LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Groups of indoor cyclists, working out in studios across the city, are unaware they are in the midst of a legend. Their instructor is among the Best of the Best, taking the lessons she learned at The College of Idaho to the next level.
When looking back at the greatest student-athletes who have competed in the over 125-year history of The College of Idaho, most historians point at Josh Lowell as the greatest athlete prior to World War II, with the duo of Elgin Baylor and R.C. Owens making a name for themselves in professional sports.
However, the Mount Rushmore of Coyote Athletics will definitely have at least one female student-athlete – quite possibly the most dominant women's athlete in school history – the now SoulCycle instructor in the second-biggest market in America,
Hillary Holt.
The cross country and track standout was the epitome of a C of I student-athlete and the standard that all recruits would hope to embody – competing at the highest level possible, while immersing themselves into the campus life and excelling in the classroom.
"Hillary definitely set the bar for all athletes at the College during her time on campus," said
Austin Basterrechea, current C of I head cross country/track and field coach and a teammate of Holt throughout her career. "Her competitive nature was contagious."
Contagious was winning races and earning titles – becoming the most decorated student-athlete in school history.
- 19-Time Cascade Conference Athlete of the Week
- 17-Time NAIA All-American
- 12-Time All-Cascade Conference selection
- 11-Time NAIA National Champion
- 9-Time Cascade Conference Champion
- 6-Time NAIA National Runner of the Week
"We knew coming out of high school Hillary was a lot better than her high school marks and results showed," said former C of I track coach Pat McCurry, now the head coach at the University of San Francisco. "Her coach, Tracy Harris, told me that Hillary had dealt with injuries and hadn't matured as an athlete who knew how to set goals and achieve them. He kept telling me she could win national titles and was that talented. He definitely was right."
As a freshman, Holt learned the ropes – earning All-CCC honors in cross country, winning her first of four-straight CCC 1,500-meter track titles and earning the first of four All-America honors in the 800-meters, placing fifth in the national championships in Marion, Ind.
Holt made strides as a sophomore, placing second at the CCC Cross Country Championships (helping the Coyotes win the team title) and earning All-America honors at the national meet – but an injury kept her out of the majority of the 2012 indoor season. Her perseverance paid off outdoors – winning both the CCC and NAIA titles in the 1,500-meters – an event that she would dominate in years to come.
The 2012-13 season put the Idahoan on the national map – winning the CCC cross country title, following it up with an individual NAIA crown, as the Yotes placed second overall as a team – in what was one of her most memorable races of her career.
"Our team had probably the best race top to bottom we could have had, but that isn't the part that makes it special," Holt said. "The championships were held in Vancouver, Wash., close enough to home for us to get a huge showing of support. It was just special to race in front of such a big group of our families, alumni, teammates, and fellow students. You could hear them everywhere; you could feel them everywhere out on the course."
That indoor season, Holt posted the fastest marks in the NAIA in both the mile and 3,000-meter run and looked to compete a rare triple at the championships in Geneva, Ohio – adding the anchor leg in the distance medley relay to her plate.
In typical fashion – Holt won going away – helping C of I to a fifth-place finish as a team.
My biggest memories at C of I include the 2013 NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships, specifically the DMR," Holt recalled. "Our team had gone through so much with injuries and illness and we had to make numerous substitutions to our team, yet still came back from behind to win by a huge margin. It is one of my favorite memories because it really embodied the 'never quit' spirit our team had."
Outdoors, Holt led the Coyotes to their first of six-straight CCC track titles, winning both the 800 and 1,500-meters and running a leg on the winning 4x400-meter relay team.
However, it was a race a week prior that was key to her future success.
McCurry entered Holt in the Oregon Twilight – an invitational race at Hayward Field in Eugene, competing against top professionals from the United States and abroad. The NAIA runner bolted to the lead on the bell lap and clocked the fastest 1,500-meter time by a runner from the state of Idaho (4:11.62) and still the fastest time in NAIA history. (
Video of Holt's Record-Setting Race)
The success catapulted Holt to a national stage. Yes, she won the NAIA 1,500-meter national title, her sixth championship. But, the time from the Oregon meet qualified her for the 2013 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Racing on national television against professionals and Olympians, in her C of I uniform, Holt reached the finals, where she placed 12th. (
Video of Holt's Race at the USA Championships)
It was one of three star-studded races she would compete in her career – qualifying again for the 2014 USATF Championships – where she earned a spot on Team USA for the NACAC Under-23 Championships in Kamloops, B.C. Holt won the silver medal with an outstanding effort in the final.
It was the cap on an amazing senior season – as Holt was near unbeatable in cross country – winning meets at Idaho State, at Lewis-Clark State and placing fifth overall at the prestigious RimRock Farms Classic in Kansas against Top-20 NCAA Division I programs (Michigan, Kansas, Kansas State, New Mexico State), before crushing the competition at the CCC Championships and the NAIA Championships, helping the Yotes to a second-straight national runner-up finish.
Holt claimed titles indoors in the 800-meters and the mile, while rallying the DMR to the title by making up a half lap deficit in the final 1,000-meters, helping the team to a school record third-place finish. Outdoors, Holt repeated as 1,500-meter national champion – and closed her career as the CCC Female Athlete of the Year.
Six years later, Holt still holds C of I's indoor school record in the 800 (2:09.08), mile (4:36.96) and 3,000-meters (9:27.25) and has the top outdoor marks in the 800 (2:06.00) and 1,500-meters (4:11.62).
"Hill's impact on our team was as immense as on the record books," McCurry said. "We had three other athletes win national titles in this era, after Hill claimed her first. The level of improvement and performance she showed was possible rubbed off on our whole team. They all started to believe they were capable of excellence, and in fact were in control of their pursuit of it."
Academics was also key for Holt – who was a 6-time CCC All-Academic Team selection and a 4-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete. She became the first C of I women's athlete to earn first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors – graduating from the College in 2014 with a degree in political economy.
Following her time in the Purple and Gold – Holt continued her track pursuits. "I moved to Austin, Texas, and ran for Rogue and represented Adidas, before returning to Boise to run for Pat McCurry and the Idaho Track Club," she stated. "I continued running professionally for two years before retiring from competition."
Holt relocated to California in 2017 – serving as an assistant coach at Division II Concordia-Irvine – before transitioning to apparel company, Lululemon, where she spearheaded their run club at their Newport Beach location.
It was at this time that Holt found a passion for indoor cycling.
"Through Lululemon, I discovered indoor cycling as a means to sweat with the rest of my teammates," Holt said. "I auditioned to instruct at a local studio and taught for a year, before leaving to work for SoulCycle – and have been teaching cycling at their numerous Los Angeles and Orange County studios ever sense."
Records, championships and accolades defined Holt as a runner. However, the four years Holt spent in Caldwell defined her as a person.
"C of I is such a special place because of the sense of community and family, along with the shared attitude of excellence," Holt said. "There are really high expectations and people want to do their best. That attitude is contagious and shared amongst both the students and the athletic department. C of I really feels like a family – alumni welcome you with open arms and cheer you on like they are running right alongside you. Everyone supports each other and has your back, no matter what."
The success of Holt and her teammates built a foundation of success – including a 2019 CCC cross country title and a runner-up finish at the NAIA Championships. It's a story of success that Basterrechea uses in the recruitment of future student-athletes.
"Hillary has been a major contributor in our program getting the type of athlete we want for our program," Basterrechea said. "She is the true example of being able to compete at a high level nationally and still excel academically. The beauty of track and field is simple – if you can achieve the times, you can get in the race. Hillary proved that as a junior and senior and what she accomplished has forged a pathway and expectations for future C of I student-athletes."
Running, cycling or studying, Holt has been at the top of her field for a decade and is excited for the next generation of Coyote runners – someone wanting to be the next
Hillary Holt.
"C of I has some of the best coaches in the country," Holt stated. "Trust them and trust the process. I bought in 100-percent to the things my coaches told me and it transformed me as a person and as an athlete. In addition, do not rush it. The college years are the best four years of your life – even all the struggles. Do not try to get to your senior year as fast as possible, enjoy every minute of it, as once it is done, you'll look back on your college years and miss it so much."
