PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Little East Conference has announced its 2026 year-end awards for outdoor track and field and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth coaching staff was selected as the Men's Coaching Staff of the Year for the second straight season.
The staff headed by Head Coach
Mike Salem and assisted by distance coach
Ryan O'Connell, sprints/hurdles coach
Connor Foley, hammer throw coach
Ed Arcaro and jumps coaches
Kyle Wilson and
Cameron Rodgers, led the Corsairs to an LEC Championship last Saturday. It marked the sixth overall title in program history and the fourth for the men's team since the 2022 season and the second straight. Additionally, the men's coaching staff has now been honored four times for outdoor – also since the 2022 season.
Salem's squad earned their sixth Little East crown in program history, as UMass Dartmouth previously won the championship in 2025, 2023, 2022, 2014 and 2012. Corsairs' men's track and field has seen success in all areas of the sport this season. At the LEC Championships, UMD saw victories in seven different events on the men's side. The squad also posted one second-place finishes, six third-place finishes, while four garnered All-Rookie Team honors as the top finishing freshman in their event.
Highlighting this year's championship was sophomore
Ancil Alexander, who was named the 2026 Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year – for the second straight season – after winning two events at the LEC Championships last Sunday. He won the shot put with a season's-best throw of 16.73 meters (54' 10.75"), then captured the discus throw with a mark of 51.26 meters (168' 2"). He now ranks second in NCAA Division III in the discus throw having won the event in five meets competed, while ranking 18th in DIII in the shot put.
The Corsairs also saw sophomore sprinter
Zane Gordon defend his title in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.04, while junior
Cameron Thompson posted the win in the 1500-meter run, sporting a time of 3:58.87.
Thompson was also a member of the champion 4x800-meter relay, which was also comprised of rookie
Edward Yeboah and juniors
Zack Shute and
Joseph Stanton. Gordon helped the 4x100-meter relay team to Third Team honors as he, junior
Justin Andrade, sophomore
Daniel Jordan and rookie
Shemar Dillon combined for a time of 42.20.
Andrade went on to take Third Team honors in the 100-meter dash, recording a time of 11.07 for third, while Jordan posted third overall in the 200-meter dash with a mark of 22.32. Stanton earned his second All-Conference honor in the 800-meters, finishing third in 1:55.85.
In the field events, Alexander claimed victory in the discus throw for the second straight season, posting a mark of 51.26 meters (168' 2"), while also claiming his second straight shot put title with a throw of 16.73 meters (54' 10.75"). He remains Top-20 in Division III in both events.
Sophomore
Sean Patrone repeated his 2025 title as well, capturing the high jump crown with a height of 1.92 meters (6' 3.5"). Rookie
Jayden Francois earned his first conference title in the long jump, posting a distance of 6.67 meters (21' 10.75"), garnering both First Team and Rookie Team honors – as the highest finishing freshman.
Senior
Vincenzo Videtta took home Second Team honors, finishing second overall in the high jump with a mark of 1.92 meters (6' 3.5"), while classmate
Joseph Uwanogho claimed Third Team recognition in the hammer throw with a distance of 52.26 meters (171' 5").
In the shot put, sophomore
Mickey Valentino claimed Third Team honors with a throw of 14.56 meters (47' 9.25"), while Rookie Team honors went to both
Michael Gama and
Ewan McLeod. Gama finished fourth overall in the hammer throw with a mark of 51.95 meters (170' 5"), while McLeod placed fourth in the high jump with a height of 1.92 meters (6' 3.5").
Qualified members of the Corsairs men's and women's teams will be back in action on Friday at the 2026 DIII New England Outdoor Championships. Hosted at Springfield College, action will begin at 2:00pm.
