Maine’s Lane qualifies for Worlds

Maine native Matt Lane appears to have qualified for the IAAF World Outdoor Track and Field championships by bettering the “A” qualifying standard at 5,000 meters.

Lane, who grew up in Yarmouth and was a seven-time collegiate All-American at William & Mary, ran a time of 13 minutes, 24.63 seconds at a meet in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium on Saturday. The “A” standard is 13:25.

There is some question about the result of the race, but if Lane’s time is certified as official, he will join 2001 national champ Bob Kennedy and Adam Goucher on the United States team. Lane finished fourth in the U.S. championships, but the man who finished second, Alan Culpepper, has opted to run the 10,000 at the World Championships in Edmonton, Alberta.

Leo Saucier has been named the baseball coach at the University of Maine-Presque Isle. Saucier, who served as the Owls’ assistant coach during the past baseball season, is also an assistant professor of physical education at the school.

A native of Millinocket, Saucier played baseball for Stearns High School where he was an All-Penquis League pitcher.

Saucier played baseball while attending Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and then served as a graduate associate coach at Valdosta State University in Georgia while pursuing his masters degree.