GORHAM, Maine -- Emily Artesani (Orono, Maine), a member of the University of Southern Maine women’s indoor track and field team, has been named the Division III Co-Track Athlete of the Week by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) in recognition of her performances last weekend at the New England Alliance and Little East Conference Championships.

The junior standout shared the ECAC weekly track honor with junior Jacqui Wentz of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Division III Co-Field Athletes of the Week were junior Nikki Hay of Springfield College and sophomore Monique Riddick of Montclair State University. The weekly awards were announced Wednesday afternoon.

Artesani helped USM sweep the Alliance and LEC Championships for the ninth consecutive year this past Saturday. In the LEC scoring, she won three titles taking the gold in the 55-meter dash with a time of 7.69 seconds, the 200 meters in 27.09 and the 400 meters in 1:00.98. It marked the third straight year that she has won the 200 and 400 events in the LEC.

In the Alliance scoring, which includes teams from the Little East and the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC), Artesani captured her third straight 400-meter title, placed second in the 200 meters and came home fourth in the 55-meter dash.

Southern Maine edged out Westfield State College, 125-112, for the Alliance title in the closest battle for the team championship since 2003. The Huskies took the LEC crown by 35 points, 188-153, over runner-up Rhode Island College.

This is the first time in her collegiate career that Artesani has been recognized by the ECAC.

Southern Maine will compete this weekend in the New England Division III Championships be staged at the Farley Field House on the campus of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. Artesani is qualified in the 200 and 400 meters, and is expected to run a leg in the 4 x 400-meter relay.
                                                                      -USM Sports Information-