Hall of Fame
Natalie Hughes
Palisade
One of the state’s most prolific runners, Natalie Hughes won 13 individual state titles in high school.
She won three cross country individual titles (1997, 1999, 2000) and then won titles in the 800 (1998, 1999, 2000), 1600 (1998, 1999, 2000) and 3200 (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001) meters in track and field. She also finished as runner-up in cross country in 1998 and twice in track .
A special student-athlete for Palisade High School, she excelled in all facets of her life. She won many awards from the Denver media, something that really doesn’t happen for a Western Slope athlete.
Some of her awards included Varsity Online Athlete of the Year, Who’s Who in Sports, and Schoolsports.com Greater Denver Girls Cross Country Player of the Year.
Following her prep career, Hughes went on to run at Florida State University where she was a seven-time All-American and eight-time All-ACC runner during her time with the Seminoles.
Hughes staked her claim early on as one of the top runners in the nation following impressive sophomore and freshman campaigns. She scored for the Lady Seminoles in all seven meets she ran in, a distinction accomplished by only two other teammates.
In track, Hughes solidified her place in the Seminole record books, breaking Florida State school marks during the indoor and outdoor seasons. She owns the indoor mile mark, running a 4:42.69 mile at the Adidas Invite and the outdoor 1500m run (4:16.32) which she set during the 2003 season. She earned All-American honors in the 1500m run in 2003 and 2004 in addition to the honors she won as the best American freshman in the nation.
After earning her degree at Florida State, Natalie moved to Knoxville and began a career in Education, teaching at both South Doyle Middle School and Holston Middle School. In 2013, Natalie began working as legal assistant for a local attorney.