Hutterer in it for long run
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Following a so-so high school distance running career at Knoch, Ben Hutterer didn't attract much attention from colleges.
However, Monmouth University is glad it took him.
Now a senior with the Hawks cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field programs, Hutterer is a three-time All-Northeast Conference performer who earned All-East honors in cross country last season.
“I ran the mile and two-mile in high school and we had a pretty good 4x800 relay team when I was there,” Hutterer recalled.
“Monmouth was the only Division I school to show any interest in me. I liked the campus, wanted the challenge of competing at that level and decided to give it a try.”
Hutterer is majoring in accounting and will graduate this spring. He finished fifth in the NEC meet to earn all-conference honors.
In November, he was 19th in the ECAC-IC4A meet, where the top 25 finishers receive All-East honors.
“I've exceeded all athletic expectations I had coming out of high school,” Hutterer said. “I got to run in the Penn Relays. I never dreamed that would ever happen.”
Monmouth cross country and track and field coach Joe Compagni has been named NEC Coach of the Year 19 times in 14 years. His teams have won 21 NEC titles in cross country and track.
Hutterer was the team captain and the MVP of the men's cross country squad last season.
“We knew Ben had a lot of room to grow coming out of high school,” Compagni said. “With the additional indoor season, you never know how a kid is going to respond to the extra workload.”
“I was lucky because they had an indoor training program at Knoch my junior and senior years there,” Hutterer said. “That helped me to begin making the adjustment to college. Racing in the winter was a little bit different.”
Compagni said Monmouth's runners prepare all summer for the fall cross country season, take a couple of weeks off, then compete in indoor track until March.
The outdoor season then runs until May.
“It's really a challenge for our distance runners,” he said. “They don't get much of a break. They really have to stay committed.”
Hutterer is hopeful of placing in the NEC 3,000 and 5,000 meters during the indoor season, then do the same in the 5,000 and 10,000 this spring.
Hutterer lost a photo finish in the 5,000 meters at the NEC Indoor Championships last year, finishing four-tenths of a second behind the champion. He broke the school record in the outdoor 10,000 meters at the Bison Outdoor Classic last year, running the event in 30 minutes, 42.15 seconds.
“It's always rewarding to see someone get here and see how he applies his training to realize full potential,” Compagni said. “Ben has done that.”
