Gerald Hutchinson has had one of the longest and most successful careers in athletics amongst any UMPI graduate. Graduating in the class of 1971 with a B.S. in Education, Gerald spent time contributing to multiple areas of the UMPI Athletics Department. During his time at UMPI, Gerald was a three-year varsity athlete in soccer as well as a three-year manager for both the wrestling and basketball teams. As a student he also served as the universities first ever sports information director.
Teammate, friend, and fellow hall of famer Dick Durost '71 shared, "Hutch was a dedicated manager to the basketball team at UMPI and an individual who, through hard work, became a fearless soccer goalkeeper. He showed great attention to detail, a trait that would serve him well as a high school athletic administrator and wrestling coach. He has shown tremendous loyalty to the athletic programs and students at PVHS for more than 47 years."
Although Gerald would have a great impact on UMPI Athletics and everyone that met him while a student at UMPI, Gerald would really make a name for himself as one of the best wrestling coaches the state of Maine has ever seen. Coach Hutchinson would lead Penobscot Valley High School to an overall 514-140-7 wrestling record during his time coaching the Howlers. Coach Hutchinson and the Howlers would go on to have a dynastic run of five consecutive Class C State Championships and more than 90 straight dual-meet victories from 1991 through 1995.
In 1992 he was named MPA Wrestling Coach of the Year and was selected as the MPA "Larry Labrie Award" winner in 1995. Hutchinson has also previously been inducted into two other hall of fames. The New England Secondary School Principal's Associations Wrestling Hall of Fame, as only the 4th Mainer in 52 years, and was also named to the Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame in 2015.
Gerald Hutchinson went on to earn his M.S. in Administration from the University of Maine in 1986 and has dedicated most of his adult life to education as a teacher, coach, and athletic administrator. Coach Hutchinson is currently the Athletic Director at Penobscot Valley High School and still serves on the MPA wrestling committee and cheerleading committee.
