Hunter Norton - Associate Head Coach - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Hunter Norton

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Email:
Phone:
852-2095

Hunter Norton completed his fourth year as an associate head coach and his 12th season overall with the Louisville Cardinals following the 2025 season.

His primary responsibilities include designing the team, position group, and individual training sessions. Norton conducts video breakdown and presentations to the team, groups, and individuals. He works closely with the Louisville back line and also produces opposition analysis and game planning. Norton also plays a big role in the team's recruiting from year to year.

Norton currently holds his US Soccer Federation B License, UEFA B License, United Soccer Coaches Premier Diploma and the ACC Coaching the Whole Athlete Certificate.

AT LOUISVILLE

For the 2025 season, the Cardinals returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019 and the third time with Norton on the staff. The Cardinals finished the season with a 13-5-3 record and were 6-2-2 in ACC play. The 13 wins all came in the regular season and were the most regular season wins in program history. Louisville advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second time under Norton.

The Cardinals set a number of program records in 2025, including most goals (53), assists (60) and points (166) in a single season as a team. Norton helped Karsyn Cherry earn Second Team All-American honors from the United Soccer Coaches, the first Louisville All-American since 2020. Cherry earned Second Team All-ACC honors with Amelia Swinarki and Emersen Jennings earned Third Team All-ACC honors following the regular season.

In the 2024 season, the Cardinals finished the season with a 7-6-5 overall record and were 2-5-3 in ACC play. It was the first time since the 2021 season that the Cardinals finished the year with a .500 or better overall record. Working with the back line, the Cardinals tallied six clean sheets this season, including a 0-0 draw against No. 13 Notre Dame. Defender Karsyn Cherry finished the season with a career-high six goals, which was the second most on the team. Defender/midfielder Brooke Dardano led the team with seven assists on the year, the most by a Louisville player since the 2019 season.

In the 2023 season, the Cardinals recorded their first win in program history following the 1-0 victory over No. 25 Duke. The Cardinals also earned their first ever point in program history with the 1-1 draw against No. 20 Virginia. The Cardinals were balanced as a team as they had nine different players score a goal and they limited opponents to one goal or fewer in nine games.

Prior to the 2022 season, Norton was elevated to Associate Head Coach.

Norton has worked with two players that have played the most games in program history during his time at Louisville. Gabby Kouzelos finished her career after the 2021 season with 85 games played, the most in program history. Following the 2022 season, Sarah Hernandez finished with 82 career games played.

In 2020-21, Emina Ekic was named Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-ACC, while Gabby Kouzelos was named Third Team All-ACC. It marked the first time that a Louisville player has earned ACC Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Ekic was selected by Racing Louisville FC with the fifth pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft, becoming the first UofL player to be selected in the NWSL Draft.

In 2019, he helped the Cardinals finish fourth in the ACC with a record of 5-3-2, and made their sixth NCAA Championship appearance with an overall record of 13-5-2. The Cardinals finished the season ranked No. 25 in the United Soccer Coaches poll.

The Cardinals had three players earn All-ACC honors in 2019.  Emina Ekic was named a first team All-ACC selection, Gabby Kouzelos was named a second team All-ACC selection and Brooklynn Rivers earned third team All-ACC honors. Ekic was named a second team All-American by the United Soccer Coaches association for the second straight year.

In the fall of 2018 the Cardinals finished tied for fifth in the ACC with a record of 6-4, and made their fifth NCAA Championship appearance with an overall record of 12-7-0.  Emina Ekic was named a second team All-American by the United Soccer Coaches association. She became the seventh All-American in school history and the first Cardinal to earn All-American honors since Christine Exeter was named a third team All-American in 2011. Ekic is also the first Louisville player to earn second team honors, with the previous six selections earning third and fourth team honors.

During the 2017 season, the Cardinals recorded another winning season while then-freshman Emina Ekic garnered numerous awards. Ekic was named the ACC Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Cardinal to earn a major ACC award. Ekic also earned all-region, All-ACC and All-ACC academic awards. The Louisville native led the Cardinals in scoring seven goals and three assists.

Norton spent his first two seasons with the Cardinals as a volunteer assistant. He helped in all aspects of the program while developing the program’s social media presence.

PLAYING CAREER

Prior to joining the Cardinals, Norton played four seasons at Georgia Southern University. He was a three year captain and started in all 72 games of his career.

He was named to the South Conference (SOCON) All-Freshman team in 2010. He earned first team All-SOCON honors his sophomore an senior seasons, while earning second team honors his junior year.

Norton holds his NSCAA Advanced National Coaching Diploma. He also coached with the Kentucky Fire Juniors from 2014-20 and currently works with the Louisville City Youth Academy.