LeDuc to be honored as state athlete of the year at Gold Key dinner

Canton’s Mike LeDuc won the first of two NCAA Div. 3 national titles in the steeplechase in May 2013.

Canton native Michael LeDuc hasn’t raced in a while. But his exploits on the track at Connecticut College aren’t being forgotten.

LeDuc has been named as the Bill Lee Athlete of the Year by the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance and will be recognized at the CWSA’s 74th annual Gold Key dinner on April 26, at 4 p.m. in Southington. 

Regarded as one of the highest sports awards in the state, the Gold Key has been awarded by the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance since 1940, recognized individuals from the state who have achieved excellence on the youth, high school, collegiate and professional levels. Past recipients of the Gold Key include Connie Mack (1940), Willie Pep (1961), Walt Dropo (1975), President George H.W. Bush (1991), Gordie Howe (1992), Geno Auriemma (2001), Jim Calhoun (2003), Kristine Lilly (2012) and Amby Burfoot (2014). 

This year, Gold Keys will be presented to former professional hockey player Craig Janney of Enfield, former Killingly and Providence basketball standout Tracy Lis, former Derby High and Yale running back John Pagliaro and longtime FCIAC official and coach John Kuczo. 

In 2014, LeDuc capped off an impressive running career at Connecticut College with his second straight national championship in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, winning by nearly eight seconds. It was a spectacular conclusion to a senior season with the Camels that saw LeDuc win a national title in cross country and earn All-American honors in two events in indoor track.

Two-time national champion Michael LeDuc of Connecticut College

Just six months earlier, LeDuc became the first Conn College runner to win a regional and national title in cross country when captured the NCAA Division III men’s cross country championship. In February 2014, LeDuc earned All-American honors in two events at the NCAA Division III indoor track and field championships. He was fourth in the 3,000 meters and seventh in the 5,000 meters. 

LeDuc, who graduated from Connecticut College with a degree in botany, won three NCAA Division III national championships and earned All-American honors nine times in his four-year career in track, indoor track and cross country. 

LeDuc was a four-time All-American in the 3,000 steeplechase. When he won his first NCAA steeplechase title as a junior, he hit the final three-foot high barrier in the race, but he recovered to catch Middlebury’s Jack Davies in the final 70 meters to win the race by 0.08 of a second. 

LeDuc is currently a high school biology and horticulture teacher in Glenview, Illinois. He graduated from Canton High in 2010 where he was an All-State athlete in cross country and track and field. 

Tickets to the dinner are $75 each and can be purchased by contacting either CSWA President Matthew Conyers of The Hartford Courant at 860-874-4166 or [email protected] or vice president Tim Jensen of The Enfield Source at [email protected]. Tickets can also be obtained by mailing a check to Connecticut Sports Writers’ Alliance, P.O. Box 70, Unionville, CT, 06085.  

Also being honored at the banquet will be South Windsor’s Allyson Fournier, the NCAA Division III softball player of the year in 2014. She helped Tufts University win a second straight NCAA Division III national title. She will receive the Hank O’Donnell Player of the Year award.

Enfield’s Robert and Cookie Bromage will receive the Bo Kolinsky Special Recognition Award for their dedication to coaching. The husband and wife have combined to coach high school athletics for 100 years. Bob Bromage coached baseball at Enfield for 39 years and has coached baseball at East Granby for 11 years. Cookie Bromage will begin her 49th season as field hockey coach at Enfield this fall. 

Glynn Baron of West Hartford, Jerry DeJulia of Danbury, Jane Pinho of Prospect, Sarah Jadach of Derby, and Dave Rodriguez and Bill Hutchinson of Wallingford will receive the John Wentworth award which recognizes individuals who have dedicated themselves and give their time to help their communities through sports. 

Middletown High senior Dario Highsmith and Capital Prep senior Kiah Gillespie have been selected as the Hal Levy High School Athletes of the Year. Highsmith is the all-time leading rusher in Middletown football history with 6,612 yards and Gillespie has scored over 1,500 points and led the Capital Prep girls basketball team to two straight state titles. 

Valley Regional/Old Lyme football coach Tim King and Haddam-Killingworth girls volleyball coach Richard Langer have been selected as the Doc McInerney High School Coaches of the Year.