SFA Track and Field Adds Hunter Key to Staff for 2018-19 Season
10/5/2018 2:36:00 PM | Track & Field
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin Track and Field head coach Phil Olson announced on Friday the hiring of Hunter Key to the team's staff for the upcoming 2018-19 season. Key is a name and face that fans of SFA are likely familiar with, as the Garrison native finished his career as a Lumberjack multi-athlete last winter and is one of the top athletes in program history.
"It is such a wonderful opportunity to hire Hunter Key as the final addition to our track and coaching staff", said SFA track and field head coach Phil Olson. "Hunter was an outstanding decathlete and javelin thrower for our program, and has been a big part of our championship teams over the years. He will have a big impact on our program because he has a championship mindset, is a positive leader, and is a tremendous worker. His approach as a coach will be the same as it was as an athlete, and that will benefit everyone in our program. "
A four-time All-Conference selection, Key helped guide the Lumberjacks to back-to-back outdoor titles in 2014-15 and 2015-16, as well as a runners-up finish at the 2018 indoor championships. He ranks second in school history in the heptathlon with 5238 points and is top five in program history in the decathlon with 7061 points.
Aside from his impressive performance on the track, Key was also a stellar example of a well-rounded student athlete, as he was a USTCCCA All-Academic Team honoree as a junior and was selected to win one of SFA Athletics' major awards, given out at the end of the calendar year to deserving individuals. Key was selected to be the Robert H. Shelton Award winner in 2017, which recognizes the outstanding character, academic achievement and athletic performance of the recipient athlete.
Key will work with SFA's multi-athletes and javelin throwers, owing to his high performance in those events during his collegiate career. His influence was immediate as a volunteer assistant in the 2018 outdoor championships, as he helped freshman Cord Neal to a second place finish in the conference and a trip to NCAA nationals.
"Accepting a college coaching job right out of college is a dream come true, and when Coach Olson offered me the job I knew that this was the place I wanted to be", said Key. "SFA Track and Field has a great program, is full of tradition and has a great coaching staff, so the decision was easy for me. I am thankful for the opportunity and excited about the future moving forward here at SFA."
-SFA-
"It is such a wonderful opportunity to hire Hunter Key as the final addition to our track and coaching staff", said SFA track and field head coach Phil Olson. "Hunter was an outstanding decathlete and javelin thrower for our program, and has been a big part of our championship teams over the years. He will have a big impact on our program because he has a championship mindset, is a positive leader, and is a tremendous worker. His approach as a coach will be the same as it was as an athlete, and that will benefit everyone in our program. "
A four-time All-Conference selection, Key helped guide the Lumberjacks to back-to-back outdoor titles in 2014-15 and 2015-16, as well as a runners-up finish at the 2018 indoor championships. He ranks second in school history in the heptathlon with 5238 points and is top five in program history in the decathlon with 7061 points.
Aside from his impressive performance on the track, Key was also a stellar example of a well-rounded student athlete, as he was a USTCCCA All-Academic Team honoree as a junior and was selected to win one of SFA Athletics' major awards, given out at the end of the calendar year to deserving individuals. Key was selected to be the Robert H. Shelton Award winner in 2017, which recognizes the outstanding character, academic achievement and athletic performance of the recipient athlete.
Key will work with SFA's multi-athletes and javelin throwers, owing to his high performance in those events during his collegiate career. His influence was immediate as a volunteer assistant in the 2018 outdoor championships, as he helped freshman Cord Neal to a second place finish in the conference and a trip to NCAA nationals.
"Accepting a college coaching job right out of college is a dream come true, and when Coach Olson offered me the job I knew that this was the place I wanted to be", said Key. "SFA Track and Field has a great program, is full of tradition and has a great coaching staff, so the decision was easy for me. I am thankful for the opportunity and excited about the future moving forward here at SFA."
-SFA-
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