Former Hawks Standout Breaks 400-meter record at Husson University

Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Alumni Spotlight

Former Hawks Standout Breaks 400-meter record at Husson University

Wells, Maine -

Former YCCC Hawks track & field star, Conner DeCourt, recently broke the 400-meter program record at Husson University. DeCourt graduated from York County Community College in 2022 with a degree in Business Administration.  

Husson University’s program record was set in 2022 with a time of 54.23, but that was snapped when DeCourt came in finishing second overall with a time of 53.16 during the Bates College Invitational on Saturday January 21, 2023.

While DeCourt broke the program record on Saturday, he was already holding another record. During his time at York County Community College, DeCourt set the 400-meter program record with a time of 55.66.

I had the privilege to connect with Conner and talk to him about his time at YCCC and where he is now.

Highlights from his time at YCCC:

“I have many highlights from my time at YCCC, from making the president's list to placing 1st in the 400m dash at the USCAA National meet. That said, if I really had to highlight one moment from YCCC that stood out to me, it would be meeting Coach Andy. Coach Andy was instantly welcoming and supportive from the moment I met him. This was important to me because I was very nervous to compete at the collegiate level. At that time, I didn’t know what collegiate athletics would look like and/or if I could handle the class load with athletics. Fortunately, any time I needed support or had any doubts, Coach Andy was always there to help. This says a lot about Andy’s character, because not only is he a great coach, but he’s a genuinely amazing guy.”

What does YCCC mean to Conner:

“YCCC means a lot to me, as it was a very important chapter in my life. First, YCCC helped show me that I could accomplish my academic goals. Graduating from YCCC with a GPA of 3.87 was a huge success for me. This helped show me that hard work not only pays off on the track but in the classroom as well. YCCC also helped me learn that no matter how difficult a task may seem, it can always be done. It’s very easy to give up and say you can’t do something. But my time at YCCC showed me that if you are willing to try enough, and even fail enough, eventually you will succeed. These lessons will be things that I carry with me for the rest of my life. Therefore, YCCC has always meant, and will always represent, dedication and hard work for me.”

How is Conner doing at Husson:

“I’m doing great at Husson! With that being said, the transition from YCCC to Husson was difficult for me. Moving from a place where I had already established connections and bonds, to somewhere completely unknown, was scary and hard. But, after I had some time to acclimate myself to the new environment, everything has been going great. I just finished my first semester with a GPA of 4.0, while also running the indoor 400m and setting school record. I am very proud of what I have already accomplished at Husson, and I’m excited to see where Husson will take me next. In the end, I'm proud to call myself a Husson Eagle!

How did YCCC prepare him for a 4-year:

“YCCC prepared me for a 4-year university in many different ways. I would say the most important thing that YCCC taught me was time management. Being able to manage the time to: study, lift, practice, and spend time with friends, has been very vital to my success at Husson. Without my time management skills, things would fall apart very quickly. Furthermore, YCCC taught me the importance of reaching out and advocating for yourself. This has prepared me for a 4-year university because the importance of advocating for yourself increases greatly. I’ve noticed that as the university gets bigger, the more you need to advocate for yourself. With so many people at Husson, it’s easy to become invisible. So, being able to advocate for myself has allowed me to get the help that I need, as well as allowed me to create important connections.”

The Hawk community is so proud of Conner and his recent success. We look forward to watching him continue to succeed in the future.

Go Hawks!