Cole Hunter - Men's Soccer Coach

Cole Hunter

Title:
Goalkeeper Coach
Email:
ch26@uab.edu

Cole Hunter joined the Blazers as the goalkeeper coach in the fall of 2024. Hunter entered his coaching career after finishing a successful collegiate and semi-professional goalkeeping career. The Mount Juliet, Tennessee, native graduated from East Tennessee State University in December of 2023, where he played under Lilly and Findlay, completing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology as well as a graduate certificate in Sport Nutrition.

In his first coaching season with UAB, a Blazer was awarded the conference Goalkeeper of the Week in the first week of the fall 2024 season. The Blazers also conceded the least amount of goals this season since 2018.

In his second season, two more goalkeepers earned Goalkeeper of the Week honors for the American Conference.

Prior to coaching, Hunter started his collegiate goalkeeping career in the fall of 2018 at Lander University. He spent two and a half years with the Bearcats, where he only appeared in two matches. In January of 2021, Hunter completed a transfer to East Tennessee State University. In the fall of 2021, Hunter made one appearance for the Buccaneers and asserted his starting position in the spring of 2022. After the spring, Hunter joined Nona FC, a semi-professional team competing in USL 2. In his first season, he started 10 games while helping to lead the Longhorns to a Southeast Division Championship in their first year as a USL 2 program.

In the fall of 2022, Hunter started in 14 matches while keeping 7 clean sheets for ETSU. He earned an accolade as the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the first week of the season and finished the season as the SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year with a spot on the SoCon 1st Team All-Conference. Hunter proceeded to play for Nona FC the following summer, earning 11 starts as well as leading the Longhorns to the USL 2 playoffs for their second year in a row.

In Hunter’s final season as a Buccaneer in the fall of 2023, he recorded 13 starts with an 8-3-2 record. Hunter kept 6 clean sheets while only conceding 8 goals. He finished the season being ranked 5th nationally in goals allowed average (0.605) and 2nd nationally in save percentage (0.871). These stats helped lead the Buccaneers to their first SoCon Regular Season Championship in over six years. Throughout the season, Hunter earned SoCon Defensive Player of the Week and SoCon Defensive Player of the Month accolades. Hunter earned SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year and earned a spot on the SoCon First Team All-Conference for the second year in a row. He also earned a spot on the SoCon All-Tournament Team.

Hunter finished his career as a Buccaneer as the career leader in save percentage (0.804) and goals-against average (0.76). He is ranked 3rd all-time in shutouts (13), 4th in wins (14), and 5th in saves (82). Hunter ranks first in single-season statistics for the Buccaneers in lowest goals allowed average and save percentage.