year off an outstanding 30-15 record from last season, where the team ended the season with a 9-3 loss to Swarthmore College from Pennsylvania in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament Championship.
The Huskies, under head coach Ed Flaherty who was recently named into the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association Hall of Fame, will hope to continue their successes last year. According to a D3baseball.com poll, the team is ranked 11th in the nation in Division III.
The team kicks off the season with a double-header at Trinity College facing Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at 1 p.m., then taking on Trinity College at 4 p.m. The Huskies take to Florida for the beginning of March, and host their first home game at Ed Flaherty field on March 30, when they take on Rhode Island College for a 12 and 3 p.m. double-header.
Softball
The Huskies Softball team finished third in the Little Eastern Conference last year, losing to sixth place UMass Boston 6-5 in extra innings to end the season. With two returning juniors, Erin Martin, health science major, and Alexis Brown, an undeclared major, who were both named in the LEC all-conference second team, the team is full of talent.
Heach coach Sarah Jamo returns for her seventh season, and is bringing the team to Florida for a weeks stretch of games before returning to New England to face Eastern Connecticut State on March 23. The Huskies don’t play a home game until April 6, where they host a double-header against Castleton at 2 and 4 p.m.
Men’s Lacrosse
Men’s Lacrosse ended 2018 with a 8-9 record, and a semifinal 10-9 loss to Eastern Connecticut State to close out the season. Following the season, head coach Sam Lane resigned after a seven season tenure at the university.
Now coached by Tobey Farrington, former USM Lacrosse player from 2001-03, he was appointed to the role on Nov. 17, 2018. The Huskies are under their fifth coach since 2001, and will look to have long success under Farrington.
The team’s season was supposed to get underway this past weekend, but games against Saint Joseph’s College and Husson University were both postponed. The team instead starts off their season at Norwich University of Saturday, March 9 at 1 p.m. They then return to Maine for their first home game the following Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. hosting Emmanuel College.
Women’s Lacrosse
Huskies Women’s Lacrosse comes into this year off a 9-8 2018 season, where a 16-15 loss to UMass Dartmouth ended the team’s season in the first round of the playoffs. The Huskies finished with a 2-4 conference record and boasted a strong 4-2 record at home.
The team, led by head coach Ashley Durepo in her second season in the role, will hope to go much further in the playoffs this season. The team began the season with a 10-8 loss at the University of New England last Thursday, where senior Aliza Jordan, criminology major, scored five of the eight Huskies goals.
The Huskies play their next three games at home, hosting Husson University on Wednesday March 6 at 4 p.m. at Hannaford Field. The following games are on Sunday March 10, and Thursday March 14 when the team hosts Colby College and the University of Maine-Farmington. The team will need to capitalize on the long home stretch to start off the season strong.
Men’s Tennis
Men’s Tennis finished the 2018 season with a 1-8 record, the team’s only win coming against Castleton on March 30, where they won 5-4. The team had an extremely unsuccessful season, and will hope to turn things around this season.
Head Coach Eric Haase, who also coaches the Women’s Tennis team, will look to have a much stronger second season in the role. The 2014, 2015, and 2016 LEC Champions start of the season at Colby College on Saturday, March 9 at 12 p.m., and don’t have a home match until Saturday, April 6 at 1 p.m.
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field
With four consecutive Little Eastern Conference Championships to their name, the Men’s Outdoor Track & Field team will not only look to continue success from past seasons, but from their indoor season as well. The Indoor team, currently ranked 12th nationally, recently won their fifth LEC Conference Championship in a row, and compete at the NCAA Division III Championships on March 8 and 9.
Under head coach Ryan Harkleroad, the team has had much success. Entering his fifth season with the Outdoor Track & Field team, Harkleroad has the opportunity to lead the Huskies to a full sweep of Cross Country, Indoor Track & Field, and Outdoor Track & Field Championships for the second time under his coaching.
The first Men’s Outdoor Track & Field meet is the Snowflake Classic at Tufts University on Saturday, March 30 at 10 a.m.
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
The Women’s Outdoor Track & Field ended 2018 with a third place finish at the Little Eastern Conference Championships, and a 15th place finish at the New England Division III Championships. With the indoor team recently placing third at the LEC Championships and 15th at the New England Division III Championships, the team will hope to improve in Outdoor this spring.
Head Coach George Towle leads the team for his 29th season, where the team has had long success under his coaching. The Huskies won 14 straight LEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in his time, and will hope to get back to winning ways this season.
The first Women’s Outdoor Track & Field meet is at the Charleston Southern Invitational on Friday, March 22.