NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. -The Little East Conference announced its annual women's indoor track and field major award winners for the 2009 season after a vote by the conference's head coaches this afternoon. University of Southern Maine Emily Artesani (Orono, Maine) was named the track athlete of the year, while Rhode Island College senior Kayla Fleming (Pawtucket, R.I.) was selected as the field athlete of the year. Keene State College freshman Andrea Walsh (Bolton, Conn.) was tabbed the rookie track athlete of the year, while Southern Maine's Bethany Dumas (Augusta, Maine) and Rhode Island College's Kim Mangum (Warwick, R.I.) shared the rookie field athlete of the year award. RIC Kevin Jackson was honored as the coach of the year.

Artesani distinguished herself as one of the top indoor sprinters in New England, earning All-New England Division III honors in the 200-and 400-meter events, respectively. The native of Orono, Maine set the Huskies' 400-meter record at the NCAA Division III New England meet, posting a fourth-place time of 59.32 to shave .40 seconds off the previous standard. Artesani also scored in the 200 (eighth, 26.88). She captured the 200-and 400-meter races at the Little East Conference Championship to help Southern Maine win the program's ninth consecutive and 10th overall team title.

Fleming earned the program's first All-American certificate in the high jump in her second straight appearance at the NCAA Division III Women's Track and Field Championships. The Pawtucket, R.I. product tried for seventh overall with a leap of 1.61 meters to receive a place on the national awards podium. Fleming bested the 15-person field at New England Division III Championships by clearing 1.63 meters, while also capturing the New England Alliance/Little East Conference Championship individual titles. Earlier in the season, she established a new Anchorwomen school-record at the Springfield Invitational with a leap of 1.71 meters. Fleming was honored as the conference field athlete of the week seven times on the campaign, and was named to the Little East All-Academic teams.

Walsh made an immediate impact in the long distance events for the Owls. She capped her rookie season with her fastest performance in the 3,000-meter run, covering the ECAC Division III course in 10:44.93 to place 10th. Walsh earned All-New England Alliance honors in the 800-meter race (seventh, 2:34.73) and mile (fifth, 5:39.14), while just barely missing out on All-Little East recognition. She was tabbed the rookie track athlete of the week for the week ending Feb. 1, 2009.

Dumas advanced to the NCAA Division III Championships in the pole vault in her first collegiate season. The rookie from Augusta, Maine established a new Little East Championship meet standard, clearing 3.66 meters to capture the New England Alliance and conference individual titles. Dumas turned in her best performance at the ECAC Division III Championships, placing third overall by hurdling 3.70 meters. She also scored in the long jump at the alliance and conference meet with a leap of 4.74 meters. Dumas was selected the field athlete of the week once, and rookie field athlete of the week six times.

In just her rookie season, Mangum broke the program's record in the triple jump with a leap of 11.05 meters at the ECAC Division III Championships. The Warwick, R.I. native was a duel champion at the Little East Conference meet, winning the long jump (5.11 meters) and triple jump (10.95 meters), while receiving all-conference honors in the high jump (1.40 meters). The 2009 All-New England Division III honoree was sixth in the triple jump with a distance of 11.05 meters. She was named the rookie field athlete of the week four times.

Jackson led Rhode Island College to the program's second highest finish at the Little East Championship meet-placing second overall with 133 points-since the Anchorwomen hoisted the championship trophy in 2000. This winter, he mentored the program's first All-American in women's indoor track and field. Jackson also guided Rhode Island College to a top-15 finish at the New England Division III Championships, placing 14th with 13 points.

Initially formed in 1986 as a six-team men's and women's basketball conference, the Little East Conference has since grown to its present eight-school membership, sponsoring championship play in 19 intercollegiate athletics: baseball; men's and women's basketball; men's and women's cross country; field hockey; men's and women's lacrosse; men's and women's soccer; softball; women's swimming; men's and women's tennis; men's and women's indoor track; men's and women's outdoor track and women's volleyball.