Even marriage can be a competition when you are as driven to win as Nicole Kirk.
A friendly wisecrack toward her husband made for a memorable moment at the induction ceremony for new members of the Husky Hall of Fame, which honors exceptional athletic achievement at the University of Southern Maine. The ceremony took place on October 6 at the Italian Heritage Center in Portland.
Kirk’s running prowess made her a hall of fame shoo-in. She holds USM’s indoor track records in the 55m, 60m, and 200m races, as well as the outdoor track records in the 100m, 200m, and 400m. She is a Little East Conference (LEC) champion five times over.
After graduating in 2016 with a Nursing degree, Kirk married fellow USM alum Jamie Ruginski. He was as dominant a runner on the men’s side as Kirk was on the women’s. Kirk gestured toward him during her acceptance speech and said that she looked forward to being in the audience for his induction at a future ceremony.
“At least I can always say that I beat him into the hall of fame,” Kirk joked in her speech. “This is one race that I finished first.”
There was still room at the podium that night for another elite runner. Kevin Desmond was in the same 2016 graduating class as Kirk. He is now working on a master’s degree to supplement his BS in Exercise Science. His visits to the track are less frequent these days, but being tapped for the hall reminded him what it was like to live and breathe running.
Some of his greatest success came in the 800m, which earned him All-American honors and multiple LEC championships. As proud as he is of his individual accomplishments, Desmond especially relished the wins he shared with his teammates.
“I think what was most special to me was probably the relays,” Desmond said. “The team aspect of that was more exhilarating than the individual sport for myself. All the relays were, in my opinion, my fastest and my most enjoyed event.”
Along with the track stars, the other inductees represented a wide range of USM’s athletic offerings. A total of 259 names now grace the hall of fame’s ranks with the addition of the eight newest members:
- Ryan Adams (’03), Baseball
- Courtney Cochran Macdonald (’12), Basketball
- Nick Grady (’14), Baseball
- Jacki Kelly (’15), Lacrosse
- Kevin Desmond (’16), Cross Country/Track & Field
- Nicole Kirk (’16), Cross Country/Track & Field
- Rosie Forster (’18), Lacrosse
- B.L. Elfring (1995-2021), Administrator
The big milestones that earned the inductees their hall of fame status mark a transition point in their lives. The energy they once put into sports is often refocused into careers and families. In some cases, the skills are transferable.
“Basketball teaches a lot of leadership skills,” said Courtney Cochran Macdonald. “I’m now a registered nurse. I think a lot of those basketball skills like communication and leadership preps you for the real world and professionalism.”
The healing that Cochran Macdonald practiced in her Health Sciences classes contrasted with her ferocity on the basketball court. She finished her playing career with 1075 points and 767 rebounds. She was the 2012 Little East Conference Player of the Year in her final season. In her acceptance speech, she deflected credit to the teammates and coaches who helped her reach those goals.
The bond between teammates was on display in the corner of the banquet hall where the lacrosse players held court. Before the speeches got started, Jacki Kelly and Rosie Forster spent the casual portion of the party in close conversation. They played side-by-side, and they would go into the hall of fame the same way.
“What I’m most fond of is the relationships that I’ve made and the support that I’ve had, that have continued beyond college,” Kelly said. “Everything that I learned there kind of molded me into who I am now, and you don’t know that until 14 years later.”
Kelly announced her arrival on the college lacrosse scene by earning the title of 2011 LEC Rookie of the Year. She excelled at stripping the ball away from opponents and still holds the program record with 151 caused turnovers.
In the years since graduating with a Sociology degree in 2015, Kelly went to work in the South Portland school system where she teaches English for speakers of other languages. She also coaches lacrosse at Deering High School in Portland. Despite her many school ties, she is a Husky for life within the hall of fame. And that goes for all the inductees.
“It’s a huge honor to be recognized,” Kelly said. “Just nothing but gratitude.”