Marc Hunter
Marc Hunter Cross Country and Track `83
After an outstand career at Brunswick High School, Marc Hunter became a member of the Kent State University cross country and track teams. After two years at Kent, the medina, Ohio native enrolled at Cleveland State and became the greatest runner in school history.
In his first cross country season, Hunter was named CSU's Most Outstanding Runner and earned All-American as well as All-Ohio honors. He won the Notre Dame, All-Ohio, Penn-Ohio Conference and NCAA District IV meets. His time of 30:52 in the 10,000 meters at the District IV meet was a course record and led the Vikings to a fifth place finish overall. It also qualified him for the NCAA Division I Championships and helped CSU qualify as a team for the first time. Hunter was the first American -born finisher and placed fourth overall in a fourth of 252 runners with a time of 29:02 at the Division I Championships as CSU finished 11th in the team standings. Hunter's performance also earned him a sport on the U.S. team that competed in the World Championships in Scotland. Hunter was the only collegiate undergraduate on the squad and placed 72nd overall.
Mar Hunger was also CSU's Most Outstanding Runner for the 1977-78 track teams. He also earned All-American honors in track, becoming the first Viking runner to be named All-American in broth sports. Outdoors, he set CSU- records in the 1500m (3:45.) and 10,000m (29:23.9). He also qualified for the NCAA Championships in both the 1500m and 10,000m. Indoors, Hunter set CSU-records in the 1500m (3:45.7), mile (4:11) and three-mile (13:20.7) as he qualified for the NCAA Championships. In June of 1978, Hunter's efforts earned him recognition as CSU's Male Athletes-of-the-Year.
As a senior in 1078-79, Marc Hunter continued his dominance. He became CSU's first four-time All-American when he was again named All-American in both cross country and track. He also repeated as Most Outstanding Runner in both sports and at year's end he was co-winner, along with CSU Hall of Famer Carlo Songini, of CSU's Male Athlete-of-the- Year award.
In cross country, Hunter won the Notre Dame and All-Ohio titles and again qualified for the NCAA Division I Championships. He also repeated as an ALL-=Ohio cross country performer. He finished sixth and was again named to the U>S> World Champion ships team. Hunter bettered his record times win track during the 19778-79 season and repeated as a NCAA Championships qualifier.
Mar Hunter's performance earned him a sport at the 1980 Olympic Trials. Unfortunately, health problems prevented him from competing. A knee injury in 1981 ended his efforts for the 1984 Olympics and ended his career as a competitive runner.
Hunter is a graduate of the University of Oregon, where he received a B.S., with honors, in Geology and geography. In June of 1986, Hunter was a member of the first class inducted into the Medina Country sorts Hall of Fames.
A cartographer, Hunter is the Division Operating Expert for the Digital Products Department, Division II, Defense Mapping Agency at the U.S. Department of Defense. He has received numerous honors for his work, including his selection to participate in the prestigious Executive Leadership Development Program.
Marc Hunter remains active in cross country today. For the past seven years, he has coach at the high school level. His girls team consistently in the top 10 in the state of Virginia. His boys team was second at the 1994 Virginia State Cross Country Championships and was ranked fourth in the Southern Region of the United States.
Hunter ahs been involved with numerous other church and community-related activities since he left CSU. He has coached many elite post-collegiate female runners in the Washington D.D. area. He has provided weekly track workouts and instruction to a local adult running club. And he developed a children's running program known as S.P.O.R.T. (Special People out Running Together). Currently, Hunter serves as the Adult Leader of the South Lakes High school Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He has served in his church as an usher, Sunday school teach and bible study leader. He has been on three missionary trips to Bolivia and Peru.
Marc Hunter is married to the former Joan Humphries.
