Erik L. Nedeau has been elected to the Northeastern Hall of Fame for his extraordinary achievements in the sport of track.
Nedeau, Class of 1994, was one of the premier collegiate middle distance runners and remains an international competitor. He came to NU as a championship hurdler, yet blossomed immediately in his freshman season as a middle distance runner when he took a fifth place at the indoor IC4A meet. Tendonitis during the spring curtailed his outdoor season of 1990.
In his second indoor season, Nedeau started his run of titles, winning the Greater Boston and New England 500. Then, in his first outdoor season, he won the New England and America East 800 crowns.
Nedeau elevated to the collegiate elite in the 1991-92 season. Indoors, he won the New England 1000 then placed third in the NCAA 800. Outdoors, he won the New England 800 and 1500, the America East 800 and 1500, and placed sixth in the NCAA 800. After qualifying for the 1992 Olympic trials, he placed seventh in the 800 while running the fastest time ever for a New Englander at 1:46.19.
The success continued in the 1992-93 campaign. In his last indoor season, Nedeau won the New England 800 and then the mile in a time of 3:59.6, which was the fastest ever by a New England collegian. He also set the America East indoor mile record at 4:04.59. Outdoors, he won the New England 1500 and the America East 800 and 1500. For the second year in a row, Nedeau won All-America honors.
His last outdoor season, 1994, was fittingly his finest. Nedeau won the New England 1500, the America East 800 and 1500 for the third consecutive year, and the IC4A 800. In the NCAA 1500, he was second at 3:42.44 and then at the U.S. nationals he placed third, running a 3:38.31, the fastest time ever by a New England collegian. Nedeau earned All America honors for the third time.
He graduated with a 3.4 grade-point average as a Criminal Justice major and was awarded the Herbert W. Gallagher Award as Northeastern's Outstanding Scholar/Athlete. Nedeau also was named to several GTE Academic All-America teams and received America East Track Scholar/Athlete of the Year honors four times.
After graduation, Nedeau signed with the New Balance Track Club and went on to place first in the 1995 U.S. indoor mile and third in the 1995 World Championship. In 1996, he missed the Olympic mile team by just one place, taking fourth in the 1500 trials.
