All-Decade Team: Men's Track

Williamsburg, KY – With 49 NAIA All-Americans, four NAIA National Champions, and six Mid-South Conference titles the men’s track & field team has been competitive on both the conference and national levels over the past decade. The Patriots have recorded four MSC Athlete of the Year, five MSC Freshman of the Year honors, two MSC Champion of Character award, and eight MSC Coaches of the Year accolades. Also, the program has set nine MSC meet records and 18 school records over the past decade.  With all of these accomplishments, the one athlete that represents the Patriots men’s track team on UC’S All-Decade Team is sprinter Albert Huntley.

Huntley is one of the most decorated runners in program history as he earned three NAIA All-American honors and an NAIA National title in his lone season running for UC. In 2013, Huntley became the first Patriot sprinter to earn an NAIA National title in the 100 meters dash and the sixth track runner to win an individual national title in program history.  In addition to that, Huntley was a three-time MSC All-Conference recipient and was named the MSC Runner of the Week three times during his senior campaign. His performance was vital in the Patriots capturing their third MSC conference crown in program history and there first since 2007.  

Huntley transferred to UC from Shorter College where he was a five-time All-American and a two-time MSC All-Conference selection. Huntley recorded one of the most successful seasons in program history finishing the year with 11 race wins.  He opened the 2013 season by running 6.52 in the 55 meters dash and 23.57 in the 200 meters at Cedarville.  Huntley ran his first 60-meter dash a week later at the Hoosier Hills Invite, crossing the line in 6.91, qualifying himself for indoor nationals.  The senior tied that time two weeks later as he placed fourth at the Virginia Tech Invite while posting a season-best time of 22.60 in the 200 meters to finish 10th. At the NAIA Indoor National Championships, Huntley ran 6.78 to place sixth in the prelims and went 6.88 in the finals to finish sixth and earn All-American honors. It was the fourth time in his career that Huntley was an All-American in the 60 meters.

The outdoor track season saw Huntley compete in seven meets, taking part in five different events and tallying ten wins. He opened his outdoor season at the Charlotte Classic where he ran 10.63 and 21.90, respectfully in the 100 and 200 meters dash.  Three weeks later at the Centre Invite, Huntley posted three first-place finishes.  He opened the meet leaping a season-best 6.71m to win the long jump, before being part of UC’s 4x100 meter relay (41.17) and 4x400 meter relay (3:24.71) that both notched wins.  The senior posted his 100-meter dash win a week later as he sprinted 10.56 to take the top spot at the UC Invite.  Huntley also won the 200 meters with a time of 21.88, before taking first in the long jump at the Centre Twilight with a mark of 6.45m.  At the MSC Championship, Huntley scored in four events, including finishing with three conference titles to help the Patriots capture their first conference title of the decade.  Huntley crossed the line in 10.77 and 22.02 to win the 100 and 200, respectfully, while being part of UC’s 4x400 conference champion relay team.  He was also part of the 4x100 relay team that finished runner-up. In his final tune-up before nationals, Huntley ran 10.36 to place second in the 100 meters and a season-best 21.27 in the 200 meters at the Georgia Tech Invite.  Huntley capped off his track career by crossing the line in 10.30 to win the 100 meters at the NAIA National Championship.  Huntley became Cumberlands' first individual outdoor track champion since 2001 when Anthony Kabara won the 800 meters. He added a fourth-place finish in the 200 meters to earn his third NAIA All-American accolade as a Patriot.

In addition to his success on the track, Huntley saw tremendous success on the football field as well. During the 2013 football season, Huntley recorded 56 tackles, 36 unassisted, 3 interceptions, and 11 pass deflections while helping the Patriots advance to the NAIA National Championship game.  In his second game dawning the red & navy, Huntley returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown in Cumberlands 41-10 win over Cumberland. That performance earned Huntley NAIA Special Team Player of the Week honors.  The senior added an interception and two pass deflection in UC’s first playoff game win over St. Ambrose and made four tackles in the championship game against Grand View.

Huntley graduated from UC in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Fitness and Sport Management.  Upon graduation, Huntley signed a rookie free-agent contract with the New Orleans Saints. After that, Huntley joined the Atlas Professional Track and Field Clun in the fall of 2014.  As a professional runner, Huntley posted a career-best time of 10.16 in the 100 meters, was a USA Track & Field national qualifier in both indoor and outdoor track in 2015 and 2016, and in 2016 Huntley was ranked 40th in the world in the 60 meters dash with a mark of 6.61.  Huntley has transitioned into coaching and is currently serving as an assistant coach for sprints and jumps at Shorter College. 

The UC All-Decade Team was determined based on stats, awards & honors received, and significance to the program in addition to input for members of the UC Athletic Department. It will include one representative from every sport and be comprised of 29 student-athletes. The all-decade team looked at everything from the 2010-2011 season through the 2019-2020 season.