Track & Field, Football, and Basketball
A three-sport athlete at Carleton, Gerard Cote is best known for his work as a sprinter on the track, where he is a three-time All-American and accumulated 16 All-MIAC citations, including five conference titles.
He took his first trip to nationals in 1991, running as part of the Knights’ 4×100-meter relay that placed third overall at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a program-best time of 41.44. That is one of Cote’s four school records that still stand two decades after his graduation. He picked up his next All-America award at the 1992 NCAA Indoor Championships, running leadoff on the Knights’ 4×400-meter relay as well as competing in the 400-meter dash. His final visit to nationals came that spring. This time Cote competed in the 400-meter dash in addition to the 4×100-meter relay.
All five of Cote’s conference titles came during the 1992 season. At the MIAC Indoor Championships, he captured the top spot in the 400-meter dash then ran leadoff as the Knights broke the conference record for the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 3:19.93, which was three seconds better than the runners-up. During the MIAC Outdoor Championships, Cote posted the Carleton standard of 48.05 in winning the 400-meter race. He was a part of the Knights’ 4×100-meter relay that established a new MIAC Championships record en route to the top spot on the podium. Cote capped the meet and his historic season with a victory in the 4×400-meter relay.
On the gridiron, Cote used his speed as a wide receiver, finishing third in the MIAC at 20.9 yards per catch in 1992 and helping the Knights claim the MIAC Championship. A year later as a senior, he ranked among the conference’s top receivers in yards per catch and touchdowns per game. Cote also spent two seasons playing guard for the Carleton basketball program.