This 2024 Husson Softball Star is Going to Fly

Published on: July 10, 2024

Husson University Class of 2024 valedictorian Kenzie Dore has been named the 2024 North Atlantic Conference Woman of the Year. Learn more about her in the profile below, which was published in the Summer 2024 issue of the Husson alumni magazine.

Kenzie Dore and the Husson University softball team have soared together, capturing a North Atlantic Conference championship the last five years the tournament has been played. But Dore, who graduated in May with a masters in criminal justice administration, is about to soar in a whole new way: as a pilot. 

Dore is set to be commissioned into the Maine Army National Guard as a second lieutenant and a medical service officer. She will attend a 10-week medical service basic officer leadership course at Fort Sam Houston in Texas before heading to flight school at Fort Novosel in Alabama. Her goal? To become a medical evaluation pilot and fly UH-60 Blackhawks. 

Dore, who has a lengthy family history of military service, joined the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps at Husson, which allowed her to train and learn more about the Army while studying. She also attended cadet summer training at Fort Knox in Kentucky, where officers train and evaluate cadets on leadership and basic soldiering skills.

“I went back-and-forth on the specialty and career that I wanted to pursue within the Army,” Dore said. “There are so many different opportunities and careers in the Army, but becoming a blackhawk helicopter pilot was what really stood out to me and stuck with me.” 

Dore is looking forward to the opportunity to help people and being a leader amongst her fellow soldiers.

“By becoming a MEDEVAC pilot, I'm able to make someone's bad day into a better one, even if it’s only by a little bit,” Dore said. “My goal in life has always been to help people and protect them. Being a MEDEVAC pilot in the Maine Army National Guard and pursuing a career in law enforcement on the civilian side, I can do both of those things.”

Dore has made her mark at Husson as well, as part of a softball dynasty. Since her first year in 2021, the Eagles have accumulated a record of 118-32-1, including an astounding 47-1 record in NAC games. 

Individually, Dore has had one of the better careers in the history of Husson softball. She entered her final year already ranked in the top 10 in program history for career batting average, home runs and RBIs, in addition to being within striking distance to moving into the top 10 for hits and runs scored. 

While the dynamic of softball and serving in the military could not be more different, there is a commonality for the two for Dore: leadership. 

“As a leader, you must be able to communicate clearly and concisely so that your teammates on the field can completely understand what is going on and what must happen for us to be successful,” Dore said. “The same thing applies to being an officer in the Army and for being a pilot. You are leading soldiers. Soldiers who have families and friends who want them to come home safely. Clear and effective communication is also necessary to be able to have your soldiers get their jobs done and get home safely.”

With the success that Dore and the Eagles have had during her four-year career, there are many memories to look back on. For Dore, when Husson hosted an NCAA Division III Regional site for the first time in program history is the one that tops the list.

“Playing in that game on our home field is something that I’ll always remember,” Dore said. “We didn't get the outcome we wanted in that game, but the experience of playing in an NCAA tournament for the first time on our home field is something I’ll never forget. Playing in front of our home crowd, fans, friends, and family in big games and situations is something I hope every young athlete is able to experience in their lifetime.”

As Dore prepares to enter the next stage of her life, she is keeping her goals for her professional career as simple as possible.

“My goal is to be one of the best pilots, leaders and people that I can overall be,” Dore said. “I want to be able to grow as an individual, learn as much as I can, and experience as much as I can with my time in the Maine Army National Guard.”