Photo by: David Silverman Photography
Ken Hunt Hired as Coaching Chair for Brown Track & Field and Cross Country
8/9/2022 5:05:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown Athletics has removed the interim tag and elevated Ken Hunt to the Alden-Rothenberg Men's and Women's Cross Country/Track & Field Coaching Chair. Hunt held the Interim Head Coach title during the 2021-22 season, his tenth campaign overall on College Hill.
Hunt joined Brown as an assistant coach in 2012, primarily working with the team's jumpers and multis, later being promoted to the position of Associate Head Coach of Track and Field/Anne Rothenberg Coaching Chair in September 2020, and Interim Head Coach in August 2021.
"Ken has proven himself as an outstanding coach, mentor and recruiter, and we look forward to his leadership of our track and field and cross country programs," said Chancellor Samuel M. Mencoff '78 Vice President for Athletics and Recreation M. Grace Calhoun '92, Ph.D. "He's been recognized as our region's assistant coach of the year several times and worked extensively with many of our program record holders. We witnessed strong performances this season, highlighted by several NCAA Regional bids and the best finish for the men's indoor team since 2018. We are thrilled Ken will remain on College Hill and are excited about the future of our track and field and cross country programs."
During his tenure at Brown, Hunt has coached 20 NCAA Regional qualifiers, and seven national qualifiers/All-Americans. He has also earned two USTFCCCA Northeast Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year awards during the 2019 outdoor season and the 2019-20 indoor season.
This past season, while serving as interim head coach, Hunt oversaw a program that had eight student-athletes earn NCAA Regional bids, including one who qualified for the NCAA National Championships in Eugene, Oregon. During the 2021-22 indoor season, he coached Brown's men's program to a fourth-place finish at the Ivy League Championships, its highest placement at Heps since 2018.
"The idea that I, as a first-generation black college student-athlete and introvert from the inner city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin could be the Director of an Ivy League Track & Field and Cross Country program is both humbling and motivating," said Hunt. "My why has been and will continue to be our student-athletes!
"I am motivated by the framework Brown University President Christina Paxson and Vice President for Athletics and Recreation M. Grace Calhoun '92, Ph.D. are putting in place to improve the holistic development of the student-athlete," added Hunt. "I appreciate this opportunity to be a teammate in shaping careers, building champions, and creating great citizens!"
During the COVID-shortened season of 2019-20, Hunt earned his second Women's Assistant Coach of the Year honor after coaching Zion Lewis to the No. 8 ranking entering the NCAA Indoor National Championships in the triple jump. He previously earned the same honor during the 2019 outdoor season after guiding his athletes to 51 of the team's 59 points at the Ivy League Championships and coached Carly Paul to the all-time Ivy League record in the heptathlon at 5,632 points. Paul also qualified for nationals in the heptathlon that season, finishing 14th in the nation.
Before Brown, Hunt served as a volunteer assistant at LSU during the 2011-12 season, coaching five national qualifiers in combined events and jumps, and playing a part in the team's NCAA Indoor National Championship title. During the 2010-11 season, he was an assistant at Georgia Southern and was named a finalist for the 2010 Southeastern Regional Coach of the Year. Before his career in college coaching, Hunt led the track program at Rufus King High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for four years.
After beginning his collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin, Hunt graduated with a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2002. Hunt finished his collegiate career as the UW-Milwaukee and Horizon League record holder in both the indoor and outdoor triple jump.
BROWN UNIVERSITY SPORTS FOUNDATION
The Brown University Sports Foundation (BUSF) is the lifeblood of the athletics program, and exists to enhance the student-athlete experience through philanthropic support from alumni, parents, fans and friends. A gift through the Sports Foundation makes an immediate impact on today's Brown Bears and helps them to be their best in the classroom, in competition and most importantly in the community. To learn more about supporting the Bears, please click here.
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For the latest on Brown Athletics, please follow @BrownU_Bears on Twitter, @BrownU_Bears on Instagram, like BrownUBears on Facebook and subscribe to the BrownAthletics YouTube channel.
I̶n̶t̶e̶r̶i̶m̶ Head Coach Ken Hunt. Congrats to OUR guy
— Brown Track & Field / XC (@BrownU_TFXC) August 9, 2022
🗞 https://t.co/4oQT2pL4uS#EverTrue pic.twitter.com/fdA5ZPp2BT
Hunt joined Brown as an assistant coach in 2012, primarily working with the team's jumpers and multis, later being promoted to the position of Associate Head Coach of Track and Field/Anne Rothenberg Coaching Chair in September 2020, and Interim Head Coach in August 2021.
"Ken has proven himself as an outstanding coach, mentor and recruiter, and we look forward to his leadership of our track and field and cross country programs," said Chancellor Samuel M. Mencoff '78 Vice President for Athletics and Recreation M. Grace Calhoun '92, Ph.D. "He's been recognized as our region's assistant coach of the year several times and worked extensively with many of our program record holders. We witnessed strong performances this season, highlighted by several NCAA Regional bids and the best finish for the men's indoor team since 2018. We are thrilled Ken will remain on College Hill and are excited about the future of our track and field and cross country programs."
During his tenure at Brown, Hunt has coached 20 NCAA Regional qualifiers, and seven national qualifiers/All-Americans. He has also earned two USTFCCCA Northeast Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year awards during the 2019 outdoor season and the 2019-20 indoor season.
This past season, while serving as interim head coach, Hunt oversaw a program that had eight student-athletes earn NCAA Regional bids, including one who qualified for the NCAA National Championships in Eugene, Oregon. During the 2021-22 indoor season, he coached Brown's men's program to a fourth-place finish at the Ivy League Championships, its highest placement at Heps since 2018.
"The idea that I, as a first-generation black college student-athlete and introvert from the inner city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin could be the Director of an Ivy League Track & Field and Cross Country program is both humbling and motivating," said Hunt. "My why has been and will continue to be our student-athletes!
"I am motivated by the framework Brown University President Christina Paxson and Vice President for Athletics and Recreation M. Grace Calhoun '92, Ph.D. are putting in place to improve the holistic development of the student-athlete," added Hunt. "I appreciate this opportunity to be a teammate in shaping careers, building champions, and creating great citizens!"
During the COVID-shortened season of 2019-20, Hunt earned his second Women's Assistant Coach of the Year honor after coaching Zion Lewis to the No. 8 ranking entering the NCAA Indoor National Championships in the triple jump. He previously earned the same honor during the 2019 outdoor season after guiding his athletes to 51 of the team's 59 points at the Ivy League Championships and coached Carly Paul to the all-time Ivy League record in the heptathlon at 5,632 points. Paul also qualified for nationals in the heptathlon that season, finishing 14th in the nation.
Before Brown, Hunt served as a volunteer assistant at LSU during the 2011-12 season, coaching five national qualifiers in combined events and jumps, and playing a part in the team's NCAA Indoor National Championship title. During the 2010-11 season, he was an assistant at Georgia Southern and was named a finalist for the 2010 Southeastern Regional Coach of the Year. Before his career in college coaching, Hunt led the track program at Rufus King High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for four years.
After beginning his collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin, Hunt graduated with a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2002. Hunt finished his collegiate career as the UW-Milwaukee and Horizon League record holder in both the indoor and outdoor triple jump.
BROWN UNIVERSITY SPORTS FOUNDATION
The Brown University Sports Foundation (BUSF) is the lifeblood of the athletics program, and exists to enhance the student-athlete experience through philanthropic support from alumni, parents, fans and friends. A gift through the Sports Foundation makes an immediate impact on today's Brown Bears and helps them to be their best in the classroom, in competition and most importantly in the community. To learn more about supporting the Bears, please click here.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Brown Athletics, please follow @BrownU_Bears on Twitter, @BrownU_Bears on Instagram, like BrownUBears on Facebook and subscribe to the BrownAthletics YouTube channel.
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