NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. -Rhode Island College captured a pair of the four major awards for the 2009 Little East Conference women's outdoor track and field season. Senior Kayla Fleming (Pawtucket, R.I.) was named the field athlete of the year, while Kevin Jackson was selected as the coach of the year by his peers. Keene State College sophomore Allison Chamberlain (Scarborough, Maine) was honored as the track athlete of the year, and University of Southern Maine freshman Bethany Dumas (Augusta, Maine) was named the rookie field athlete of the year.

Chamberlain is the second straight Owls' runner to be tabbed as the top track athlete in the conference, joining Jennifer Adams (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.). The Scarborough, Maine product primarily competed in the 800-meter run. She earned a place on the podium at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championships with a third place time of 2:14.84. Chamberlain turned in a personal best in the 800-meter at the New England Open Championships by crossing the finish line at 2:14.49. Her sixth place result at the New England Division III Championships earned Chamberlain an All-New England citation. Earlier in the campaign, she won the Little East Conference Championship and placed second in the New England Alliance field.

Fleming made her first appearance at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships this past spring and tied for 12th overall in the high jump (1.59m). The Pawtucket, R.I. product departs campus as the all-time record holder in both the indoor and outdoor high jump events. She set the Rhode Island College record at the 2009 New England Alliance/Little East Conference Championships with a winning leap of 1.70m. Fleming received honors in the high jump at the ECAC Championships (tied fourth, 1.67m), New England Division III Championships (fifth), and New England Open Championships (seventh). A versatile athlete, she also competed in the long jump, 800-meter run, and the 4X400-meter relay throughout the season. Fleming also earned the distinguished student-athlete award from the Rhode Island Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (RIAIAW), and is a member of the Little East All-Academic spring team.

Dumas collected her second Little East rookie field athlete of the year trophy, after sharing the indoor award with Rhode Island College's Kim Mangum (Warwick, R.I.). The native of Augusta, Maine established a new Huskies' pole vault school-record at the ECAC Championships with her sixth place vault of 3.60 meters, shattering the previous standard set by Melissa Bellemore in April of 2006 (3.39m). Dumas was the top-rookie performer in each of the major four postseason meets she attended. She earned a citation at the New England Open Championships (tied 8th), New England Division III Championships (third), while winning the New England Alliance and Little East Conference Championships. Dumas also scored in the javelin throw at the regional/conference meet (38.10m) and New England Division III Championships. She was selected as the Little East rookie field athlete of the week in four of the six times it was awarded.

Jackson led his Anchorwomen to a third place finish at the New England Alliance Championships with 111.5 points, and second in the Little East Conference Championships (157 pts.). Rhode Island College gained 19 total points and raised three positions in the regional team standings from the previous year. Senior Mary Ellen Horsman (Barrington, R.I.), sophomore Kayla DiBlasi (Smithfield, R.I.), and Fleming each captured individual championships at the New England Alliance meet to help the Anchorwomen improve on last spring's competition. Jackson also mentored three All-New England Division III Championship honorees, in addition to Fleming's All-ECAC award. He was also named the Little East coach of the year for the indoor track and field season. 

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.