What began as a push from his father to step outside his comfort zone launched Matt Methot down a path that culminated in becoming the top runner in Maine Maritime Academy history. Now, Methot is being honored as part of the William J. Mottola Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 — recognition he calls one of the greatest accomplishments of his career.

“It means so much and is an honor,” Methot said. “A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into all the years of training and running. It is great to be recognized for the hard work put in. It ranks as one of the top career accomplishments for sure.”

“I was very surprised and honored,” Methot added. “I remember, as a student, walking past the wall in the entrance of the field house and thinking it would be cool to have my name up there one day.”

A native of Portland, Maine, Methot arrived at Maine Maritime in 2008, driven by a love for mechanical engineering and encouragement from his father. He stepped outside his comfort zone and built both a collegiate career for the record books and a profession beyond the Academy doors.

“It was a combination of love for mechanical engineering and a push from my dad,” Methot said. “I had seen the students in uniform at a college fair and thought, ‘You couldn’t pay me to go there!’ My dad convinced me to take a tour of the school. I remember Hugh Porter gave that tour and what a great tour guide he was. I got to see the facilities, specifically the engineering labs. I thought to myself, how cool would it be to work on engines that big!”

Methot hit the ground running as a freshman, earning North Atlantic Conference All-Conference First Team honors, and followed that performance with a season for the MMA record books. As a sophomore, Methot finished as the NAC runner-up — the highest finish in program history during the NCAA era.

His runner-up finish earned him all-conference first-team honors for the second straight season, making him only the second runner in program history at the time to earn two first-team selections, joining teammate Lucas Miller.

However, Methot didn’t plateau as a sophomore. He improved, putting his determination and drive on full display at the 2010 NAC championship, becoming the first runner in program history to win a conference championship and earn Runner of the Year honors.

“Winning the conference championship in 2010,” Methot recalled. “The year before, I had one of the best races in my career and was runner-up at the conference championship. Based on my times that year, I should have come in the top five, but not runner-up. I remember being on the podium, proud of what I had accomplished, but also thinking I was going to work as hard as it took to win that race.”

“So much training, visualization and effort went into preparing for that race,” Methot continued. “It was all I thought about for so long. The day of the race was one of those classic Maine days where you have all four seasons in one day. It was cold and raining, then it switched to snow, which covered the ground, and by the end of the race everything had melted and the sun was shining. For some reason, I took the rain and snow as a sign that I was going to win. I had this feeling that no one could beat me on that day on our home course.”

“When the race started, I was neck and neck with Vermont State University Lyndon’s Josh Grant — the winner of the previous year’s conference championship — and around the 2-mile mark I pulled away,” Methot added. “I knew the course like the back of my hand and used that knowledge to push at the right moments and break visual contact. When I came out onto the golf course for the finish, I was by myself. I remember my dad being out on the course, running the end next to me and cheering me on for a boost to finish strong. When I crossed the finish line, I remember embracing my dad and telling him, ‘We did it!’ To achieve that goal on our home course in Castine, with my family and teammates there, was really something special.”

Not only did Methot post the fastest time in program history that day, he also guided the Mariners to their highest conference finish in program history at the time, placing runner-up.

After earning first-team all-conference honors in his first three years at MMA, Methot took a three-year break from collegiate competition. He returned for the 2013 season and once again earned first-team honors, becoming the only runner in program history at the time of his induction to earn first-team recognition in all four years of his collegiate career.

Now a chief engineer with Fairwater, Methot credits Maine Maritime, his parents, teammates and coaches for his success both on the course and in life.

“My dad, throughout my running career, has always been my biggest supporter and coach,” Methot said. “I was fortunate enough to have great coaches at MMA. They knew the sport and knew how to get you in shape for the end of the season. They also knew how to strategize for racing and how to read a course.”

“My teammates made running enjoyable. We would push each other during workouts, laugh together while running for hours — sometimes even in the rain — and they made me look forward to practice and racing. Cross country is a unique sport in that it is a team sport where you are racing against other teams, and every place you and your teammates finish counts toward the overall team score, but every race you are also racing yourself — pushing your limits and trying to beat previous times. I loved seeing what I was made of and whether I could go faster.”

However, it was one coach who had a profound impact on Methot’s life and pushed him to become both the best runner and captain he could be. Under the guidance of Hall of Fame coach Ryan King — who was inducted posthumously into the William J. Mottola Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024 — Methot ascended to Hall of Fame-worthy status.

“Ryan was a force unlike any I had seen before, and I don’t think I will see the likes of again,” Methot said. “He did the impossible. He not only made running fun, but he also made the cross country team the cool team to be on. Under his leadership, the team grew to the second-largest combined team on campus.

“For those who never met Ryan, he was like Ted Lasso — always looking on the bright side, treating and supporting the team like family. He not only helped us become better runners, but better human beings. Ryan taught me how to read a course, use it to my advantage and make my moves at the right time. He was always there to pick me up when I fell. He always believed in me.”

“He would have a lesson at every workout — whether about running, life or history. I thought I had seen all of Castine through running, but Ryan showed us hidden gems around town,” Methot concluded. “He would push me in workouts and help me reach the next level. We would often go on extra runs together, talking about team dynamics, upcoming races and life in general. He helped me become a great leader by example and demonstrated what a great coach looked like. During workouts, he would push me to do one more set, or after race days, when we got back into town, he would tell me I needed more mileage.”