WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - Eastern Connecticut Track and Field Head Coach David Nicholson has been named to the Little East Conference Hall of Fame Class of 2026, the conference announced on Thursday (July 9).

Nicholson was among the premier 400 meter runners in NCAA Division III while attending Eastern Connecticut State University from 2002-06, where he owns the distinction of being the first male student-athlete in the track & field program's storied history to earn All-America honors in a running event. 
 
He accomplished that feat with his sixth-place finish in the 400-meter dash at the 20006 NCAA Division III Indoor championships. To this day, Nicholson is the only Little East Conference men's competitor to earn All-America honors in that event.
 
Nicholson was a 27-time Little East Conference and New England Alliance champion indoors and outdoors in the 200 and 400, and as anchor on the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. His indoor 400 meter time of 49.63 set in 2006 was the LEC Championship record until 2023, while his outdoor time of 48.35 in 2006 was the LEC Championship record until 2016.
 
The Warriors won the LEC outdoor championships in each of his four seasons. Eastern Connecticut also took home the indoor team title in 2006, marking the second time in program history it swept the indoor and outdoor championships.
 
Nicholson earned All-New England recognition a total of 38 times indoors and outdoors at 200 and 400 meters and with the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relays between the Division III, Open and ECAC championships. As a senior, he won New England Division III championships at 400 meters at the indoor and outdoor championships.
 
Nicholson earned his bachelor's degree in sport management from Eastern Connecticut in 2006 and was inducted into the Eastern Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. He returned to his alma mater to serve as the head cross country and track & field coach in 2022 after holding similar roles at Barton College and Lindenwood University.

Induction ceremonies will take place on each inductee's respective campus during the upcoming academic year.
 
First established in 2012, the LEC Hall of Fame now includes 147 individuals (76 men, 71 women) and seven teams. The LEC's 12th Hall of Fame class includes:

1998 Southern Maine Women's Basketball Team
 
David Nicholson (Eastern Connecticut), Men's Track & Field
 
Katie Bradford (Keene State), Women's Soccer and Softball
 
Charles Lai (UMass Boston), Men's Tennis
 
Kevin Cutler (UMass Dartmouth), Men's Track & Field
 
Paul Andrew (Plymouth State), Men's Soccer
 
Shawn Griffin (Plymouth State), Men's Soccer (Coach)
 
Dayna (Reilly) Kitterick (Rhode Island College), Women's Tennis
 
Jamie Ruginski (Southern Maine), Men's Track & Field
 
Jess Williamson (Southern Maine), Women's Volleyball
 
Lauren (Post) Manzi, (Western Connecticut), Women's Tennis