Lucien “Luke” J. Hotte Jr., assistant coach and cornerstone of Middlebury College’s track and field program for nearly four decades, passed away on Feb. 10, 2024, at the age of 77.
“He was such a valued and treasured member of our coaching staff,” reflected Middlebury track and field’s Head Coach Martin Beatty ’84. “[He was] the best throws coach in this part of the country."
Hotte’s legacy extends far beyond his achievements as a coach, having transformed countless of his athletes’ lives through his dedication to both athletics and personal development.
Born in Middlebury and raised on his family’s century-old dairy farm in Bridport, Vt., Hotte was deeply woven into the fabric of the local community. A regular at Rosie’s Restaurant and a member of the American Legion, he was a consistent figure in Middlebury life for decades.
Hotte's connection to throwing excellence began early. As a student at Middlebury Union High School, he set the Vermont state record in the shot put, a mark that would stand for many years. He went on to a collegiate career at Northeast Missouri University (now Truman State) where he became the 1969 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) shot put champion, followed by a runner-up finish in 1970.
Hotte's coaching journey at Middlebury College began modestly in 1985 when then-Head Coach Gail Smith learned of him as a talented local thrower who had competed at Northeast Missouri. While working a day job full-time as a field representative for Agri-Mark dairy cooperative, where he inspected milk quality at farms across Vermont and northern New York, Hotte found his true calling in coaching.
“He was always up near the Canadian border, and he was always racing back to get to our 4:30 practice,” Beatty said.
For years, Hotte's only compensation was free passes to the Snowbowl and Ralph Myhre Golf Course before being hired officially in 1994 — a testament to the purity in his love for coaching.
His technical expertise was unmatched.
"I consider him the best throws coach in this part of the country," Beatty said. "Other throws coaches would come and ask him for advice. He could tell you how the Russians are training their athletes, how the Germans are training, how the Canadians are training in each throwing event."
Hotte helped produce six individual NCAA Champions and 27 NESCAC champions across men's and women's throwing events in his time at Middlebury.
While Hotte's coaching statistics speak volumes — with numerous All-Americans and records under his guidance — his greatest impact was in the human connections he forged. Hotte's coaching philosophy emphasized hard work, patience and personal growth. Throwing events are notoriously demanding, requiring discipline and repetition to achieve perfect form.
The intensity of training was often punctuated by moments of levity through Hotte's storytelling. Athletes recall how impromptu breaks became cherished moments where Hotte would share tales from his rich life, transforming grueling practice sessions into opportunities for connection and camaraderie.
"Practices were always something I looked forward to every day,” Maxwell said. "He was probably one of the best coaches I've ever had in my life… I owe a lot in terms of the thrower that I became because of him, and also the man I am today is a huge part because of him."
Twice each year, Hotte hosted barbecues for the team at his Bridport home. Though he never had children of his own, he found joy in filling his house with the laughter and voices of his athletes. According to Beatty, Hotte would present his throwers with “bricks” of Cabot cheese each Christmas attained through his connection to Vermont’s dairy industry.
"He was just a wonderful, good person who loved Middlebury College and loved our track and field program and loved his throwers,” Beatty said.
Even as he dealt with significant health issues in recent years, and was confined to a wheelchair in 2023, Hotte’s dedication was unwavering as he continued coaching through the fall of 2023 and into early 2024. “Until it was literally impossible for him to come, Luke was always there for us. I think that’s a testament to how much he cared about the sport and his athletes,” Dan Urchuk ’25 wrote.
While Hotte's passing leaves an immense void, his legacy continues through Jake Rigoli, a two-time All-American in the weight throw himself, who was hired last year as the new throwing coach and worked under Hotte. "We're really lucky to have gone from a coach like Luke to Jake," Urchuk wrote. "Losing such a great coach would have been a major disruption in almost any other scenario, but we haven't lost a step under Jake's leadership."
Under Rigoli's guidance, Middlebury's throwing program remains among the strongest in the NESCAC, a tribute to the foundation Hotte built and Rigoli's ability to carry it forward.
Hotte’s legacy lives on not just in the record books or championship banners, but in the countless lives he touched with his quiet confidence, endless support and ability to help others discover their full potential.
"Luke was an institution. He was Middlebury Throws," Urchuk wrote. "We are all so grateful for the work he put into making our event group what it is today. We owe everything to Luke and hope to embody his hard work and dedication the rest of the season."
Ting Cui (she/her) is a Sports Editor.
Ting has previously contributed as a sports writer and spent the past year in Washington, D.C., where she interned at the National Press Club as a policy analyst and politics writer. She also interned as an Editor at Fair Observer this past summer, focusing on stories related to international politics and security.
Ting is majoring in Political Science and minoring in History. She is also competitive figure skater for Team USA and enjoys hiking, thrifting, and consuming copious amounts of coffee.
