• Finished his career with 268 career hits, third most in program history and most among active Big Ten players as his college career came to a close
2020 / AS A SENIOR (ABBREVIATED SEASON)
• CambriaCollegeClassic All-Tournament Team
• Started all 14 games in center field
• Opted to return for the 2021 season after the NCAA granted student-athletes from spring sports an additional year of eligibility
• Entered the 2021 campaign with 221 hits in 177 career games
• Reached base safely in the first 10 games of the season and 12 of 14 total
• Reached base safely at least six times in all four weekends
• Impressed against ACC competition in Minneapolis, leading the team with a 5-for-12 weekend while leading off all three games with a hit
• Connected for game-opening doubles vs. Duke and North Carolina, doubling vs. Duke ace Bryce Jarvis, who was drafted 18th overall in June
• His game-opening single was the only hit Purdue recorded over eight innings vs. NC State’s Nick Swiney, who was drafted 67th overall in June
• Recorded his fifth career four-RBI game in the win vs. Maine, highlighted by a three-run double in the second inning
• Put together four productive plate appearances in the Sunday win at Western Kentucky, finishing the day 2-for-3, with a walk, sac fly, two RBI and three runs scored
• Also posted multi-hit games vs. Hofstra, Campbell, Duke and North Carolina
• Entered 2021 with 66 career multi-hit games
2019 / AS A JUNIOR
• Played in 50 games, starting all in center field
• Recorded his 200th career hit May 11 at Illinois, becoming just the sixth Boilermaker to reach the milestone as a junior
• Opened the game with a triple three times and led the Big Ten with 6 triples through the end of the regular season
• His six triples were tied for second in program history (and most by a junior)
• With 11 career triples he ranks fifth all-time, entering his senior season just two shy of the team's career record
• Tied the program's all-time record (6) for triples in conference play
• Reached base safely in 64 of 70 Big Ten games as a Boilermaker
• Reached base safely in 37 consecutive games vs. Big Ten teams from April 13, 2018 to April 21, 2019, a streak that included non-conference games vs. Indiana and the 2018 Big Ten Tournament
• Also posted a 24-game overall reached base safely streak from March 24 to April 19
• Only Purdue player since 2005 with a 20-game reached safely streak in 3 seasons
• Only Boilermaker since 2005 to hit safely in every game of spring break twice in his career (2017 and 2019)
• Hit safely in 39 of his 50 games, highlighted by a career-long 14-game hit streak from March 20 to April 19
• Reached base safely in 28 consecutive games at Alexander Field, including a 14-game hit streak, from April 10, 2018 to April 28, 2019
• Of his 60 career multi-hit games, tops among active Boilermakers, 20 have featured him recording hits from both sides of the plate
• Hit safely in every game of a series or weekend (minimum three games) 19 times during his career
2018 / AS A SOPHOMORE
• Big Ten All-Tournament Team
• Started all 59 games in center field, one of our Boilermakers to start every game in the same position
• Switch-hitter led the team in hits for the second year in a row
• Reached base safely in 43 of 47 Big Ten games in his first two years
• Entered the NCAA Regional riding a 24-game reached base safely streak, the longest career streak among active Boilermakers and the second 20-game run of his career
• Hit his first collegiate homer, a three-run shot, in the series-opening win vs. Northwestern
• That big hit highlighted a surge in which he had 13 RBI in a six-game stretch, driving in a run in all six games
• With a .329 career batting average and 143 hits, is on pace to make a run at the program’s all-time hits record (279) as a senior
• Hit safely in the first 13 games of the season, batting .431 during that stretch
• Went 4-for-4 with a triple, walk and three runs scored in the finale of the Western Michigan series
• Posted a trio of three-hit games in the postseason, finishing the seven combined games at the Big Ten Tournament (8-for-17, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 5 R) and NCAA Regional (5-for-13, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R) a team best 13-for-30 with 6 RBI and 8 RBI
• Made the top defensive play of the Big Ten Tournament with a diving catch in the seventh inning of the semifinal win vs. Illinois
• Delivered a two-run double in the five-run ninth inning vs. Notre Dame as Purdue rallied to win the Alamo Irish Classic
• Posted four-RBI games in wins vs. Tulane and Fort Wayne
• Hit safely in every game of the first four weekends of the season as well as all three games of the Maryland, Rutgers and Northwestern series
• Also drove in multiple runs and scored at least once in all three games of the Northwestern sweep
• Drove in a run in all three games of the Western Michigan sweep
• Recorded a double in four straight game in mid-May
• Helped the Wareham Gatemen win the Cape Cod League title; his teams were a combined 69-38-2 (.642) in 2018
Skyler Hunter & the Wareham Gatemen open their Cape Cod League season Tuesday night. Our switch-hitting center fielder recorded hits from both sides of the plate in a game 7 times in 2018. He discusses how he became a switch-hitter. #BoilerUp @huntersky1 pic.twitter.com/PFPIWeGMwu
— Purdue Baseball (@PurdueBaseball) June 12, 2018
2017 / AS A FRESHMAN
• Big Ten All-Freshman Team
• Big Ten Freshman of the Week (March 20)
• Converted infielder made all 53 of his starts in center field
• Reached base safely in 22 of the 24 Big Ten games
• Hit safely in every game of six different weekends, including all three four-game series (at Texas State, at CSUN, at Santa Clara)
• Became Purdue's first freshman to lead the team in batting average since Kevin Plawecki (2012 B1G Player of the Year, currently plays for Mets) in 2010
• Also the first Purdue freshman since 2010 to reach the 30-RBI benchmark
• Reached base safely in 21 straight games from March 10 to April 9
• Scored the game-winning run in the walk-off victory vs. Kent State
• His two-run single was the difference in the 2-1 rubber game win at Ohio State
• Had three hits and five RBI in win at Ball State, highlighting a three-game stretch in which he was 5-for-10 with 10 RBI
• Also had three-hit games vs. CSUN, Michigan and Minnesota
• Recorded a pair of two-run doubles in the comeback victory at Indiana State that ignited a seven-game win streak
• Batted .444 (12-for-27) with eight RBI and seven runs scored on the spring break trip
• Batted .313 at Alexander Field
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner for coach Erich Harjo at Hood River Valley High School in Northern Oregon
• Four-year starter was a two-time all-state honoree as an upperclassman
• Helped Hood River win the class 5A state title as a junior and finish as the state runner-up as a sophomore and senior
• Three-year gold glove winner
• Conference player of the year as a senior
PERSONAL
• Major: Sociology
• Full name is Skyler Todd Hunter
• Born in Oregon City, Oregon
• Parents are Todd and Darcy Hunter
• Family also includes younger sisters Lylah and Taylor
• Mother is an accomplished photographer
Purdue Personal Preferences
Favorite Pro Team: Seattle Mariners
Favorite Athletes: Marshawn Lynch & Ichiro
Favorite Marquee Event: World Series
Had the Biggest Impact on His Athletic Career: Dad, Todd Hunter
Favorite Field He's Played at (Besides Alexander): TD Ameritrade Park
Favorite Pro Stadium: Fenway Park
Toughest Pitchers for Him to Face Among Teammates: Trevor Cheaney (RHP) & Matt Moore (LHP)
Current MLB Pitcher He'd Like to Face: Josh Hader
Pro Athlete He'd Like to Meet: Baker Mayfield
Would Like to Have Dinner With: Abraham Lincoln
In His MP3 Player: Tom Seager
Last Concert He Attended: Ed Sheeran
Would Love to See Them Play Purdue: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Favorite Author: Stephen King
Last Book He Read: Derek Jeter Biography
Favorite Multi-Media App: Clash of Clans
Favorite Actor, Actress & Director: Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Alba & George Lucas
Favorite Movie to Watch on Team Bus: The Sandlot
Favorite Super-Hero: Dean Winchester
Show He Can't Stop Watching: Supernatural
Favorite Video Game: Fortnite
Favorite Month: October
Favorite Holiday: Halloween
Favorite Meal: Sushi
Favorite Dessert: Coffee & Oreo Ice Cream
Favorite Outdoor Activity: Skiing
Another Sport He Enjoys: Mountain Biking
Favorite Purdue Building: Brees Academic Performance Center
Country He'd Like to Visit: Italy
Favorite Thing About Alexander Field: Diving for Baseballs in the Outfield
Favorite Thing About Purdue Road Trips: Camaraderie with the Boys
Favorite Thing About College Baseball: Batting Practice on the Opposing Team's Field
Hidden Talent: Quickscoping in Call of Duty
Most Memorable Weekend at Purdue: 2018 Regional at North Carolina
Enjoyed this Professor's Class: Justin Hunt, Health & Kinesiology
Animal Friend: Ziggy, Goldfish