By By Patrick McHugh, News Staff

Shot-putter Nate Hunter was named the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) track and field Athlete of the Year July 7.
The CAA award is the latest in the line of honors for the junior from Gloucester. At the NCAA Outdoor Championship June 11 in Fayetteville, Ark., his shot put throw of 60 feet, 5 inches placed him eighth in the event and earned him All-American honors. In March he placed seventh in the event at the NCAA Indoor Championship in College Station, Texas, with a throw of 61 feet, 4.75 inches, making him an indoor All-American. He is the third Northeastern athlete to achieve All-American status in both indoor and outdoor in the same event in the same calendar year.
Conference officials made the announcement after the league’s seven head coaches voted on the award, as well as awards for CAA Coach of the Year and Rookie of the Year.
‘There are a lot of good athletes that probably deserve this award just as much because the CAA is pretty competitive,’ Hunter said. ‘You work so hard in the hopes you’ll get rewarded. That sometimes isn’t the case, but if you work hard and compete well, all these other things kind of become icing on the cake.’
Hunter was named the Most Outstanding Field Performer at the CAA Championship April 18 in Towson, Md., winning both the shot put and discus. His victories marked the third year in a row he won titles in both events at the CAA Championship. He is also the New England champion in the shot put for both indoors, which he won Feb. 28 in Boston, and outdoors, which he won May 9 in Amherst. He won the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America (IC4A) indoor shot put event March 8 in Boston and came in second place in the event outdoors May 17 in Princeton, N.J.
Hunter’s throwing coach, Joe Donahue, said he expected Hunter to earn top honors in the CAA considering what the thrower accomplished all year long.
‘I’m happy for him and the school,’ Donahue said. ‘He’s had so many things happening to him, one right after the other. This didn’t surprise me at all. It’s like congratulations for something you’ve already achieved. He’s got a lot left to do, though.’
As a freshman during the 2005-06 season, Hunter was named the CAA Rookie of the Year after winning the shot put and discus events at the Solomon Husky Invitational April 11 in Boston, as well as the CAA Championship. The following year, in addition to wins at the Husky Invitational and CAA Championship, he also won the Northeastern Spring Open March 24 in Boston, the Snowflake Classic March 31 in Medford, and won the shot put at the New England Championship Feb. 24 in Boston. He redshirted during the 2007-08 season and competed independently at some meets before returning for his successful 2008-09 season.
Hunter said he is looking to make next season, his senior year, more spectacular by working even harder.
‘Next year I really want to shoot for the national title,’ Hunter said. ‘I really want to be the best I can be, the best there is, at least in collegiate track and field. It just becomes working that little extra. Doing that extra rep in the weight room, that extra half hour you spend every day. That’s what I’m trying to shoot for.’
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