Bowling Green State University Athletics
Kelly Hunt To Be Inducted Into Athletics Hall Of Fame
September 21, 2015 | Baseball, Hall of Fame
Bowling Green, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University Athletics Department will induct the 49th class into the Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 9 at 6:30 pm in the Stroh Center. Tickets for the ceremony can be purchased through the BGSU Ticket Office and full details are available by CLICKING HERE. The class of five inductees was announced earlier this fall and that story can be read by CLICKING HERE.
Among the five inductees is Kelly Hunt, who played baseball at BGSU from 2000-03, moved on to pursue a professional baseball career, and persevered to earn his degree in 2014.
"Kelly was a real impact player for us during his time at BGSU," Baseball coach Danny Schmitz, who was also Hunt's coach, said. "Pure hitters do not come along very often. When you get one, you climb on his back and let him carry the team. This is exactly what we did with Kelly. He had a fantastic career here and there is no doubt that he deserves this honor of being elected into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame. We are extremely proud of Kelly, that when his playing career ended, he came back to get his degree. Our BGSU baseball family could not be happier for him. We wish Kelly and his family all the best."
Hunt, a Toledo native, is one of the all-time great baseball players in BGSU history. The 2002 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year ranks first in school history in career batting average, total bases, RBI and home runs (tied for first). The first baseman also ranks among the top 10 in school history in career put outs (third), hits (fourth), doubles (fifth) and runs scored (sixth).
Among single-season leaders all-time, Hunt is first in batting average, home runs, total bases and RBI. He also ranks among the top 10 in a season in runs scored (third), hits (tied for third) and at bats (tied for fourth). His .439 batting average as a senior ranked fifth in the nation. Hunt once hit a grand slam and a three-run homer in the same inning (the fifth) for the Falcons, leading to a 17-8 win over IPFW on April 15, 2003.
In 2002, when Hunt was named MAC Player of the Year, he hit .402 with 22 home runs, 84 RBI and 69 runs scored, while starting all 54 games for the Falcons. He had a .785 slugging percentage and struck out just 14 times in 214 at-bats. The following year, he hit a remarkable .439 with nine home runs and 61 RBI. He slugged .713 with a .500 on-base percentage and struck out just 17 times in 171 at-bats, while starting all 45 games.
While his raw numbers are eye-popping, Hunt also earned many accolades during his career, including being named a Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball Third Team All-American in both 2002 and 2003. He was First Team All-MAC both of those seasons and an ABCA First Team District IV honoree. CollegeBaseballInsider.com named him a third team All-American in 2003 as well.
Hunt was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 29th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft, reaching as high as AA Erie in 2006. He played in independent leagues through 2010 and hit 137 home runs in eight seasons of professional baseball.
"It's a huge honor to be a Hall of Famer at BGSU," Hunt said. "I have nothing but great memories of all the great guys I had the privilege of playing with. I am thankful to be a Falcon!"
Hunt is a 2014 BGSU graduate of the department of arts and sciences.
Among the five inductees is Kelly Hunt, who played baseball at BGSU from 2000-03, moved on to pursue a professional baseball career, and persevered to earn his degree in 2014.
"Kelly was a real impact player for us during his time at BGSU," Baseball coach Danny Schmitz, who was also Hunt's coach, said. "Pure hitters do not come along very often. When you get one, you climb on his back and let him carry the team. This is exactly what we did with Kelly. He had a fantastic career here and there is no doubt that he deserves this honor of being elected into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame. We are extremely proud of Kelly, that when his playing career ended, he came back to get his degree. Our BGSU baseball family could not be happier for him. We wish Kelly and his family all the best."
Hunt, a Toledo native, is one of the all-time great baseball players in BGSU history. The 2002 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year ranks first in school history in career batting average, total bases, RBI and home runs (tied for first). The first baseman also ranks among the top 10 in school history in career put outs (third), hits (fourth), doubles (fifth) and runs scored (sixth).
Among single-season leaders all-time, Hunt is first in batting average, home runs, total bases and RBI. He also ranks among the top 10 in a season in runs scored (third), hits (tied for third) and at bats (tied for fourth). His .439 batting average as a senior ranked fifth in the nation. Hunt once hit a grand slam and a three-run homer in the same inning (the fifth) for the Falcons, leading to a 17-8 win over IPFW on April 15, 2003.
In 2002, when Hunt was named MAC Player of the Year, he hit .402 with 22 home runs, 84 RBI and 69 runs scored, while starting all 54 games for the Falcons. He had a .785 slugging percentage and struck out just 14 times in 214 at-bats. The following year, he hit a remarkable .439 with nine home runs and 61 RBI. He slugged .713 with a .500 on-base percentage and struck out just 17 times in 171 at-bats, while starting all 45 games.
While his raw numbers are eye-popping, Hunt also earned many accolades during his career, including being named a Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball Third Team All-American in both 2002 and 2003. He was First Team All-MAC both of those seasons and an ABCA First Team District IV honoree. CollegeBaseballInsider.com named him a third team All-American in 2003 as well.
Hunt was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 29th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft, reaching as high as AA Erie in 2006. He played in independent leagues through 2010 and hit 137 home runs in eight seasons of professional baseball.
"It's a huge honor to be a Hall of Famer at BGSU," Hunt said. "I have nothing but great memories of all the great guys I had the privilege of playing with. I am thankful to be a Falcon!"
Hunt is a 2014 BGSU graduate of the department of arts and sciences.
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