Men's Track & Field | 7/20/2026 2:25:00 PM
Saint Francis University will recognize its 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame Class on Friday, July 24. The class includes 11 student-athletes, one coach, and two teams. In the weeks leading up to the Hall of Fame ceremony, we'll spend the summer catching up with these standout athletes and celebrating the achievements that earned them a place among school's all-time greats.
Growing up in Ohio, Matt Hartman dreamed of playing football at Notre Dame. Once he realized that wasn't going to happen, he focused on running.
After a standout high school career, Hartman was recruited by such schools as Cornell and the Naval Academy. But it was former Saint Francis track and field head coach Kevin Donner who made the best pitch.
"He never really tried to sell me. Instead, he urged me to think about my career and what's best for me after running," Hartman said.
Donner was also able to secure a better financial aid and scholarship package that brought Hartman to Loretto in 1997.
Prior to then, the program did not have great success, but Hartman credits former teammate Art Remillard for helping to change the culture.
"He sort of threw down the hammer and said if we want to be competitive at the Division I level, we got to do more work and train harder," Hartman said. "He's a soft-spoken Marine but called everyone out."
The following season, future SFU Hall of Famers Kevin Doyle and Brian Sell arrived on campus. Hartman said that's when things really turned the corner.
"It was the kind of accountability that coaches dream about."
Hartman was a part of the first men's cross country championship team in 1999, but it was on the track where he excelled.
Perhaps one of the best middle-distance runners in program history, he won five gold medals between the indoor and outdoor seasons. At the 2000 NEC Indoor Track and Field Championships, Hartman won both the 800-meter and mile races and was ultimately named the Track Performer of the Meet.
Hartman became one of the leaders of the team because of his strong work ethic. Coach Donner said he was one of the most feared athletes in the league and the most intimidating.
"We had some rivalries. Outdoors there was Aidan Walsh of FDU. He was expected to win the 800 meters. I was coming off an injury, but something clicked that day, and it was one of my best races. He had a big lead. I could feel the team rooting for me, and I had an extra gear to track him down. The last 100 meters I caught him and won," Hartman said.
In the classroom, Hartman was equally impressive as a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American in his final three seasons.
While he is proud of his individual achievements, it's the team success that means so much more. In 2001, Hartman helped Saint Francis capture both the indoor and outdoor track and field championships.
"We were a part of something special, and that bond still exists," Hartman said.
He said part of that bond grew out of the lack of resources and the fact that teams overlooked them.
"We were a ragtag bunch. Mismatched uniforms, we had to pull warm ups from previous seasons. We wore it all like a badge of honor," Hartman said. "And the long facial hair, that was also a part of our identity. We don't care about your facilities or your Nike uniforms; we'll kick your butts because we work harder."
After graduation, Hartman ran outdoor education and leadership programs at Northern Arizona University and Ohio State. He still thinks about the impact Coach Donner had on him.
"I have kids now, and we recently finished a track season. It's a grueling sport as a coach. So, I'm grateful for what Donner did and how he pushed us. He loves track and is so passionate about it. He got us to where we needed to be."
Hartman recently changed careers and is now teaching in the College of Business at Ohio University.
He will reunite with many of his teammates this weekend, and they'll likely find some time to squeeze in a workout.
"I feel super blessed that so many guys are coming back to be a part of this."
