From Backup to First Choice: How Southern Maine Recruits Canadian and Out-of-State Athletes

The program and the coach

The University of Southern Maine Huskies compete in NCAA Division III in the Little East Conference, with men's and women's cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field. You can see the program's details, facilities, and costs on the University of Southern Maine track and field program page.

Rob Whitten has led the Southern Maine women's program since 2019 and both programs since 2022. Before that he spent 11 seasons as an assistant at the University of Rhode Island, coaching jumpers and multi-event athletes. Under Whitten, the Southern Maine women have won the Little East indoor and outdoor titles in every completed season since 2022, and the men won the indoor title in 2024 and 2025. He has coached national champions in the javelin, pole vault, and shot put. His full record is on his Southern Maine staff bio.

The goal

Southern Maine wants to stay at the top of its conference every year and send individuals to the NCAA Division III Championships. In Whitten's words:

"Annually contend for Little East Conference championships, while striving to have individuals compete at the highest level of NCAA success."

Doing both takes depth across every event group. Southern Maine is recruiting sprinters, hurdlers, middle-distance and distance runners, jumpers, throwers, pole vaulters, and multi-event athletes for its next two classes. If you are still working out which division suits you, our guide to how the NCAA divisions differ and how to find your level explains what Division III offers.

The challenge

Whitten named three challenges that make recruiting harder than it looks from the outside:

• Higher divisions want the same athletes. Southern Maine often competes with Division I and Division II programs for the same recruits.
• Region and school size are a hard sell early. Athletes rarely start their search with a public university in Portland, Maine.
• Travel and budget limit reach. Visiting meets far from New England is not realistic for a Division III staff.

He described the biggest one the way he would explain it to another coach:

"USM has limited academic elite programs that draw kids in. We are usually a backup option early in the process, until financial aid isn't what people hoped for at other schools, and then USM becomes a more realistic option financially."

That second look is where Southern Maine wins recruits. Division III programs cannot offer athletic scholarships, so cost of attendance and merit aid carry the decision. Canadian students pay the same tuition rate as Maine residents, which USM publishes on its undergraduate tuition and fees page. For a Canadian family comparing offers, that changes the math quickly.

What changed

Before Southern Maine joined Streamline Athletes, its recruiting stayed close to home. Whitten described the problem in two parts:

"Our focus was regional. Athletes would show initial interest, then stop communicating if they weren't interested further in the process."

His regional recruiting still works the way it always has. What changed is how far it reaches:

"Our regional outreach is still similar, but it has expanded our reach to athletes we wouldn't have contacted previously."

Southern Maine now reaches recruits across the US and Canada based on standards it sets in the Streamline Athletes coach app. Athletes who fit those standards hear from the program directly, and the athlete decides whether to share their contact details. Our article on how athletes and coaches reach each other in the Streamline Athletes app explains how that works from the athlete's side.

The Streamline Athletes Advantage

Asked what he would tell another coach considering Streamline Athletes, Whitten pointed to the audience his program could not reach on its own:

"It has definitely connected us with an audience we haven't had access to before (for us, specifically Canadian athletes). It's up to us to close the loop and get more athletes to commit, and it's worth it."

For a Division III program in northern New England, Canadian athletes are a natural fit. The border is close, the tuition rate matches in-state, and many Canadian athletes are looking for a place to compete and study in the US. Our guide to athletic scholarships in Canada versus the United States covers how aid compares across the border.

What this means if you are targeting programs like this

Whitten's answers describe how many Division III coaches evaluate recruits. Here is how to use them.

Lead with your grades

Whitten reads the academic profile first:

"I look at their academic profile and grade average to see if they would qualify for a merit scholarship. Then I look at their athletic profile, meaning their events and performances, to identify their best overall event, but also their well-roundedness and versatility."

At a Division III school, merit aid is often the largest part of a financial package. Strong grades make you affordable to the program, and bring the cost of attendance down for your family, before your PRs are even considered. Our guide to how college track coaches evaluate academic fit shows how to present yours.

Show your training age

Whitten also wants to know how long you have been training:

"Then I look at their overall training age and background. Have they done two outdoor-only seasons, or have they run cross country, indoor, and outdoor for five years? That helps identify how much potential for growth they still have."

An athlete with two outdoor seasons and the same PRs as a five-year, three-season athlete has more room to improve. Put every season you have competed on your profile, including cross country and indoor.

Keep your first message short

"Provide the most important information: name, school, grade average, events, and performances. I don't need their whole life story or results from every meet they've ever run. Keep it simple and to the point, with the most pertinent information."

Our guide on how to contact college coaches and keep the relationship going has examples of short first messages.

Keep replying

Meeting the standards is only the start. Whitten said that once he is in touch with an athlete, he rarely chooses not to offer a spot:

"The most likely reason we do not move forward with a recruit is a lack of response and communication."

Reply to every message, even when the answer is that you are leaning elsewhere.

Parents: support, don't take over

"Be involved, help them navigate the process, and participate in the calls, but let the student-athlete initiate communication and answer the questions."

Our college recruiting guide for parents covers where parents help most.

Who they recruit

Southern Maine wants to hear from athletes in their junior year (Grade 11). The performances below are the floor for Southern Maine to take a look. The athletes it most wants to sign are a step above them.

To see how your performances compare with programs at every level, use our college track and field recruiting standards.

FAQ

What does the University of Southern Maine look at first in a track and field recruit?

Coach Rob Whitten looks at grades first to see whether an athlete qualifies for merit scholarships. Then he reviews performances across all events to find the athlete's best event and how versatile they are, and checks their training age to judge how much they can still improve.

Does Southern Maine offer athletic scholarships for track and field?

No. Southern Maine competes in NCAA Division III, and Division III schools do not award athletic scholarships. Athletes can receive merit scholarships based on grades and need-based aid. USM lists its awards on its scholarships page.

Do Canadian students pay out-of-state tuition at Southern Maine?

No. Southern Maine charges Canadian students the same tuition rate as Maine residents. Current rates are on USM's undergraduate tuition and fees page.

When should I contact the Southern Maine track and field coaches?

Coach Whitten wants to hear from athletes in their junior year (Grade 11). Athletes from Maine can be in touch earlier.

What should I include in my first message to Coach Whitten?

Your name, school, grade average, events, and best performances. Keep it short. He does not need your full story or every meet result.

Why might an athlete who meets Southern Maine's standards not get an offer?

The most common reason is that the athlete stops communicating. Once Coach Whitten is in touch with a recruit, he rarely chooses not to offer a spot.

Get recruited to Southern Maine

• Create your free Streamline Athletes profile, or log in and update yours. Complete every section so Southern Maine sees the full picture.
• Add your grades to your profile. They are the first thing Coach Whitten checks.
• List every event and every season. Versatility and training age both count.
• Compare your performances with the table above. If you are at the floor or better, Southern Maine can reach you.
• Read the Southern Maine program page for costs, academics, and facilities.
• Answer every message. Silence is the most common reason a recruitment ends.

Follow Southern Maine track and field

Follow the Huskies on Instagram at @usm_trackandxc for meet results, signings, and training.