By: Riley Driscoll, Southern Maine Athletics

GORHAM, Maine – University of Southern Maine fifth-year senior Zoe Barnes (New Gloucester, Maine/Gray-New Gloucester) has been named the Northeast Region Women's Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Huskies' assistant coach Jeff Amos was also honored as part of the USTFCCCA regional awards announcement on Thursday as the Northeast Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year.
 
Barnes is the third woman in program history to earn a regional athlete of the year award and the first to earn it for the indoor season. National Champion Peyton Dostie earned the New England Track Athlete of the Year award for the 2016 outdoor season and Adela Kalilwa was chosen as the New England Field Athlete of the Year in the 2019 outdoor season.
 
Barnes became the third woman in program history to win a Division III National Championship on Saturday when she placed first in the shot put. Barnes held the top spot on the leaderboard following her first throw of the competition, which went for 14.10m and never lost the spot. She improved her mark on her third throw with a mark of 14.49m to beat her own program record. Barnes had already secured the event title before her final throw and ended her microbial career with another record-breaking throw of 14.84m.
 
"This is the culminating award to cap off an incredible season for Zoe," said head coach Rob Whitten. "Finishing the season undefeated in her best event resulting in the NCAA title in the shot put but also finishing No. 1 in the region in the weight throw as well, it's well deserved."
 
A two-time national qualifier in the discus, Barnes had been an All-Region performer in the shot put during both the indoor and outdoor season but never qualified for the national championship meet. She spent the entire season ranked in the top 10 nationally in the shot put and ended the season tied for 24th nationally in the weight throw.
 
Amos, who coaches the throwers for Southern Maine, is in his second year on the Huskies' staff. In addition to his work with the Huskies over the past two season, Amos coached Barnes at the middle and high school levels at Gray-New Gloucester before getting involved with the Southern Maine team.
 
Obviously, Jeff's work to help guide Zoe to an NCAA title speaks for itself, but also the work he's done developing the rest of the group is where this award stands out," said Whitten. "I'm so glad he gets some recognition for the time and effort he's put into helping elevate the whole throws group."
 
The throwing group for the Huskies also included another All-Region performer in senior Jaigan Boudreau (Dayton, Maine/Thornton Academy). Boudreau ranked second in the region in the shot put behind Barnes. She placed fourth at the DIII New England Championships and third at the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association (NEICAAA) Championships.
USTFCCCA members will now vote on national awards with the winners being announced on Monday, March 23 at 4:00 pm.
 
2025-26 NCAA DIII ITF Northeast Regional Awards
Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Jackson Coelho— Colby
Women's Track Athlete of the Year: Aryianna Garceau— UMass Boston
Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Gavin Fleck— WPI
Women's Field Athlete of the Year: Zoe Barnes— Southern Maine
Men's Assistant Coach of the Year: Dylan Flewelling— Keene State
Women's Assistant Coach of the Year: Jeff Amos— Southern Maine
Men's Coach of the Year: Dan Roark— Keene State
Women's Coach of the Year: Kristen Morwick— Tufts