LONGMONT — Tom Hunter hopes to join his wife as one of the prominent figures in Longmont High School’s volleyball history.
Hunter, whose wife Andria Hunter was all-state player of the year when the Trojans won the state title in 1993, accepted the vacant head coaching position at Longmont High School two weeks ago.
“When the job came open, it definitely made me more interested because of the connection my wife has and my in-laws still live there,” Hunter said. “When I heard that Holli was going to step down, I was immediately very interested in the job.”
Hunter, 40, replaces head coach Holli Stetson, who resigned for personal reasons with a 203-69 overall record in 10 years at the helm. He also inherits a team that has won the last three Northern League titles and has played in the 4A state tournament each of the past four seasons.
In light of the Trojans’ long run of success, Hunter said he doesn’t intend to make too many alterations to the powerhouse program. He will retain the current assistant coaching staff, for example, and inject the knowledge he has compiled as an assistant coach at the University of Northern Colorado.
“I have a lot of respect for Holli,” Hunter said. “She’s done a fantastic job with that program. They’re always at the top of the conference and at the state tournament. I’m not looking to change a ton of things but to just put my fingerprint on it.”
Hunter has spent the past seven and a half years as an assistant coach for the UNC Bears, where he coached former Trojans star and Times-Call Player of the Year Tambre Haddock. Before that, he was an assistant at Poudre High School for one year and coached boys and girls volleyball for five years between Valhalla High School and Helix High School in Southern California.
Hunter said he is happy to return to a head coaching position and Longmont High School athletic director Andrea McBreen said the Trojans are happy it’s with the Trojans.
“He is fantastic,” McBreen said. “We are very, very excited about him.”
Hunter was offered the job on May 20 and accepted on May 22. He will also be a substitute teacher until a teaching job opens.
McBreen also filled Longmont High School’s vacant head wrestling coach spot in late May. A Longmont High School graduate, former multi-sport star Matt Engelking will take over the Trojans program for the upcoming winter season.
An all-conference running back in the Big Sky while playing for Montana State in 1996, Engelking will also teach physical education at Longmont High. He has been teaching and assistant coaching at Loveland High School.
“He just cannot wait to be a Trojan again,” McBreen said. “They are moving back to Longmont and we are excited to have him back in the building.”
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