Woody Hunt spent 41 seasons as head coach of Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, where he amassed a 1,630-774-5 (.677) overall record, including 1,569-748-5 (.676) as a four-year institution.
Under Hunt, the Phoenix made 12 appearances in the NAIA World Series, capturing three NAIA national championships (2004, 2010, 2014) as well as two runner-up finishes (1995, 2006).
During Hunt's tenure, Cumberland won 20 regular season conference championships, including 10 in the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference (TCAC), six in the Mid-South Conference (MSC) and four in the TranSouth Conference (TSAC).
His program posted 24 seasons with 40 or more victories, while registering 50 or more wins eight times. His 2004 squad set the school-record for victories with 59, followed closely behind by the 2010 club with a 58-9 mark.
The Phoenix produced 69 NAIA All-Americans, including 2010 National Player of the Year Matt Greener and Steve Green, the only three-time All-American in program history. Ninety-nine of Hunt's former players have signed professional contracts.
Hunt also achieved individual success in the awards category, claiming 17 Coach of the Year honors, including the 2006 and 2010 ABCA/Rawlings National Coach of the Year awards. He is a seven-time Southeast Region Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the National Coach of the Year Award four times.
He has been elected to five additional halls of fame, including Cumberland’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Boyle County (Ky.) Baseball Sports Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, and the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.
Most recently, Hunt was awarded the Pat Summitt Lifetime Achievement Award by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, which is presented to coaches who have led their teams in excellence, cultivating talent in athletes, and are a shining example of mentorship and leadership within the sports industry.
He also received the Fred Russell Distinguished American Award in February 2020, which is the highest honor presented by the National Football Foundation and recognizes a local supporter of American values and the mid-state community. The award has been presented since 1969 and the list of recipients includes major politicians, country music celebrities, military officers, and leading citizens.
The Mid-South Conference presented Coach Hunt with the Coaching for Significance award in 2018 which is presented to a coach who is an outstanding teacher, an exemplary role model, and a dynamic leader.
