Huskies’ Flaherty headed for Hall American Baseball Coaches Association to honor longtime USM coach

Ed Flaherty has been a fixture as the baseball coach at the University of Southern Maine since 1984.

During that time, the Huskies have won 569 games, made 16 trips to the NCAA Division III tournament, earned six regional title and won two national championships.

While Flaherty isn’t done yet, Southern Maine’s highly successful coach is already going into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

“I was totally surprised at being elected,” Flaherty said. “It is, without question, the greatest honor a baseball coach can receive.”

Flaherty will be among six inductees when the ABCA holds its annual banquet in January in Nashville, Tenn.

Joining Flaherty are Gary Adams of the University of Southern California, Russ Frazier of Louisberg College (N.C.), Sonny Pittaro of Rider College (N.J.), Enos Seymour of the University of Oklahoma and George Valesente of Ithaca College in New York.

Flaherty’s teams have enjoyed phenomenal success, compiling a 569-241-3 overall record in his 19 seasons. He has twice been named the NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year (1991, 1997) and three times has been chosen as the New England Coach of the Year (1989, 1990, 1991).

“As a coach and educator of young people, Ed is clearly in an elite group,” said USM athletic director Al Bean. “His attention to detail in every aspect of his craft, not just baseball instruction, is unmatched.

“What really sets Ed apart is his leadership ability,” he continued. “He sets very high standards and he challenges everyone around him to be the very best they can be – every single day.”

Flaherty, a native of Portland, played his college ball at the University of Maine, where he was an All-American in 1975. He was a key member of the Black Bears’ 1976 College World Series ballclub, played in the Cape Cod League and completed on the U.S. Pan American Team.

Flaherty was inducted into the UMaine Sports Hall of Fame in 1992 and joined the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame the following year.

Prior to taking the USM position, Flaherty taught and coached at Deering High in Portland. He directed the Rams to a Class A state title in 1983.

Nine join Bowdoin Hall of Honor

Five members of the Soule family will be inducted as Bowdoin College in Brunswick celebrates the third class of its Athletic Hall of Honor.

William Soule (Class of 1936) and sons Morton (’68), James (’77) and Philip will headline the group that also includes Michael Linkovich, Edward J. McFarland (’69), Amy Harper Munger (’85) and Jean Roy (’84).

Bill Soule was a Bowdoin football and track star who went on to be a successful coach at Dover-Foxcroft, where he led his 1939 team was unbeaten, untied and unscored upon.

Paul Soule was a football standout, rushing for a then Polar Bears career record of 1,681 yards. He also was an accomplished hurdler.

Mort Soule played football and baseball. His 662 yards in punt returns is still a school record. He later coached Deering High, leading the Rams to the 1993 football state title.

Jim Soule maintains status as Bowdoin’s all-time leading rusher in football with 2,634 yards. Phil Soule did not attend Bowdoin, but spent nearly 40 years coaching the offensive line in football, and did stints in wrestling, baseball, squash, track and lacrosse.

Harper Munger was the first Polar Bear to earn women’s basketball All-America honors and led Bowdoin to the program’s first-ever postseason appearance. Harper, who holds the school mark for career free throws with 370, also was a four-year tennis star.

Roy was an offensive-minded defenseman for the Bowdoin hockey squad. He was a three-time All-American, the first in school history, and remains its only four-time All-New England selection.

Linkovich established and perpetuated Bowdoin’s legacy of excellence in athletic training during his 40-year career. He also served as a trainer for the U.S. hockey team at the 1980 Olympics and worked at the 1980 Moscow games.

McFarland was a two-sport star in basketball and baseball. He was the first Polar Bear to surpass 1,300 points and still owns the career scoring average standard at 21.9 points per game. He was an All-New England baseball pick and played minor league ball in the Kansas City Royals organization.