As NHTI prepares for the coming announcement of the Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2024, we take a closer look at the Class of 2023.

The class was led by three exceptional Lynx athletes – Adam Cloutier, Justine Benson, and Tori Lemay. Adding to the legacy is Perry Seagroves, a long-standing professor of chemistry at NHTI, who since the mid-1980s has been one of the most beloved coaches in a handful of Lynx athletics. All four members still live in New Hampshire.

Adam Cloutier, men’s soccer

Coming from Groveton, N.H., Cloutier was a fierce midfielder and striker with a gritty mentality. He led the Lynx to a Conference Championship and even more new heights. He was the leading scorer on the first Lynx men’s soccer team to reach the USCAA National Championship.

He was recognized as an All-Conference player, NHTI’s Athlete of the Year, and a First-Team USCAA All-American for his incredible 2003 season.

After his playing career, Cloutier returned to the Lynx as an assistant coach who specialized in developing the team’s forwards. During his time as an assistant coach, the Lynx won two more conference championships in 2006 and 2008.

Today, Cloutier works with Johnson & Johnson, a med-tech company, and has lived with his wife in Freemont for the last 17 years. The couple has three children, all soccer players who were coached by Cloutier growing up. Now they play at the high school and college levels themselves.

Justine Benson, women’s soccer

Benson grew up in Pembroke and played soccer for most of her life. On the soccer pitch for the Lynx women’s team, Benson’s talent and dedication were unmistakable. She was the ultimate two-way defender, igniting all parts of the pitch with precision and tenacity.

Beyond the field, her commitment to academic excellence was awarded with her recognition as USCAA All-American and Academic All-American in 2004. Additionally, she was awarded All-Conference honors in 2003 and 2004. Benson was part of a Lynx soccer dynasty that won 32 straight regular season games.

She had an unforgettable moment at the USCAA National Championship in a rain-drenched game dubbed the “Mud Bowl” against Bluefield College. Playing through an illness, Benson scored the game-tying goal in the final minutes, sending the game to overtime. NHTI ended up taking the victory in penalty kicks.

Today, Benson is a stay-at-home mom of four girls, expecting a fifth any day now. She lives in Goffstown with her husband, Luke, and their dog, Bruce.

Tori Lemay, softball

The talented pitcher out of Manchester Memorial High School was untouchable in her college career with NHTI. She made the All-Conference team in four straight years from 2014-2018. After her freshman season earning Second-Team All-American, she earned a spot as a First-Team All-American the rest of her playing career.

The two-time Yankee Small College Conference Player of the Year ended with a record of 59 wins, 15 losses, and an almost impossible 730 career strikeouts. Lemay even holds the record for the most strikeouts in a single USCAA National Championship game, putting away 16 batters in an appearance at the 2014 tournament held in Akron, Ohio.

Today, Lemay excels as a full-time dental hygienist living in Concord with her husband, Brian, who played baseball at NHTI.

Perry Seagroves, coach

If you’re a part of the running community in Concord, you’ve likely run into Seagroves. He co-founded the Capital Area Race Series in 2005 with lifelong friend and fellow NHTI Athletic Hall of Fame member, Tom Walton. Before that, Seagroves started as a professor of physics and chemistry at NHTI in 1985, and coached club ice hockey of all sports.

When NHTI could no longer field a hockey roster, Seagroves transitioned to assisting Walton with the Lynx cross-country team. The two were best friends, and although Walton has since passed, Seagroves carries on his love for running and credits him with everything he knows about coaching. And Seagroves knows a lot. He was named the Yankee Small College Conference Coach of the Year in three straight years – 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Seagroves still works at NHTI and lives in Concord with his wife, Suzie.

The next class

Lynx Athletics is always proud to share the success stories Lynx athletes. Soon, NHTI will announce the 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame class, which is to be inducted in September.