Lewiston native Heather Kendall picked up a pair of awards for her recent efforts in track and field. The University of Southern Maine freshman was named the women’s Rookie Track Athlete of the Week by the Little East Conference on Monday, then the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference named the former Blue Devil its Division III New England Women’s Track and Field Rookie of the Week on Wednesday.

Kendall finished third in the 55-meter dash with a time of 7.70 seconds at the USM Invitational. She also anchored the Huskies’ winning 800-meter relay team to victory.

The relay team, consisting of Sarah Maimone, Haley Bantz, Deonna DeSilva and Kendall, was named the LEC’s Relay of the Week as well.

Mustangs hoops teams ranked nationally

Both the Central Maine Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams sit in the top 10 of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association’s weekly poll.

The Week 8 poll was released Friday, and both teams are ranked seventh in the respective Division II polls.

The CM men dropped from down from fifth in Week 7, after losing at University of Maine at Presque Isle before returning to form with a win over Unity. The Mustangs received 308 total points in the poll. Berkeley College earned the top spot with 349 points.

The CMCC women dropped a spot, from sixth to seventh, despite blowing out both Maine-Presque Isle and Unity since the Week 7 poll came out. The Mustangs received 303 points in the poll. College of St. Joseph’s in Vermont has a firm hold atop the poll with 347 points.

Smith, Davenport highlighted by MWBCA

University of Maine at Farmington’s Meghan Smith and Bates’ Nina Davenport were both named to the Maine Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s weekly honor roll for the week ending January 31.

Smith averaged 15.7 points across three games for the Beavers, incluidng going a combined 17 for 18 from the foul line. The senior forward also contributed 7.3 rebounds per contest during the week.

Davenport played in just one game during the week, but was able to tally a team-high 19 points to go along with eight rebounds in the Bobcats’ loss to Tufts.

Local football players named All-Academic

The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference recently announced its All-Academic Team for the 2015 season, and four local players were named to the team.

Three of those players come from Husson University. Local Eagles named All-Academic were Matt Archer (Chesterville), Parker Asselin (Sabattus) and Jordan Hersom (Turner).

Mechanic Falls native Tyler Sturtevant, who plays for Castleton, was also named to the team.

Players had to have participated on their teams for at least two years while maintaining a 3.3 grade-point average or better to be named All-Academic.

UMaine recognizes scholar athletes

The University of Maine honored its scholar student-athletes on Monday at a ceremony on the Orono campus. Ten local athletes were recognized as part of the ceremony.

Awards given out included “Rising Star” honors for student-athletes holding a GPA of 3.0 in their first semesters with their team, bronze medals for their first time being named a Scholar-Athlete, silver medals for the second recognition, and gold medals for their year being honored.

Local Rising Stars were men’s cross country and track runner Daniel Lesko (Farmington), women’s soccer player Mikayla Morin (South Paris) and football player Davis Turner (South Paris). Bronze medal winners were women’s track team member Brianna DeGone (Turner), men’s track team member Joshua Horne (Jay) and women’s cross country and track runner Faith Shaw (Lewiston). Men’s cross country and track runner Lucas Bourget, from Auburn, earned a silver medal. The three local gold medal winners all are on the Black Bears’ track team. The trio features Winthrop native Travis Hutchins and Auburn natives Michael Lucas and Jaclyn Masters.

wkramlich@sunjournal.com