Holly Hunter Biography

East Fairmont High / (Class of 2000) Fairmont, WV

Classification: AAA Girls

Specialty: Distance

Virginia Tech / (Class of 2005) Blacksburg, VA

Holly Marie Hunter (born on December 24, 1981) attended East Fairmont High School from 1997-2000, which is a public high school serving the eastern half of the town of Fairmont in Marion County, West Virginia.

At East Fairmont, Hunter was a 13-time state champion and two-time runner-up in track and cross country. She was a 3-time individual state cross country champion. She won the most points at the West Virginia High School State Track & Field Championships two straight years, winning the 800-meters, 1600-meters and 3200-meter races each time.

She held state records in the 800m (2:17), 1,600m (5:02) and 3,200m (11:04). She was a Wendy’s High School Heisman State finalist, All-South Foot Locker cross country runner, and a senior athlete of the year at East Fairmont High. She was also an all-state swimmer in several events.

Hunter earned West Virginia Track and Field Athlete of the Year honors in 1999 and was selected twice as the Gatorade West Virginia Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

Hunter received a scholarship to run for Steve and Lori Taylor at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.

She is the daughter of the late Sallie and Bruce Hunter who had four children: Sara, Kari, William, and Holly.

[Early Years]

Holly Hunter was born in Tennessee. While growing up she moved to three other states including Delaware, Pennsylvania, and finally West Virginia by March of Hunter’s 5th-grade year.

As a youngster Holly was super shy, so her mom would sign her up for different sports in hopes that Holly would show interest in it.

She started swimming when she was around 9 or 10-years-old while living in Pittsburgh, PA. Before that, she played indoor soccer for a short season and had briefly done gymnastics, but neither really peaked her interest.

Once she started swimming she loved it and began swimming competitively year-round. She continued to swim competitively after moving to West Virginia. She first competed for FAST swimming team, but then swam for the Morgantown Aquatic Club (MAC). The drive to Morgantown every day had started to become a little too much with school, so she decided to take a break from it.

High School (1997-2000):

Hunter went to East Fairmont High School from the fall of 1996 to the spring of 2000 where she excelled at track and cross country. She started running her freshman year in high school because her brother Will convinced her to join the cross-country team as a good way to make friends.

While in high school, Hunter was coached by Alice Muto her freshman year of cross country and by her mother, Sallie Hunter for four years of track and three years of cross-country.

Hunter saw success very early in her running career. It only took a few meets her freshman year to see that she had the talent to compete in the top ten and she did just that. The first meet she won was a weekly meet at North Marion. The winning didn’t stop there, and for an individual who never ran before her freshman year of high school, she did the unthinkable and won a state meet with just a few months of training. It’s even more phenomenal to think she did this by running just 30-35 miles a week throughout her high school career.

Hunter said cross country was always her favorite sport and that she preferred it over track. She was a state cross country champion in three of her four high school seasons - 1996, 1997, 1999.

She was a four-year letter winner and a four-time NCAC Runner of the Year. Her top performance at the 5K distance was 18:21 and she was the owner of several course records.

[Freshman Year]

At the 1996 Class AAA Girls West Virginia State Cross Country Meet in Elkins, East Fairmont’s Holly Hunter won the individual crown with a time of 20:49, breaking the tape 21 seconds ahead of her next-closest competitor. George Washington’s Katherine Gorell was second in 21:10. Elkins’ Johanna Fisher was third in 21:51. Fairmont Senior won the girls’ title with 41 points.

At the 1997 Class AAA Girls West Virginia State Track Meet, East Fairmont’s Holly Hunter was a double winner, while setting the 1600m mark. She broke the Class AAA state meet record for 1600-meters with a time of 5:09.38, won the 3200m (11:18.31) and was runner-up in the 800m (2:22.56), while leading the Bee’s to an eighth-place finish as a team with 28 points. Huntington’s Genita Dickey won high-point with 31 points, narrowly edging the 28 by East Fairmont’s distance star Holly Hunter.

[Sophomore]

At the 1997 Class AAA Girls West Virginia State Cross Country Meet in Elkins, it rained throughout the AAA races in the morning adding to an already treacherously muddy and slippery course. East Fairmont’s Holly Hunter raced out to an early lead in the first half mile and was never threatened after that. Hunter won the individual crown with a time of 20:56, breaking the tape 34 seconds ahead of her next-closest competitor. Fairmont Senior’s Sarah Corley was second in 21:30. George Washington’s Katharine Gorrell was third in 21:47. The team title was a fight all the way, with four teams having legitimate aspirations to the title. Two points were all that separated the winners from their closest challengers. Fairmont Senior continued their unbeaten streak with 60 points, narrowly edging Cabell Midland (62), Parkersburg (65), and George Washington (73) for the crown.

In the post-season, Hunter took 47th place at the Foot Locker South Regional championships in Charlotte (NC), crossing the line in 18:58.90.

At the 1998 Class AAA Girls West Virginia State Track Meet, East Fairmont’s Holly Hunter put on one of the greatest performances in meet history, setting marks in all three distance races. Her record-setting performances were: 800m (2:17.35); 1600m (5:05.12); 3200m (11:43.68). Hunter earned high point with 30 points, leading the Bee’s to a sixth-place finish as a team with 31. She was selected as the 1997-1998 Gatorade West Virginia Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

[Junior Year]

At the 1998 Class AAA Girls West Virginia State Cross Country Meet at Williamstown, one of the pre-race favorites, Susan Davis of Hampshire, would not be competing due to an injury sustained at the regional meet. By the half-mile mark, the only two RunWV.com felt had a chance to win the race (with Susan Davis out) had taken over the top two spots. Jennifer Davis was leading, and Hunter was in second. At the mile marker, Hunter had opened a four second lead on Davis by blasting through the first mile in 5:30 to Davis' 5:34. The two-mile mark saw Davis close the gap on Hunter to two seconds. Hunter came through in 11:39 and Davis in 11:41. The last mile of the race belonged to Jennifer Davis of Hampshire as she passed East Fairmont's Holly Hunter and easily outdistanced her to the finish line. Davis finished in 18:39 to Hunters' 18:58. In the team event, Fairmont Senior's depth proved too much for challenger Elkins with Fairmont winning by a score of 56 to 66. Cabell Midland claimed the third position with 80 points.

In the post-season, Hunter took 27th place at the Foot Locker South Regional championships in Charlotte (NC), crossing the line in 19:01.

Hunter set a state record in the WVSSAC Region I Track & Field Championships in the 1600-meter run on May 21, 1999, in 5 minutes, 2.72 seconds at Parkersburg.

At the 1999 Class AAA Girls West Virginia State Track Meet, Holly Hunter again swept the distance races for East Fairmont, setting her own 3200m mark for Class AAA girls. She won the 800-meter run (2:18.19), 1600-meter run (5:06.46), and the 3200-meter run (11:06.04 - State Meet Record). Oak Hill’s Erin Compton tied Hunter for high-point honors with 30 points. Hunter led the Bee’s to a ninth-place finish as a team with 30 points. Hunter won the Ray McCoy Award by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association as the state's top female track and field athlete.

[Senior Year]

At the 1999 Class AAA Girls West Virginia State Cross Country Meet at Williamstown, East Fairmont won their first-ever girls AAA championship title, edging out Marion County rival and last year’s champion Fairmont Senior by one point, 46 to 47. University High took third with 104 points. Holly Hunter of East Fairmont had to out-sprint Hampshire’s Susan Davis to grab the first-place spot in the girls’ division with a time of 18:36.8. Last year’s champion, Jennifer Davis, also of Hampshire and twin of Susan, came in third.

In the post-season, Hunter took 15th place at the Foot Locker South Regional championships in Charlotte (NC), crossing the line in 18:33.40.

At the 2000 Class AAA Girls West Virginia State Track Meet, East Fairmont’s Holly Hunter won two individual state championships and led the Bee’s to a fifth-place finish as a team with 38 points. Hunter set a state record in winning the 1600-meter run in 5:04. She also won the 3200m (11:10) and placed third in the 800m (2:19.94). Hunter held the season-best 1600m time of 5:04 and 3200m time of 11:10. She was selected as the 1999-2000 Gatorade West Virginia Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

East Fairmont graduate Holly Hunter competed in the mile at the Footlocker National Meet held June 16th and 17th. Hunter finished 25th in the mile with a time of 5:08.65. The winning time was 4:46.57 by Alicia Craig of Gillette, Wyoming.

During Holly Hunter’s high school running career (1997-2000), she scored a total of 116.5 points at the West Virginia State Track Meet at Laidley Field in Charleston, West Virginia.

High School Running Resume:

State Final PR's:

XC – 18:36.80

800 Meter Run – 2:17.35 (Record)

1600 Meter Run – 5:04.00 (Record)

3200 Meter Run – 11:06.04 (Record)

State Titles:

1996-1997 – XC, 1600M, 3200M

1997-1998 – XC, 800M, 1600M, 3200M, High Point

1998-1999 – 800M, 1600M, 3200M, High Point

1999-2000 – XC, 1600M, 3200M

Other State Places:

1997 – 800M (2nd)

1998 – XC (2nd)

2000 – 800M (3rd)

State Meet All-Time Lists:

1st and 2nd AAA Girls 1990's 800 Meters

12th All-Class All-Time 1600 Meters

1st, 2nd and 3rd AAA Girls 1990's 1600 Meters

5th AAA Girls 2000's 1600 Meters

1st, 2nd, and 3rd AAA Girls 1990's 3200 Meters

[College]

After high school, Hunter attended Virginia Tech from the fall of 2000 to spring 2005 where she ran cross country and track. While at Virginia Tech she studied Elementary Education.

During her freshman year, she was coached for one season by Lori Taylor the wife of Steve Taylor. “[I chose to go to Virginia Tech] because I fell in love with the campus and looked at coaches Steve and Lori Taylor as being parents away from home,” said Hunter.

Lori Taylor only ended up coaching Holly for her freshman year at VT. There was a big coaching change during her sophomore year that caused many of the scholarship people, and Hunter herself to get kicked off the team. Hunter ran her freshman and sophomore years and then walked on her fifth year.

After an injury-plagued start, Hunter made an immediate impact as a rookie. She placed in Tech’s top seven in each of her races and as a top-five performer three times. Her highest finish was twelfth at the Hall of Fame Invitational. She earned another top fifteen performance with a season-best 18:32.96 at the Disney Classic. She held the best outdoor performance on the team in the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:40.97 at the Sea Ray Relays. She also captured fourth in the 800-meter run at the CNU Invitational.

[Personal]

In 2005, Holly Hunter married Doctor Larry Gooss a former Virginia Tech runner. They have three daughters, where they live in Midlothian, Virginia. Hunter is a Teacher at the Chesterfield County Public Schools in Virginia.

In 2007, Holly, husband Larry, brother Will and seven other former East Fairmont High cross-country runners turned out to run the Run to Read 5K in memory of their former coach, Sallie Hunter, who died of breast cancer on May 31, 2007.

Holly Hunter’s High School Career Recap:

West Virginia High School State Cross-Country Championships:

1996: 5000 meters / 1st place / 20:49.00 / 11-02-1996 (Elkins, WV)

1997: 5000 meters / 1st place / 20:56.00 / 11-01-1997 (Elkins, WV)

1998: 5000 meters / 2nd place / 18:58.00 / 10-31-1998 (Williamstown, WV)

1999: 5000 meters / 1st place / 18:36.80 / 10-30-1999 (Williamstown, WV)

Foot Locker South Regional Cross-Country Championships:

1996: No results found

1997: 5000 meters / 47th place / 18:58.90 / 11-29-1997 (McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte, NC)

1998: 5000 meters / 27th place / 19:01 / 11-28-1998 (McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte, NC)

1999: 5000 meters / 15th place / 18:33.40 / 11-27-1999 (McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte, NC)

West Virginia High School State Track Championships:

1997: 800 meters / 2nd place / 2:22.56; 1,600 meters / 1st place / 5:09.38 (Record); 3,200 meters / 1st place / 11:18.31 (Record)

1998: 800 meters / 1st place / 2:17.35 (Record); 1,600 meters / 1st place / 5:05.12 (Record); 3,200 meters / 1st place / 11:09.09 (Record)

1999: 800 meters / 1st place / 2:18.18; 1,600 meters / 1st place / 5:06.46; 3,200 meters / 1st place / 11:06.04 (Record)

2000: 800 meters / 3rd place / 2:19.94; 1,600 meters / 1st place / 5:04.00 (Record); 3,200 meters / 1st place / 11:10.00

Other Notables:

2000: One Mile Run / 1st place / 5:05.72 / 07-01-2000 (New Balance Maine Distance Festival)

Holly Hunter biography compiled by Coach Mike McMillion (updated 04/03/18)