LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell Track and Field Assistant Coach Mike Ekstrand will be honored, Saturday, at the 2020 George Davis Night event at the UMass Lowell hockey game against Boston University at the Tsongas Center.

Ekstrand, who has coached River Hawk sprinters for 26-years, has announced that he will retire at the end of the outdoor season.  He is the longest serving assistant coach joining what was the coaching staff of program founder George Davis in the mid 1990s.  Ekstrand, known as an innovator, coached more than 80 All-Americans and scores of New England and Conference Champions.

"There's probably no more of a successful sprint coach in all of New England than Mike," according to UMass Lowell  Track and Field Head Coach Gary Gardner.  "For a lot of years he did a lot of what he was doing for not very much.  Before we had a full time staff, he was my full time staff."

The George Davis Night is an annual event designed to honor George Davis, distinguished alumni and acheivement in the cross country and track and field programs.  This year's event is scheduled for Saturday, January 25 at 4:30 p.m. in advance of the UMass Lowell vs. Boston University hockey game at 6:00 p.m.  It is part of the continuing year long 50th anniversary celebration of the cross country and track and field programs.

The event, a fundraiser for the cross country and track and field programs, will be held in the Tallon Club at the Tsongas Center.   Click here to register.

UMass Lowell track and field competes this weekend at the John Thomas Terrier Classic at Boston University's Track and Tennis Center.