UMass Lowell Athletics Hall of Fame
The most decorated distance runner in UMass Lowell women's cross country/track and field history, Nicole (Plante) Hunt saved her best effort for last when, at the 2007 NCAA Track & Field Championship her senior year, she captured the 10,000 meters in 35 minutes, 25.49 seconds.
The feat capped a magnificent career for Hunt, who also finished runner-up in the 5,000 meters (16:56.36) that year, which was undoubtedly overshadowed by the NCAA Championship.
Hunt’s accomplishments marked the eighth and ninth time in her career she earned All-American honors, made more impressive considering she qualified for the NCAA Championship nine times in track and field and four times in cross country over the course of her career. After winning the NCAA 10,000 meters, she was named the Division II Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
“Nicole is by far the best distance runner we’ve ever had, and not just among the ones I’ve coached, but I believe in UMass Lowell history,” said head coach Gary Gardner. “Her work ethic made her great. She was not the most gifted athlete that we ever had. But her biggest gift was the ability to carry a high workload while staying injury-free.”
Hunt also won seven Northeast-10 Conference titles the 1,500, 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 meters and was twice named the NE-10 Female Athlete of the Year. She also earned All-New England honors five times.
And those accomplishments were solely in the sport of indoor and outdoor track and field.
UMass Lowell’s top cross country runner since her freshman year, Hunt was twice named the NCAA Northeast Region Athlete of the Year as she twice captured the NCAA Northeast Region individual title and led the River Hawks to a pair of team titles.
When Hunt captured the 2006 individual championship, she circled back after crossing the finish line and re-ran the final half mile with her teammates. UMass Lowell placed 20th at the NCAA Championship, with Hunt finishing runner-up individually.
“Nicole was absolutely all about the team,” Gardner added. “She would volunteer to run extra races at the Conference (track and field) championship. We once had her run the 4X800, 1,500 and the 5,000 in one day.”
Hunt was also the NE-10 Cross Country Athlete of the Year twice and a four-time NE-10 First Team standout.
The 2007 recipient of the Laurie Mann Award for Female Student-Athlete of the Year, Hunt amassed many academic honors as well, including appearances on the NE-10, USTFCCCA and ESPN The Magazine academic teams her junior and senior years.
Hunt continues to hold five school records in distance events: the indoor and outdoor 3,000 and 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters.
A native of North Adams, Mass., Hunt resides with her husband Ian, a former distance standout at UMass Lowell, and their daughter Elina (3), in Woburn, Mass.
