Hall of Fame
Family comes first these days for Renee (Hatter) Hook ’86, but that doesn’t mean her many memories as a student-athlete at SUNY Potsdam don’t resonate in the present.
Hook, a member of the Bears swimming & diving team from 1982-86 and a 2011 Bears Hall of Fame inductee, was an NCAA qualifier in eight events and a seven-time State University of New York Athletic Conference champion over the course of her decorated career.
Her finest moment came in 1983, when she teamed up with Anne Donato, Laura Foster and Amy Humpleby to post an All-American time in the 800-meter freestyle relay.
“Becoming an All-American in the 800-free relay was definitely the highlight of my career,” Hook, 48, said. “We were all friends, so that made it even more special.”
Hook, who served as a captain, was also a key swimmer on the nine-person 1983-84 team that won the program’s only SUNYAC team championship in the title’s first year of existence. She currently holds two school records – one as an individual in the 1650-meter freestyle (18:35.59) and one with the team of Donato, Foster and Humpleby in the 800-meter freestyle relay (8:01.86).
Hook said her club coach, Robin Dyer, and high school coach, Joe Lucia, were her biggest influences prior to coming to Potsdam. Currently, Lucia is the head swimming & diving coach at Cornell University, while Dyer serves as his assistant.
While at SUNY Potsdam, Hook, a mathematics major, pointed to Dr. Hector Foisy as a main source of support. She said Foisy, who today chairs the mathematics department and serves as a professor, was a “great teacher” and someone who made her feel good about the rigorous coursework.
“Dr. Foisy really made you feel like he cared about his students and really wanted them to succeed,” Hook said. “It was enjoyable to go to his class with his teaching style … he didn't just lecture but involved the students. He would always make time if you needed help.”
A native of Endicott, N.Y., Hook said she received calls from college swimming coaches around the region with chances at scholarships, but ultimately chose Potsdam due to its small town atmosphere and beautiful campus. She also liked the on-campus facilities and was impressed by then-coach Jeff Maxwell.
“You could walk to everything on campus and downtown … it was really a college town with Potsdam, Clarkson and St. Lawrence University,” Hook said. “The swim team allowed me to meet a lot of really nice people very quickly and they are the people, along with my sorority sisters in Alpha Kappa Phi, that I really spent most of my time with.”
Current Potsdam coach Ken McLaughlin, who knew Hook from being a member of the same swim club in Endicott, coached Hook during his first season at the helm in 1985-86.
“Renee seemed to love swimming,” McLaughlin said. “As a young coach, it was nice having Renee on the team as a senior and a leader.”
After receiving her bachelor’s in mathematics from SUNY Potsdam, Hook went on to earn a master’s in business administration (finance) from Binghamton University in 1988.
Hook, who joined IBM in 1989 and is currently an Integrated Supply Chain Executive for the company, hasn’t swam competitively since 1993, when she set the YMCA Master Championship record in the 1650 freestyle. She currently resides in New Milford, Conn., with her husband, Douglas, sons Joshua (17), Avery (13), Zachery (10) and daughter Jena (14).
Hook enjoys being with her family and has remained involved in athletics by running in half marathons and coaching her daughter’s swim team for two years. She said she still uses the concepts of discipline and teamwork, which she learned during her time at SUNY Potsdam, to this day.
Hook will be recognized at Saturday's Hall of Fame banquet, but is unable to attend due to a work conflict.
