Colby’s Aitken honored as NE coach of year

WATERVILLE – Colby College head coach Deb Aitken has been named the New England Region Coach of the Year in women’s cross country by the NCAA Cross Country Coaches Association.

Aitken, who also won the award in 1993 for cross country and has won a regional track and field coaching award as well, coached Colby to its best finish ever at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. The Mules finished fifth after going into the NCAA meet ranked ninth in the country.

Aitken previously was honored as the New England Small College Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year by a vote of the league coaches.

Under Aitken, a Skowhegan native, the Mules had solid finishes all year in the New England region in her 20th season as coach. She has had five teams make the NCAA meet, as well as coaching 10 individual runners to national competition.