Princeton University Athletics
Hunt Named Head Coach of Women's Cross Country
August 03, 2016 | Women's Cross Country, Women's Track and Field
PRINCETON, N.J. (8/3/16) - Brad Hunt, who has more than 10 years experience coaching in the Atlantic Coast Conference, has been named the head coach of the Princeton women's cross country team, it was announced today by Mollie Marcoux Samaan '91, the Ford Family Director of Athletics, and Michelle Eisenreich, head women's track & field and cross country coach.
"Princeton could not ask for a better coach to follow Peter Farrell," Eisenreich said. "Coach Hunt's record shows how skilled he is at developing athletes to compete at the highest levels in an academically rigorous environment. His success stems from both his technical knowledge and skill, as well his ability to connect with athletes on an individual level. His enthusiasm and energy will create a positive environment where the distance and middle distance runners will thrive. I could not be more excited to have him aboard."
Hunt will serve as head coach of the cross country program and as an assistant distance and middle distance coach for the track team.
"I am thrilled to work with Michelle Eisenreich, as we build upon the proud tradition of excellence that is Princeton track and field and cross country," Hunt said. "Director of Athletics Mollie Marcoux fosters an elite athletic environment that works in harmony with the world class academic setting of Princeton University. I embrace the opportunity to guide the remarkable student-athletes of Princeton University as we pursue championships at every level."
Hunt comes to Princeton after five years at Wake Forest.
"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Hunt to the Princeton Athletics family," Marcoux Samaan said. "He brings both a wealth of knowledge and an extremely high level of energy and enthusiasm to the women's cross country/track & field program. I am confident that he will build upon our tremendous history of success in distance and middle distance events under legendary coach Peter Farrell and will be a tremendous addition to head coach Michelle Eisenreich's staff.
In his time as the assistant track & field and cross country coach at Wake Forest, his student-athletes achieved first-team All-America status at 800, 1500, 3000 and 5000 meters as well as in cross country. He had 19 student-athletes earn All-ACC honors and guided Anna Nosenko to the ACC Championship record in the women's 3,000. During his time in Winston-Salem, the Demon Deacons posted school records in the men's 1500, mile, 4x800, distance medley relay and the women's 3,000. The cross country teams also earned the Dean's Cup for team GPA in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Prior to joining the Wake Forest staff in 2010, Hunt was the assistant track & field and cross country coach at the University of Virginia from 2005-10. The Cavaliers were three-time ACC champions in men's cross country during his tenure and reached the NCAA championship every season, finishing as high as 12th in 2007. In both 2007 and 2008, Emil Heineking was the ACC individual champion and went on to earn All-America honors both years. The women's team earned four NCAA bids and placed as high as 14th in 2006 and won the Southeast Regional in 2008. Highlighting the success was Catherine White's fourth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Championships.
Hunt graduated with a degree in psychology from Kent State in 1997 as a four-year letterwinner on both the cross country and track & field teams. He was a two-year captain of both teams and was MVP of the cross country team as a junior and a two-time Academic All-America.
Hunt spent five years as an assistant track & field and cross country coach at his alma mater Kent State from 2000-05. He helped to guide two student-athletes to All-America honors at 800 meters and had a junior national champion and a US Olympic trials qualifier in the 800. Hunt coached eight individual Mid-American Conference champions and helped the Golden Flashes to 10 school records.
Princeton won the Ivy League Heptagonal cross country championship and was second in outdoor track and field a year ago.
"Princeton could not ask for a better coach to follow Peter Farrell," Eisenreich said. "Coach Hunt's record shows how skilled he is at developing athletes to compete at the highest levels in an academically rigorous environment. His success stems from both his technical knowledge and skill, as well his ability to connect with athletes on an individual level. His enthusiasm and energy will create a positive environment where the distance and middle distance runners will thrive. I could not be more excited to have him aboard."
Hunt will serve as head coach of the cross country program and as an assistant distance and middle distance coach for the track team.
"I am thrilled to work with Michelle Eisenreich, as we build upon the proud tradition of excellence that is Princeton track and field and cross country," Hunt said. "Director of Athletics Mollie Marcoux fosters an elite athletic environment that works in harmony with the world class academic setting of Princeton University. I embrace the opportunity to guide the remarkable student-athletes of Princeton University as we pursue championships at every level."
Hunt comes to Princeton after five years at Wake Forest.
"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Hunt to the Princeton Athletics family," Marcoux Samaan said. "He brings both a wealth of knowledge and an extremely high level of energy and enthusiasm to the women's cross country/track & field program. I am confident that he will build upon our tremendous history of success in distance and middle distance events under legendary coach Peter Farrell and will be a tremendous addition to head coach Michelle Eisenreich's staff.
In his time as the assistant track & field and cross country coach at Wake Forest, his student-athletes achieved first-team All-America status at 800, 1500, 3000 and 5000 meters as well as in cross country. He had 19 student-athletes earn All-ACC honors and guided Anna Nosenko to the ACC Championship record in the women's 3,000. During his time in Winston-Salem, the Demon Deacons posted school records in the men's 1500, mile, 4x800, distance medley relay and the women's 3,000. The cross country teams also earned the Dean's Cup for team GPA in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Prior to joining the Wake Forest staff in 2010, Hunt was the assistant track & field and cross country coach at the University of Virginia from 2005-10. The Cavaliers were three-time ACC champions in men's cross country during his tenure and reached the NCAA championship every season, finishing as high as 12th in 2007. In both 2007 and 2008, Emil Heineking was the ACC individual champion and went on to earn All-America honors both years. The women's team earned four NCAA bids and placed as high as 14th in 2006 and won the Southeast Regional in 2008. Highlighting the success was Catherine White's fourth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Championships.
Hunt graduated with a degree in psychology from Kent State in 1997 as a four-year letterwinner on both the cross country and track & field teams. He was a two-year captain of both teams and was MVP of the cross country team as a junior and a two-time Academic All-America.
Hunt spent five years as an assistant track & field and cross country coach at his alma mater Kent State from 2000-05. He helped to guide two student-athletes to All-America honors at 800 meters and had a junior national champion and a US Olympic trials qualifier in the 800. Hunt coached eight individual Mid-American Conference champions and helped the Golden Flashes to 10 school records.
Princeton won the Ivy League Heptagonal cross country championship and was second in outdoor track and field a year ago.
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