Fall River native, UMass Dartmouth athlete, named Little East Conference Men’s Student-Athlete of the Year

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Little East Conference announced its 2023-24 Student-Athlete of the Year recipients Thursday as UMass Dartmouth graduate Cameron Rodgers was named the Men’s Student-Athlete of the Year. Rodgers, who becomes the third straight Corsair to garner Man of the Year honors from the LEC, will now advance to the Division III Commissioner’s Association Student-Athlete of the Year Award ballot.
 
The LEC Student-Athlete of the Year award is presented in recognition of a student-athlete’s athletic and academic prowess, leadership and community service. The student-athlete must have exhausted their collegiate eligibility in their primary sport. The Conference and D3CA honors are modeled after the NCAA Woman of the Year program.
 
In addition to Rodgers, UMass Dartmouth saw former baseball All-American DJ Perron earn the honor in the 2022-23, while 2022 graduate Ed Lundy was the recipient of the inaugural honor in 2021-22. This year, Keene State’s Jeff Hunter was the co-recipient with Rodgers for this award.
 
Rodgers is among the most decorated track & field athletes in UMass Dartmouth history, garnering All-America performances six times at the NCAA Division III Championships. He earned All-America honors at four consecutive outdoor national championships in the 400-meter hurdles from 2021-24, in addition to All-America performances in the 60-meter hurdles at the 2024 indoor championships and the 110-meter hurdles at the 2024 outdoor championships. He also competed in the high jump at the 2022 indoor championships.
 
A six-time LEC major award winner, Rodgers is the only individual to be named the LEC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year three times (2022-24). He was also named the 2022 LEC Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, the 2021 LEC Outdoor Rookie Track Athlete of the Year and the 2020 LEC Indoor Rookie Field Athlete of the Year while turning in 19 gold medal performances between the LEC’s indoor and outdoor championships. The 2024 USTFCCCA East Region Men’s Track Athlete of the Year was a 15-time All-Region honoree.
 
Rodgers finished his career as UMass Dartmouth’s record holder in the 110-meter hurdles (14.17; 2023), 400-meter hurdles (51.14; 2023), 400-meter dash (48.84; 2023). His time of 51.14 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2023 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships places him 19th all-time on the DIII performance list.
 
During his tenure, Rodgers finished third in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Championships three times (2021, 2023, 2024), he was fifth in the event in 2022 and placed seventh overall in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2024 outdoor championships. Rodgers garnered Second Team All-America during the 2024 indoor nationals, finishing 15th in the 60-meter hurdles. Additionally, he was a two-time Division III New England Champion in the 400-meter hurdles, and also earned one title in the 110-meter hurdles.
 
Rodgers earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing with a minor in management from UMass Dartmouth. Away from the track, he was among the student-athletes who founded LEC Undivided, which addresses topics around diversity, equity and inclusion in the LEC, and was accepted to participate in the NCAA’s Career in Sports Forum and Immersion Program. Rodgers has also volunteered at youth camps hosted at Durfee High School and participated in a number of campus initiatives at UMass Dartmouth.
 
As part of his personal statement provided in the award application, Rodgers stated “My time as a student-athlete at UMass Dartmouth has been nothing short of transformative. My experiences inspired me to expand my efforts beyond athletics. I attended the NCAA Convention, where I found a passion for cultivating and supporting the development of fellow athletes and youth. I realized the importance of making a meaningful impact on others and helping to shape the future of sports. Attending the Career in Sports Forum gave me a valuable opportunity to understand how a career in sports can positively impact others. These experiences have empowered me to make a positive impact on my community and beyond.”