Hillsdale College was founded in 1844 with a purpose to “develop the minds and hearts of its students,” a reference to the moral and intellectual virtues.
The driving purpose of athletics at Hillsdale College is to cultivate these virtues. Their practice on the field of competition inspires and elevates the minds of those who compete and those who watch.
It’s been a great year, an enjoyable first year as athletic director at Hillsdale College. But it’s also been a learning year for me.
One of my initial goals was to develop a strategic plan for the Athletic Department. This is something we had to get done. Without a plan, you cannot move forward. We recently completed this plan, and I would like to share some of it with you.
A plan always starts with a mission statement. Here is ours: “The mission of athletics at Hillsdale College is only an aspect of the mission of the whole. We are here to help each other grow in mind and body.”
We also developed our core virtues: Excellence, Gratitude, Passion, Discipline, and Integrity. This is what it means to be a Charger.
As I enter year two, a focus of our plan revolves around improving the athletic experience for our studentathletes. And that starts with facilities. You can see some of these priorities in the following pages of this issue, and my hope is that you would consider helping us fund these priorities.
To assist supporters of Hillsdale College Athletics, we have also streamlined the giving process. When I started as athletic director, we had 16 different athletic giving clubs segmented by sport. We have replaced those with the Charger Champions Club. This single club will allow supporters to give an annual gift to the athletic program or priority of their choice. The Charger Champions Club will also offer some special events and “perks” for its members depending on the level of their gift.
Of course, we would love for you to consider becoming a recurring giver to Hillsdale College Athletics, and The President’s Club and 1844 Society are existing ways to do that. By joining one of those recurring giving clubs, you will also be a member of the Charger Champions Club. That’s called a “win-win.”
We hope you consider joining the Charger Champions Club. You can do so online by visiting our newly designed website at hillsdalechargers.com. Or contact Haley Ketchum at (517) 607-3130 or athletics@hillsdale.edu.
Our strategic plan is the new North Star for Hillsdale College Athletics. Won’t you join us on the journey?
John Tharp Director of Athletics
BY DOUG GOODNOUGH, ’90
Every day is like Christmas for Chester Marcol, ’82.
He knows he is blessed to be alive. In fact, the 74-year-old Polish immigrant and former NFL placekicker is a living, breathing, walking miracle.
At times, his life has been a dream. The ability to kick a football accurately and with astonishing distance brought him to Hillsdale College, where he became a national media sensation. In 1969, he kicked what was then the longest field goal in college football history—a 62-yarder, which led to a successful NFL career with the Green Bay Packers.
For long stretches, his life has also been a nightmare. More than three decades of drug and alcohol abuse and addiction have taken a devastating toll, first on his football career, then his family, and finally his health. On the brink of death multiple times, he even tried taking his own life, but fortunately, as he now jokes, “God wasn’t ready for me yet.”
However, he has turned his curse of addiction into a blessing for many others dealing with the same demons. Now employed as an addiction counselor in the
northernmost reaches of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Marcol helps others with addiction. He views work as his life’s purpose, and his reason to live.
During Marcol’s many, many years of wandering in the addiction desert, there was the oasis of Hillsdale College, which has been there for him in so many ways. After more than 40 years away from campus, Marcol recently returned to his alma mater to share his story: one of success, of failure, and of his never-ending quest for redemption.
He was born Czesław Bolesław Marcol, the oldest of four children in the small farming town of Opole, Poland. In those days, life was simple: attend school, help with chores, and play the national pastime—soccer—as a standout goalkeeper known for his powerful kick.
Life changed drastically when he was 14 years old. His father took his own life, which sent shock waves through the entire family. With Poland firmly behind the Iron Curtain of communism, his mother made the decision to follow some of her family, who years earlier emigrated to the United
States after World War II. In 1965, the Marcol family joined their relatives in Imlay City, Michigan, a farming community about an hour north of Detroit. With a new Americanized first name of “Chester,” the 15-year-old enrolled in the local high school, not speaking a word of English.
However, the universal language of sports translated well for Marcol, especially in gym class. Gym teacher and Hillsdale College graduate John Rowan, ’65, was playing goaltender during a soccer class, and he asked Marcol to kick the volleyball-turned-soccer ball toward the makeshift goal. Marcol obliged, and the ball rocketed by Rowan’s head and ricocheted off the gym wall and into his face, bloodying Rowan’s nose.
Rowan immediately had an idea: Let’s see what Marcol could do kicking a football. The coaches took him to the football field and asked him to kick a football between the goalposts. He obliged. From 30 yards out. Then 40. Even 50. All easily sailed through the uprights. The coaches were giddy and asked Marcol if he wanted to play football.
“I’m not going to play that barbaric sport,” said Marcol of his initial response. “No way.”
He was eventually persuaded and quickly became a force on the gridiron for Imlay City.
Marcol wasn’t just kicking and punting. He also played wide receiver and defensive back, using his blazing speed to make plays all over the field. But his powerful right leg was what college football coaches noticed the most.
Michigan State University was very interested in Marcol’s kicking talents; however, his limited knowledge of the English language was a major deterrent. Rowan contacted then-Hillsdale football coach Frank “Muddy” Waters about his star kicker.
“I didn’t even know what Hillsdale was or where it was,” Marcol said.
Rowan helped him find the way, and on his visit, Marcol forged a quick bond with Waters, who convinced the curly-haired soccer-style kicker to enroll at Hillsdale as an international student. Taking English as a Second Language coursework, he started classes in the fall of 1968.
“When I came to Hillsdale, I knew it’s where I belonged,” he said. “People just cared about people.”
Settling in Galloway Hall, Marcol lived with other international students who helped him transition to college life.
“It was nice because most of my friends were from South America,” said Marcol, who also joined the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. “I fit in really well with people from different countries. And I really appreciated those friendships.”
Waters knew what he had in Marcol: a potential gamechanging weapon. In fact, he told many of his assistant coaches that his freshman kicker would one day play in the NFL. However, Marcol was initially not happy with his coach’s plan for him to be a kicker, and only a kicker.
“I was as mad as a hornet,” Marcol said when he found out he was only going to be kicking and punting at Hillsdale. “I had never been on the second team on anything in high school. [Waters] said, ‘You have a talent that I haven’t seen before. You have something special, and you’re going to play in the NFL.’ People also told me that in high school.”
As a sophomore in 1969, Marcol announced his arrival to the college football scene. The highlight was making a 62-yard field goal, which at the time was a college and professional record. He was routinely making 40- and 50-yard attempts, and also averaged 48 yards a punt, which is still a Hillsdale record.
“I can make those, no problem,” Marcol said of making field goals at distance. “And I didn’t mean to be cocky. I knew I could do it. What a gift.”
“I can make those, no problem,” Marcol said of making field goals at distance. “And I didn’t mean to be cocky. I knew I could do it. What a gift.”
And he certainly tried. A combination of alcohol and painkillers quickly became his daily routine. When someone introduced him to a new drug—cocaine—Marcol was instantly hooked. In 1980, his last season in the NFL, the combination of drugs and injuries had diminished Marcol’s abilities to the point where the Packers released him.
“All of a sudden my career was over, and I didn’t know who I was,” Marcol said.
After a brief stint with the Houston Oilers, he had kicked his last football in the NFL. But his path to addiction was just beginning.
After his playing days—and his first marriage—were over, he spiraled into addiction and had no job prospects. One day, he got a call from then-Hillsdale Athletic Director Jack McAvoy, who knew Marcol was struggling.
“He really cared,” Marcol said. “He was part of our coaches who were always like that.”
McAvoy offered Marcol an opportunity to come back to campus to complete his degree, and the College would take care of his tuition. So, at age 31, Marcol returned to Hillsdale to complete his degree as he tried to get his life in order.
“I had a ball,” Marcol said of his return to Hillsdale. “I’m 31, and I’m moving into Galloway with all these 19-year-olds after 10 years in the NFL.”
He said going to class and working at a local group home kept him on a good path for a time. Marcol finished his degree in 1982, and although at the time he didn’t think his degree would matter, it eventually helped save his life.
After leaving Hillsdale, Marcol bounced around the state of Michigan for the next few years, and his addiction troubles worsened. Perhaps the lowest point came in 1986, when Marcol tried to end his life. Despite drinking a cocktail
of battery acid, rat poison, and vodka, his attempt failed. However, he severely damaged his esophagus and stomach and was even declared dead on his way to the hospital before being revived.
Again, Hillsdale was there for him. This time, Waters visited him in the hospital’s intensive care unit and spent weeks there. While Marcol was recovering from his life-threatening injuries, Waters was petitioning the NFL to help with his medical bills as well as helping him apply for Social Security disability benefits. He has a modest NFL pension, partly thanks to Waters’ efforts.
“Muddy was helpful beyond any expectations I would have from any coach,” he said.
Miraculously, Marcol walked out of the hospital in a few weeks and was able to resume his life. But that life included a cycle of addiction that lasted nearly 20 more years.
“I felt lower than whale crap at the bottom of the ocean. That was my self-worth. I had none. I went from the penthouse to the crap house in no time.”
After receiving treatment more than 20 times for his addictions, he finally was able to beat those demons. Marcol always believed in God, but it was when he trusted Him to
take over his life that his recovery finally took hold. In 2007, he completed his last treatment, but by no means considers himself cured. He remains in a constant state of recovery.
“That phrase ‘one day at a time,’ or ‘one game at a time,’ I used to think that was so stupid,” Marcol said. “But that’s a fact. You know, I have a daily reprieve contingent on my spiritual wellness.”
He has turned his addiction demons into becoming others’ guardian angel. Marcol finally used his Hillsdale degree in health and physical education, accepting a position as an addiction counselor with the Phoenix House, a non-profit treatment center located in Calumet, Michigan, in the far reaches of the western Upper Peninsula. Marcol dislikes the wintry weather, but he said the Phoenix House gives him purpose and continues to save his life. Although he is long past retirement age, Marcol continues to work four days a week. He said his life depends on it.
“I don’t work. I have a passion for this work,” Marcol said. “I will retire when my Maker retires me.”
His NFL notoriety and his addiction past give him credibility with his clients. However, Marcol knows the odds are that most addicts will never recover, meaning his job is often a daunting task.
“My responsibility is to pass that on to other people and plant a seed of hope,” Marcol said of his work with his clients.
He can’t save most, but he has helped some. And he has made peace with that.
“I have many friends who [were] 20 years [sober] and are no longer here [alive] because they decided to drink or use drugs again,” he said. “My hope for all my patients is that the road they take from the treatment will be a different road from what they came in on. If you go back on the same road you come in on, the chances of recovery are nonexistent.”
Remarkably, Marcol is still able to get around, although the years of addiction have taken a toll. His chest is a “road atlas” of surgery scars, and a defibrillator keeps his heartbeat steady. His eyesight is failing and there are fewer teeth from his college days. But his trademark warm, wide smile is still there.
As a member of the Packers Hall of Fame, he is invited back regularly for the team’s Alumni Day. Marcol compares the Green Bay community to Hillsdale and still has strong loyalties to the Packers and their fans.
An avid hunter and fisherman, Marcol is content with living a simple life in the U.P. His work with the Phoenix House keeps him going, as well as his love for his children. His 94-year-old mom still walks a mile a day, and he visits her from time to time. He knows the pain and suffering he has inflicted on his family and friends, not to mention himself, but is making amends the best way he can: helping others beat addiction.
“I’m just grateful for small gifts,” Marcol said. “I have always been a real simple guy from Poland.”
Tears flow when he talks about his former college coach and mentor. He said he often dreams of Hillsdale College and was grateful to visit campus for the first time in decades.
“Walking around today was a privilege, like a dream come true,” he said of his visit. “What a special place.”
On his campus tour, Marcol wanted to see “The Clock,” also known as Central Hall, which is one of his favorite places. As he straddled the 50-yard line of Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium’s field, he squinted at the bright yellow goalposts to the north and smiled.
“It doesn’t look that far,” he said, pondering reliving his glory days one more time. But reality quickly sets in. “I may be a little crazy, but I’m not stupid.”
Tears flow when he talks about his former college coach and mentor. He said he often dreams of Hillsdale College and was grateful to visit campus for the first time in decades.
(WHO SAW ACTION IN A REGULAR SEASON GAME)
A ninth-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1964, Mudd played seven seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times, earned All-Pro twice, and was selected to the 1960s NFL All-Decade Team. After his playing days were over, Mudd became one of the most successful offensive line coaches in NFL history. He coached for six different organizations and helped the Indianapolis Colts win a Super Bowl in 2009. After Mudd’s death in 2020 due to a motorcycle accident, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning had this to say about him in a statement released by the Colts: “He was a legendary coach. In my opinion, Howard Mudd was the best offensive line coach in NFL history. I would put him on that pedestal any day of the week. I know all the guys that played for him would feel the same way and a lot of the guys that coached with him would feel the same. He will be missed by many. I know so many like me are grateful to have played for him.”
A transfer to Hillsdale College from the University of Michigan, McLenna was a 228-pound running back whose combination of size and speed made him a legend at Hillsdale. Named a Little All-American, he was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1966. A knee injury ended his season early, and the next year he was traded to the New Orleans Saints. He also had brief stints with the Baltimore Colts and Kansas City Chiefs. While conducting duties as a member of the Missouri National Guard, McLenna died as the result of a vehicle accident on June 18, 1968. He was 26.
A legendary track star at Hillsdale due to his blazing speed, Johnson was also a menace on the football field for the Chargers. As a wide receiver and kick returner, he was feared by opponents for his breakaway speed, so much so that the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in 1980 as a return specialist. Playing one year for the Steelers, Johnson returned five kickoffs for 89 yards, a 17.8 average.
HOWARD MUDD DURING HIS TIME PLAYING FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, FROM 1964 TO 1969.
After a career with Hillsdale in which Veldheer was a four-year starter at tackle and a two-time All-GLIAC performer, the Oakland Raiders drafted the left tackle in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He had a solid 11-year career, including being named the team MVP by the Arizona Cardinals after the 2014 season. As a 6-foot-8-inch tackle, Veldheer played 121 NFL games with the Raiders, Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, and Indianapolis Colts. His last season was in 2020, and he is now a successful businessman in the Grand Rapids area.
The rangy wide receiver had a standout career at Hillsdale. Despite not getting drafted, Holmes earned a roster spot with the Dallas Cowboys in 2012 as an undrafted free agent, and he carved out a seven-year NFL career with the Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills, and Denver Broncos before retiring in 2018. His best year was in 2014 with Oakland, when he caught 47 passes for 693 yards and four touchdowns. Holmes finished his career with 128 receptions for 1,744 yards and 15 touchdowns.
After completing his Hillsdale degree in 2019, VanValkenburg transferred to the University of Iowa, where he developed into an NFL prospect. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Raiders in 2022, and then with the Los Angeles Rams. In 2023, his first NFL season, he finished with one quarterback sack and nine tackles as a backup linebacker for the Rams. He is currently listed on the Rams roster entering the 2024 season.
Nick Kerbawy, ’41
General
Manager
With a background in journalism and public relations, William “Nick” Kerbawy was the general manager of the Detroit Lions during a time when the Lions were the dominant team of the 1950s. Detroit won three World Championships during his tenure, the last coming in 1957. Kerbawy left the Lions after the 1957 season to become the general manager of the NBA’s Detroit Pistons. One of the founders of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, he was inducted as a member in 1985 and also served as its commissioner from 1954 to 1988. Kerbawy received an Alumni Achievement Award from Hillsdale College in 1952. He passed away in 1990 at the age of 77.
Tom Heckert, ’90
General Manager
Heckert came to Hillsdale as a football recruit, and eventually became a student coach during his time with the Chargers. After graduation, he joined the Miami Dolphins as a scout in 1991, and spent 27 years in the NFL, including stints as general manager for the Cleveland Browns (2010-12) and Philadelphia Eagles (2006-09). Heckert joined the Denver Broncos in May of 2013 as director of player personnel, a role he held for four seasons. He helped the Broncos win a Super Bowl in 2016. After the 2017 season, Heckert, who had battled amyloidosis for several years, stepped away from the team for health reasons. After passing away in August of 2018 at age 51, Broncos President John Elway had this to say about Heckert: “With his many years of experience and time as a GM, Tom was a tremendous resource and a key member of our team. He was a very good evaluator—he had an eye for talent, and we always trusted his voice. It’s easy to see why Tom was widely respected and had so many great relationships across the league. I’ll always be grateful for how he helped me transition into this position.”
BY DOUG GOODNOUGH, ’90
HARDENBERGH TRADES ONE UNIFORM FOR ANOTHER IN SERVING HIS COUNTRY
IT WAS ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF HIS MIND.
Joe Hardenbergh’s family had a long history of military service, from World War II to the Korean War. So when he was thinking about his options after graduating from Detroit Catholic Central High School, the Naval Academy was something he seriously considered, even in his childhood.
In fact, he was working through the academy’s application process when then-Hillsdale College baseball coaches Eric and Gordie Theisen started recruiting him. After Hardenbergh visited campus and talked to former high school teammate Cody Kanclerz, who was a freshman on the Chargers baseball team, Hillsdale became a viable option.
He was all in when he learned that Hillsdale also offered the Marine Officer Candidate School program.
“I just decided at Hillsdale, I can get the best of both worlds,” he said. “I can do baseball and do this thing called Marine Officer Candidate School. I ended up coming here, and it was the perfect option.”
Five years later, Hardenbergh, ’24, couldn’t imagine himself anywhere else. The standout outfielder just finished his collegiate baseball career and graduated in May. He was commissioned into the U.S. Marine Corps in August, starting his rigorous training to become a pilot.
“I JUST DECIDED AT HILLSDALE, I CAN GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. I CAN DO BASEBALL AND DO THIS THING CALLED MARINE OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL. I ENDED UP COMING HERE, AND IT WAS THE PERFECT OPTION.”
“THIS PLACE REALLY MOLDED MY LIFE. IT TAUGHT ME SO MANY VIRTUES AND HELPED ME GROW IN MY FAITH IN GOD AS WELL. (HILLSDALE) HAS BEEN SUCH A HUGE PART OF MY LIFE, ESPECIALLY THE TEAM. JUST THE CLASSIC ‘STRENGTH REJOICES IN THE CHALLENGE.’ IT’S TRUE HERE. IT’S HARD, BUT IT REALLY HELPS MOLD YOU INTO A BETTER PERSON.”
“When I first stepped on campus, Coach (Gordie) Theisen said, ‘If you show up to practice every day and do what you’re supposed to do, you might be a starter,’” Hardenbergh recounted. “‘If you are putting in extra hours of work and doing stuff over time, you might be an allconference player. And if you’re in here more than anybody else and busting your tail to be the best you possibly can be, you will be an AllAmerican, or you’ll get close to that.’ It’s really prepared me, hopefully, for the military.”
Hardenbergh cracked the Chargers starting lineup as a freshman and was a four-year starter for Hillsdale. In 2023, he had a team-high 14 home runs and a .325 batting average with 37 RBIs to earn first-team allconference honors. But that season didn’t start out the best.
“I started the season off 0-for-14 with 11 [strikeouts],” he said. “It was just miserable. Before that, I had some injuries, and I was thinking I might just be washed up and have nothing left in the tank. But then something switched in my head where I thought, ‘Okay, regardless if I do or I don’t figure it out, I just want to say I went down trying.’”
After spending numerous extra hours in the batting cage, something finally clicked in his swing, and from there, Hardenbergh had the best season of his playing career.
While healing from shoulder surgery last summer, he could not complete his Marine Officer program
training. With a group of 15 seniors returning to the baseball program, Hardenbergh decided to use his extra year of college eligibility granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another year at Hillsdale also allowed the biology major to take some military leadership classes on campus. Hardenbergh said Hillsdale faculty member Dr. Peter Jennings—a former Marine—has been a mentor during his time on campus.
“I was glad I had the chance to take classes with Dr. Jennings because I feel like what I learned will benefit my future career,” he said. “He is probably the best resource out there to be a Marine officer.”
In 2024, Hardenbergh turned in solid numbers for the Chargers, finishing with a .268 average with seven home runs and 36 RBIs. Although he didn’t have quite the season he hoped for, he is grateful for the extra year with the team and on campus.
“This place really molded my life,” he said of Hillsdale. “It taught me so many virtues and helped me grow in my faith in God as well. [Hillsdale] has been such a huge part of my life, especially the team. Just the classic ‘strength rejoices in the challenge.’ It’s true here. It’s hard, but it really helps mold you into a better person.”
His parents, Jim and Mary, have also made a significant impact on the program. In fact, Mary is considered the “team mom,” offering food and support both at home and on the road.
“She always finds a need and fills it,” he said of his mother. “She’s probably the most selfless person I know.”
He will soon show some of his own selfless qualities when he goes to serve his country. Hardenbergh will travel to Pensacola, Florida, for a physical, and will complete six months of basic training in Quantico, Virginia. Then there’s two years of flight school, where he will be trained to become a Marine pilot one day.
“I’ve always wanted to serve my country,” he said of his more than 10-year commitment to the Marines.
“And I thought if I would be able to protect Marines and help Marines on the ground and potentially save their lives, I would be honored to do that. It’s obviously a long road from here. I want to fight for a greater good, and I hope to do my best to serve my country.”
Hardenbergh is trading one uniform for another, and he is ready for his next assignment.
“With my college athletic career ending recently, I was thinking a lot about baseball and how much it’s taught me,” Hardenbergh said.
“I think baseball has taught me more about my life than anything else I’ve done. When you’re struggling, you have to own up to it and keep moving forward. Baseball has helped me to deal with failure. And I think that will be a big aspect of my military career.”
Hillsdale College’s 25th Hall of Fame class represents four individuals and one team who helped establish records, many of which still remain. They were honored on October 11 at the Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet during Homecoming Weekend.
Here’s a closer look at this year’s inductees:
One of the greatest sprinters in Hillsdale College track and field history, Redpath qualified for four NAIA national meets and set the program’s 100-meter dash record. He ran on a Canadian national record-setting sprint medley relay in 1969 and ran a time of 9.48 seconds in the 100-yard dash at the 1971 Pan Am Games trials. While helping lead Hall of Fame coach Doug Hansen’s track and field teams to unprecedented success, he also played for Muddy Waters’ football team, showcasing enough skill despite injuries to earn a tryout with the NFL’s Chicago Bears after graduation. After Hillsdale, Redpath graduated from law school at the University of Detroit-Mercy and went on to become a tenured professor at Canisius College and a statechampionship-winning high school soccer coach in New York.
(posthumous)
From his time as a student in the 1970s through his work as a football coach in the early 1980s, he was a major contributor to Chargers Athletics until his passing in 2023. As a receivers coach for the football team from 1979 to 1984, Rentschler was a part of Dick Lowry’s turnaround of the program that culminated in Hillsdale’s 1985 NAIA national title. Leaving coaching for a long and successful business career with Sterling Cut Glass, Rentschler continued to give back to his alma mater in a variety of ways, helping to run Hillsdale’s Varsity Alumni Association, the Charger Club, and the Gridiron Club as well as organizing Hillsdale’s branch of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Rentschler was also a generous financial supporter of Hillsdale Athletics and a regular presence at a variety of Chargers sporting events over the years.
A player honored by Hall of Fame coach Dick Lowry as “the best defensive player I ever coached,” Huge was a one-person wrecking crew on some of the greatest teams in Hillsdale College football history. In three seasons as a starter for the Chargers, Huge put up monster numbers for a defensive tackle, recording sack totals for a season and career that still rank second in Hillsdale history. As a sophomore in 1985, Huge finished with 19 sacks to pace a Chargers defense that led the nation in total and scoring defense and brought Hillsdale to its only national college football championship in school history. In 1986, Huge was named a first-team All-American and helped secure a repeat GLIAC title and NAIA playoff appearance for the Chargers. In 1987, he became one of only six defensive linemen in Hillsdale history to win team MVP honors.
A five-time NAIA All-American, Meadows was one of the greatest in Hillsdale history at track and field’s toughest event: the decathlon. He was the leading scorer at every GLIAC championship meet from 1992 to 1994, leading Hillsdale to six consecutive GLIAC indoor and outdoor titles in a stretch of team success for the Chargers men that has never been equaled. He’s best remembered for his legendary performance at the 1994 GLIAC Outdoor Championships when he scored 44 points across seven events in a single day of competition to help the Chargers clinch a third straight title. Meadows graduated in 1995 with school records in both the indoor and outdoor triple jump. Also a football player for Hall of Fame coach Dick Lowry, he contributed to Hillsdale’s 1992 MIFC title team.
A breakthrough squad for legendary Hillsdale College coach Chris Gravel, the 2006 Chargers volleyball team recorded a series of historic firsts that put the program on the map, both regionally and nationally. The 2006 squad is still the only volleyball team in school history to achieve a perfect regular season record, finishing 27-0. The team also secured the program’s first GLIAC regular season championship, earned the right to host the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional for the first time, and recorded the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory. Led by middle hitter Taryn Rudland, the program’s first GLIAC Player of the Year, Midwest Region Player of the Year, and NCAA DII All-American, and outside hitter Melissa Bartlett (who would also win all those awards a season later), the Chargers were one of the best offensive teams in the country. During the 2006 season, Hillsdale was ranked as high as third in the nation, a mark that wouldn’t be surpassed by a Chargers volleyball team until 2021.
Know a former Charger who may be worthy of the Athletic Hall of Fame?
Visit hillsdalechargers.com/ sports/2024/5/20/athletics-HOFAthleticHallofFame and complete the nomination form by December 1, 2024, to be considered for the 2025 class.
BY STEPHANIE GORDON
A college football team with three brothers on its roster is a rarity. For the Affholter brothers—twins Ben and Nick, both ’25, and Zac, ’27—the word “brotherhood” has a new meaning because of football. From putting in hard work on the field to competing together in the weight room, football has strengthened the offensive linemen in more ways than one.
Football has been a constant in the Affholters’ lives from the beginning. The brothers started playing football in third grade and fondly remember playing the sport together in their backyard. “After attending so many college football games on Saturdays, we were set on playing football in college,” Nick said of their younger selves.
“When it came down to it, I just really enjoyed playing football with my brothers. When I had the opportunity to play at a high level and go to a great school, I couldn’t pass it up.” #66 | Zac Affholter, ’27
A passion for athletics naturally runs deep in the Affholter family. The brothers’ parents, Brad and Darcy Morton Affholter, ’97, ’97, were both Chargers athletes. Their grandfather, Darrel Morton, ’64, was too. And when it came time to choose a college, both Ben and Nick knew Hillsdale was the perfect fit. Younger brother Zac explored every other option to go somewhere else—just to be different from his brothers. “When it came down to it, I just really enjoyed playing football with my brothers,” Zac said. “When I had the opportunity to play at a high level and go to a great school, I couldn’t pass it up.”
Ben echoed Zac’s sentiment, explaining that football is a family thing for them. “The game of football means so much to us,” Ben added. “Being able to play together is special, especially because we get to experience it at the collegiate level.”
During their high school years, the Affholter brothers played football at Reading High School in nearby Reading, Michigan. Brad, the former Reading Rangers offensive line coach, coached all of his sons. Both Ben and Nick helped lead the Reading Rangers to two state championship titles in 2018 and 2019.
own brothers is different. We’ve gone through so much together. We push each other on the field and in the weight room. Seeing that competitiveness with your brothers has been special.”
Zac explained that he’s had the privilege of witnessing his older brothers achieve greatness while growing up. “I’ve been learning from them my whole life. I’ve watched them develop into all-conference players and become really talented offensive linemen. There’s nobody else I’d rather learn from. No one has pushed me and encouraged me more than my brothers. They push me to a higher standard and want to see me do well. I can see myself getting better because of them.”
But the support and love for the game goes beyond their brotherhood. They said none of this would be possible without their parents and fans. “They have supported us so well, whether that be through watching games, tailgating, driving people to games, or genuinely showing interest in how the game went,” Nick said. “They see how much we love it. With our parents being former college athletes, it’s been instilled in us to compete, and I think they really demonstrated their love for us in that.”
Brad returned to the College as an assistant offensive line coach for the Chargers in 2023. His sons said that this is his dream job, and it’s been a joy to witness his continued passion for the game. “He’s very experienced and taught us everything we know,” said Nick. “It’s been meaningful to see our relationship change in a sort of ‘man-to-man’ way.”
The brothers, who also call themselves “best friends,” said that their relationship has grown stronger because of football. “I say it all the time—if you’re joining a football team, you’re instantly gaining 100 friends,” Nick said. “But the relationship with your
According to the Chargers Athletic Department, Nick is a two-time All-G-MAC honoree (1st team in 2023, 3rd team in 2022) and was named the team’s Offensive Lineman of the Year in both 2022 and 2023. Nick also has 37 career starts on the line and Ben has 26 career starts. In 2023, both Ben and Nick helped the offensive line pave the way for the second-best rushing performance in the G-MAC—2,351 yards in 11 games.
The brothers said they play for God and thank Him for their continued success. “Faith is a really important thing in our life,” said Ben. “We have
“We’ve always been proud of each other and this community. I’m glad we get to share this time together. The ability to have our fans watch us play and do something we love at a considerably higher level is important to us because they’re part of our family, too. Football has helped expand our family and has allowed us to stay connected to so many special relationships.” #69 | Nick Affholter, ’25
coach-led Bible studies on Friday mornings and there’s a player-led Bible study on Thursday nights. Sharing our faith through sports has helped us grow closer as brothers, too.”
Both Ben and Nick will take the field at Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium one last time this fall as fifth-year seniors under new head coach Nate Shreffler. They both said playing football has helped them develop discipline, a strong work ethic, and time management skills. “I think these are all great qualities that sports teach if you want to be successful,” Nick said. By working hard, we see success on and off the field.”
For the brothers’ futures, they all want to be passionate about what they do—just as they have been for the game of football. “I’d love to coach somewhere,” Ben said. “I want my future to be meaningful, and I want to be proud of it.”
Growing up in the area and feeling the community support is why all three Affholter brothers chose to come to Hillsdale College. “We’ve always been proud of each other and this community,” Nick concluded.
“I’m glad we get to share this time together. The ability to have our fans watch us play and do something we love at a considerably higher level is important to us because they’re part of our family, too. Football has helped expand our family and has allowed us to stay connected to so many special relationships.”
We’re excited to announce a new way to promote and support Hillsdale College Athletics. The Charger Champions Club offers one club, one team, and one family in support of Hillsdale Athletics that allows every Charger—past, present, or future—to play an important role in our success.
The club supports all 16 intercollegiate sports and 400-plus student-athletes at Hillsdale College. The goal is to allow every program and student-athlete to compete at a championship-caliber level while also excelling in the classroom.
Donations to the Charger Champions Club assist:
• Team travel
• Equipment
• Sports performance
• Health and wellness
• Academic support
• Facilities enhancements
• And more!
Anyone who donates to Hillsdale College Athletics will receive an annual membership in the club, with membership benefits at certain giving levels. Additionally, all Charger Champions Club members at the $300 and above annual giving level will receive invitations to special events at some home games and the Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony. For
BY DOUG GOODNOUGH, ’90
Hillsdale College Athletics recently completed a strategic plan that will address the needs of the department for years to come. Here are some of the major funding priorities that were identified in this plan:
PRIORITY #1: SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING
Some Hillsdale athletic programs are funded to the maximum amount allowed by NCAA Division II and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. But some are not. The goal is to focus on getting those remaining sports funded to the levels needed not only to be competitive, but also to be at the level of other championship programs. Fundraising for scholarships is and will continue to be one of the top priorities
Indoor turf facilities are becoming more commonplace, not only for colleges and universities but, in many cases, for high schools. Hillsdale College needs a similar facility that will meet the needs of our student-athletes and College community. It will be a practice and training area for the intercollegiate teams, but it also will be used for other activities such as intramural sports, club teams, and College and community events. Plans call for an 80-yard indoor artificial turf field that will include locker rooms, an observation suite, and a weight room. The estimated cost to complete is $26 million.
PRIORITY #2: SOFTBALL STADIUM
Johnny Williams Field was built on a former garbage dump on the banks of Lake Winona nearly 40 years ago. It’s time for a new facility. The softball program, which is coming off another successful season, has great potential to succeed on the national level, but needs a new facility to help it get there. The new stadium will relocate to the northeast of the baseball field. This new location will provide more stable ground and expanded space for a synthetic turf field, a 100-seat covered grandstand, stadium lighting, and more. The estimated cost to complete is $4.3 million
While the playing surface is state-of-the-art, the infrastructure of Muddy Waters Stadium has not been updated in many years. The plan is to remove the now-obsolete track that circles the field and shrink the footprint to help spectators get closer to the action. This will also include a renovated press box. The estimated cost to complete is $17 million
There are naming opportunities available for all of the above projects. To learn how you can support Hillsdale College Athletics, please contact Director of Athletic Development Jeff Lantis at jlantis@hillsdale.edu or (734) 516-9036.
PRIORITY #2:
FEATURES:
• SYNTHETIC TURF FIELD
• NEW COVERED 100-SEAT GRANDSTAND AND 200-SEAT EXPANSION
• NEW PRESS BOX
• CONCESSIONS AND RESTROOMS IN STADIUM
• NEW SCOREBOARD
• STADIUM LIGHTING FOR EVENING PLAY
Baseball
Pitcher Paul Brophy was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team. To be considered, a student-athlete must be either a starter or a meaningful contributor, and carry a 3.5 or better cumulative GPA. The senior from Eckley, Colorado, graduated this spring with honors and a degree in biochemistry.
Softball
Junior outfielder Maggie Olaveson and senior pitcher
Joni Russell each earned all-region recognition from the D2CCA and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Olaveson earned first-team honors, and Russell earned second-team honors from the D2CCA. Olaveson hit .378 with 14 doubles, 13 home runs, 35 RBI, and 34 runs scored, and Russell posted a 17-6 record overall, with a 1.49 ERA and 231 strikeouts in 145.1 innings pitched.
Men’s Basketball
Junior Jacob Meyer was the recipient of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference’s Elite 26 Award. The award goes to the athlete participating in a G-MAC championship with the highest cumulative GPA among all players involved in the championship. Meyer boasts an impressive 3.97 cumulative GPA.
Women’s Basketball
The Chargers had their best conference finish since the program’s last conference title in 2008-09. Hillsdale had a 13-7 conference record and tied for fourth place in the G-MAC. Along the way, the Chargers snapped two lengthy losing streaks to G-MAC foes, including a nine-game skid against Walsh and a 10-game drought to Kentucky Wesleyan. It was the first time Hillsdale had defeated either program since the Chargers’ first season in the G-MAC in 2017-18.
Football
Michael Herzog, ’24, became just the second Hillsdale
player selected in the CFL Draft when he was taken with the 56th pick in the sixth round by the Montreal Alouettes. A two-year starter at running back for the Chargers, Herzog was a consensus All-American and a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the NCAA DII equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. He was also invited to the Detroit Lions rookie camp in May.
Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country
Competing in his first collegiate NCAA Division II Outdoor Championship, junior Ben Haas’s mark of 63.15 meters in the hammer throw earned him All-American status with a seventh-place finish. This latest All-American status gives him three in three national appearances.
Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country
Senior Liz Wamsley, who competed in the 10,000-meter run at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships, finished seventh place with a time of 35 minutes, 28.9 seconds, to earn All-American honors. Wamsley now has five All-American distinctions in her career.
Volleyball
Megan Howard Molenkamp, ’08, a former standout libero for the Chargers from 2004-07, returned to the program as an assistant coach. She also serves as the program’s recruiting coordinator. She had 2,134 career digs at Hillsdale.
Men’s Golf
Sophomores Robert Thompson and Oliver Marshall both earned All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference honors. Both players team with a third exciting young talent in fellow sophomore Ryan O’Rourke to give Hillsdale a strong core to build with over the next three years.
Men’s Tennis
Ryan Papazov of Sutton, a suburb of London, England, is the fifth member of the Class of 2028 joining the Chargers this fall. The third international prospect
signed by Hillsdale in that class, he joins Eddie Bergelin (Bjarred, Sweden), Alex Cordero Lopez (Madrid, Spain), Rintaro Goda (Troy, Michigan), and Sam Plys (Downers Grove, Illinois).
Ane Dannhauser became the third women’s tennis player in Hillsdale history to earn conference Freshman of the Year honors, joining Halle Hyman in 2015 and Hannah Cimpeanu in 2018. She put up 27 wins at first singles and second doubles.
Senior Megan Clifford capped the season with repeat All-American honors in the 200-yard butterfly for the Chargers, placing 13th in the nation with a time of 2:02.27. Clifford joined 2015 Hillsdale graduate Rachael Kurtz as the only Hillsdale College women’s swimmer to earn All-American honors in consecutive seasons.
The Chargers won the ACUI/SCTP Division II High Overall Team National Championship March 19-23, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. This is Hillsdale’s first victory in Division II (teams with 11-20 athletes competing) following a total of seven national titles in Division III since the program started. Hitting 2,899 of 3,000 total team targets, Hillsdale was awarded the coveted Division II High Overall Team trophy.
The Chargers earned several accolades at the 2024 Scholastic Action Shooting Program’s College Nationals, conducted March 8-10, 2024, in Talladega, Alabama. Hillsdale secured a first-place finish in the Centerfire Pistol Optic division, along with second and third place in the Centerfire Pistol division, plus second and third place in the 1911 division.
Shura Ermakov placed sixth in the 400-meter hurdles to garner All-American honors at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Outdoor Championships. She is a six-time All-American and holds four school records.
Liz Wamsley claimed All-American honors in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Outdoor Championships. She is also a six-time All-American.
Eden Little placed seventh in the javelin at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Outdoor Championships with a school record toss of 48.08 meters to earn All-American honors. She is also a four-time G-MAC champion.
Ben Haas placed seventh in the hammer throw with a throw of 63.15 meters to earn All-American honors at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Outdoor Championships. He is a three-time All-American.
The junior first baseman became Hillsdale’s first G-MAC Player of the Year and earned second team All-American honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association.
Megan Clifford, a senior, earned repeat All-American honors in the 200-yard butterfly at the NCAA Division II Swimming Championships, placing 16th overall.
The Chargers claimed the ACUI/SCTP Division II High Overall Team National Championship, their first victory in Division II following a total of seven titles in Division III. They had 11 individual All-American honors.
BY DOUG GOODNOUGH,
Chris Gravel’s goal was to play Major League Baseball. A true competitive soul, he didn’t plan to take “no” for an answer, but if the Major League was out of reach, then he’d settle for becoming a hitting coach.
“Baseball was my number one,” he said, reflecting on his baseball goals when he was entering college.
As a standout high school player, he would have been able to play in college. But a lingering back injury plus other injuries through his last three years of high school hindered him from being recruited and put a damper on those lofty baseball dreams.
“I was injured all the time,” he said. “Whenever I was about to do something or achieve something special, I got injured.”
Gravel began college at Oakland Community College and later transferred to Wayne State University. While at Wayne State, the sport of volleyball began to take center stage for Gravel. He’d spent time before helping his sisters train for the sport; however, taking a methods of teaching volleyball class increased his interest in the sport. He began to play in some indoor tournaments with Wayne State head coach Matt Peck.
“There were a couple of us from the class who were decent,” he said. “And as soon as I realized you could cause pain to an opponent, it became a real sport to me.”
He was eventually invited to train with the Wayne State women’s team, and Gravel learned firsthand just how competitive the sport of volleyball could be.
“I went to the women’s practice, and I was the worst player in the gym,” Gravel said. “That was so hard for my ego. So, for the next month, I trained hard to get better so I could actually be useful.”
While training with the team, Gravel got to know the players and began offering them some feedback, often using analogies from other sports to help convey an idea. Peck was impressed with Gravel’s ability to
give feedback to his team, and after a couple of months, offered Gravel an assistant coaching job.
This new interest in volleyball was intriguing, and he decided to put baseball on hold and give this “girls’ sport” a try.
“I had helped coach my sisters and their friends for as long as I could remember, plus I just fell in love with the sport,” Gravel said.
The rest, as they say, is history.
After a two-year stint at Wayne State and three years at Grand Valley State University as an assistant coach, he was offered the head coaching position at Hillsdale College, which was struggling to compete in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Enter Gravel. After more than 28 years at the helm of Chargers volleyball, Gravel has racked up more than 600 career wins, including numerous conference titles. He has taken the program to the NCAA Division II Tournament 16 out of the past 20 years, including multiple Elite Eight appearances and a Final Four showing. He was the first coach in a team sport ever to host an NCAA regional tournament and the first one to win an NCAA Tournament Championship for Hillsdale College.
Arguably the most successful coach in Hillsdale’s history—in any sport—the 56-year-old Gravel is far from finished.
His ultimate goal: bringing home a national title. With that goal still to be attained, Gravel spends almost every waking moment building the program toward that final prize.
After starting his volleyball coaching career at Wayne State, Gravel took a year off to work in sales and pay down some debt. When the longtime GVSU Head Coach Joan Boand sought him out to be her assistant coach with a mind toward making him her successor, he decided it was worth it to step back into the game.
Though he interviewed for the position, the head coach position was not to be his. He may not have gotten the job, but the man who interviewed him, then-GVSU Athletic Director Dr. Mike Kovalchik, was impressed with Gravel and remembered him.
A year later, Kovalchik joined the Hillsdale College staff as co-athletic director, alongside longtime Athletic Director Jack McAvoy. At the time, McAvoy was looking for a head coach who could rebuild a volleyball program that consistently struggled to compete in both the conference and region. Kovalchik remembered how Gravel had impressed him during his interview at Grand Valley.
When Gravel was hired into the position, he became McAvoy’s last
hire before retiring in the spring of 1996, and subsequently Kovalchik’s first hire. The AD team gave him five years to turn the program around.
“I told Kovalchik we would do that in two years,” Gravel said.
Gravel challenged the players who stayed with the program to raise their standards—things were going to change.
“When we took over, they had a really weak schedule,” Gravel said of Hillsdale’s non-conference opponents.
“In the first year we took over, we made it a national schedule. And we had a lot of headwinds with a much harder schedule.”
Adopting a team that finished 9-24 overall and 4-14 in the conference with a weak schedule, Hillsdale finished 11-22 overall and 6-11 in the conference that first season. It wasn’t great, but a step in the right direction. In year two, the Chargers finished 23-12 and 10-7, and Gravel was on his way to establishing Hillsdale volleyball as a consistent winner—and an eventual power.
Gravel spent the first 10 seasons building Hillsdale into a championship-caliber program. In 2004, the Chargers qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament,
the first in program history and the first for any Hillsdale College team. They repeated the feat in 2005. In 2006, Chargers volleyball went to another level, finishing the regular season 27-0, including a spotless 17-0 conference mark. Hillsdale won its first conference championship and finished an NCAA tournament run with a 29-2 record. This was the first time any team had hosted an NCAA postseason event.
“So, they must realize it’s not about them. It’s about the team. And that’s work. That’s effort because everyone needs to know that they have value, and they all need to know how to do the job.”
Recruiting was paramount to Gravel’s plan for building a competitive program. Selling the College’s strong academic profile and unique mission, he sought student-athletes who were looking at NCAA Division I programs. But recruiting was tricky when the program wasn’t funded at the scholarship levels of other top Division II programs.
“I said, ‘We need to be fully funded. We can make a run at the national title if you make us fully funded,’” Gravel said of his conversations with College leadership. “They decided to give us the increase and make it a level playing field.”
The decision paid quick dividends. In 2011, Hillsdale claimed its fourth GLIAC title in five years and reached the Division II Final Four. The Chargers finished with a 31-3 record, boasting a loaded roster that included future Hillsdale Hall-of-Famers Ashlee Crowder, ’12, and Clara Leutheuser Black, ’12.
In 2017, Hillsdale College pivoted from the GLIAC and joined the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The volleyball program has continued to be a dominant force, winning the conference tournament title the past seven consecutive seasons. Gravel has nine conference Coach of the Year honors to his credit.
Finding the best talent is always a priority for Gravel. However, talent alone is not enough. All Gravel’s players must fit the program’s vision and the College’s mission. Everything he works toward as a coach is making the team the best it can be.
“There’s not a player here who doesn’t deserve to play on game day,” Gravel said. “We have 20 players, but only six people are on the court at the same time. So, they must realize it’s not about them. It’s about the team. And that’s work. That’s effort because everyone needs to know that they have value, and they all need to know how to do the job.”
If the team needs you to play a different position, you do it. It’s part of the buy-in, knowing the team is bigger than an individual. That’s the trust Gravel has in his student-athletes.
“It’s made quite clear: You play wherever I tell you,” he said. “And it’s all about the foundation of the program. On game day, you see the tip of the iceberg—the players on the court. But the base underneath? That’s even bigger. That’s the rest of the team. And that’s what pushes the iceberg out of the water. So, you have a responsibility, whether you’re below the waterline or above the waterline. You need to know how to do both and do it well.”
Gravel’s players get it, even the stars. Crowder, one of the top players in program history, was a standout high school middle hitter who switched to outside hitter for the Chargers. Gravel said he’s even turned away some top recruits because they did not share the program’s mindset.
One was a major Division I recruit who was expecting a scholarship offer when she visited the Hillsdale campus. After her visit, she did not get an offer, and she asked Gravel why not.
“She was with her mother,” Gravel said. “She was rude to her mom all day, and my players noticed it. And I said, ‘OK, I don’t like the way you treat your mother. If you treat your mother that way, how would you treat me and the rest of the team? So, thank you for your time.’”
Gravel said his staff spends countless hours evaluating thousands of recruits. He values the feedback his players give him on recruits and will often take that into account. But ultimately, it falls on him to make these decisions and land the best individuals for the program.
“I’ve done pretty well so far,” he said, smiling.
Being a college coach takes sacrifice. Countless hours preparing, recruiting, coaching, mentoring, and listening. When Gravel married his wife, Stephanie, nearly 30 years ago, they entered into an “experiment” of sorts. After Gravel was named head coach, Stephanie became his assistant. Actually, according to the Gravels, it was more like a co-head coach arrangement.
“In the beginning, all we did was work,” Gravel said. “I mean, for three years, we almost never took a day off. It was definitely a partnership. We shared office and coaching duties at home and on the road. A lot of it was just back and forth, taking it home and on the road always. It was a pretty exciting and challenging time.” When their daughter, Brooklynn, was born, she eventually became part of the “family business.”
“She went on almost every recruiting trip,” Gravel said of Brooklynn, who is now 23. “She had to come to the office and work with recruits. I think she learned to like it. Steph, Brooklynn, and I maintained and continued to grow the dynasty. It was truly a family effort.”
After nearly 25 years at his side, Stephanie left the program to work in the College’s Student Affairs Office. Gravel has since added two full-time assistants to help him continue his work, which never ends.
“I think I missed my fourth day of practice in my career this year,” he said. “Even after I’ve broken both arms. I’ve broken my nose. I’ve had surgeries. But I come into work. I mean, there’s just no time off. I can go away for a weekend, and I can take vacations now, but at certain times, they’re still non-negotiable.”
Gravel believes in and teaches what it means to be driven. It is more important than being motivated by a goal. To be driven means you are so determined to achieve something or be successful that all of your behavior is directed toward this aim.
“Encouraging players in self-belief is critical,” he said. “It’s important to find as many ways as possible for
“If I want them to be good leaders, I have to teach them leadership. And that’s going to make the biggest impact.”
players to practice healthy thoughts. It’s a balance of honesty and being self-aware for true growth, and at the same time, being your own best friend. A player’s self-talk can make them or break them in critical moments of the game.”
There’s plenty of focus on volleyball training. But that sometimes can manifest itself in unique ways under Gravel’s leadership.
“We do more growth in our off-season than we do during our season,” said Gravel, who likes to use everything at his disposal, including the weather.
“If it snows, the team knows we’re probably going outside to find a way to ‘enjoy’ the elements, and it will likely be at 6:00 a.m.”
He will also create assignments and tasks based on things he’s seen or read and insert them into the training process.
“We have pool workouts with relays, including the dreaded sweatshirt relay,” he said. “So, it really doesn’t matter what you’re doing. It’s about the competition, building mental fortitude, and going outside your comfort zone.”
Much of Gravel’s philosophy comes from absorbing information from different sports and applying them to volleyball. Take baseball, for example.
“I truly believed I could get a hit 100 percent of the time,” he said. “And
that’s why I got a hit 40 percent of the time, right? If I thought I could get a hit 40 percent of the time, then I would have been one of many average hitters.”
Gravel said the best way to learn something is to teach it. To that end, his players are instructors in his summer youth and team camps.
“If I want them to be good leaders,” he said, “I have to teach them leadership. And that’s going to make the biggest impact. I didn’t really learn how to play the game until I was 21 or 22 years old. So, I had to actually do it. Studies have shown that you can read something, you can hear something, but if you teach something, that’s when it really sticks. Players teaching others is really a key component to our success on the court.”
Winning is the ultimate goal. But Gravel has his own nuanced definition.
“When you come in, our goals are to win a conference, regional, and national title,” he said. “Although it’s not about the hardware; we just call that icing. I want players to improve in everything they do all the time. And if that happens, all those other things fall into place. But you’re going to hear me talk about a national title and a conference title. It comes down to daily routines and the decisions made each day. So yeah, I believe it can happen. I hope it will happen. Ultimately, this program is about the person they are growing into, the friendships that evolve, and the habits
they are creating to be successful citizens in today’s world. Whether it’s reframing a negative outlook, practicing gratitude, or demonstrating perseverance in a tough situation, this is a part of my philosophy on what it means to win in life and on the court.”
When Gravel and his wife arrived at Hillsdale, they planned a short stay. Improve the program, then move on. Hillsdale was to be a steppingstone. But the more they learned about the mission of the College and how well his coaching philosophy aligned, the more he and his family wanted to remain and build something special.
“This is really a pretty neat place. The longer I am here, I really want to do everything I can to keep this program in the best light possible,” Gravel said of the College. “I would love for all the past and current players to experience the ultimate goal of winning a national title. As a coach, that would be incredibly rewarding, especially because I know I am not easy to play for and I ask a lot of my players and staff. It would be a victory for all those loyal fans and our Hillsdale family. And it would also be the best ‘I told you so,’ for those who said it was too difficult to have a successful or winning program at Hillsdale College.”
BY DOUG GOODNOUGH, ’90
Jay and Joy Wright Hilscher, ’97, ’96, love doing things together as a family, so much so that they’ve turned it into their business.
As the owners of Lone Star Relays for more than 17 years, the Hilschers have married family life and their love
of running into a successful business venture in Round Rock, Texas. They operate several cross country relay races per year, including the prestigious Texas Independence Relay each March.
But the togetherness started at Hillsdale College.
They met at a freshman mixer before even taking their first class at Hillsdale and have been together ever since. Both involved in the Chargers’ track and cross country programs, they spent countless hours together
either practicing or competing during a running season that lasted most of the academic year.
They wed soon after graduation and moved close to Jay’s childhood home near Austin, Texas. Their love of running remained, and they wanted to keep that passion alive.
“We enjoyed our teams so much, and it’s hard to give that up when you graduate because that’s where your friend group is from,” Joy said. “And so we just found another running group when we graduated. Then we
“I
feel lIke I got such a good classic education. I feel so comfortable wIth it, and it’s so rIch and so deep. I had amazIng professors. I got such a great foundatIon at Hillsdale.”
–Joy Wright Hilscher
started coaching soon after that.”
Jay was working a finance job with Dell, and Joy stayed at home as the couple started a family. However, they quickly found out something was missing.
“It’s a lot of hours; it’s a lot of time,” Joy said of Jay’s demanding office position. “We wanted something that we could do that was more interesting to us and that we would be more passionate about. So we tossed around a couple of ideas. There’s a couple of other relays like what we do that are in different parts of the country. We had been looking for something we could do on our own. And so that’s what we decided to do.”
Jay left his job at Dell, and the couple started their Lone Star Relays business. They knew the running part well but found out there’s so much more to “running” a relay race. There’s logistics like setting up portable toilets along the race route and making sure each city or town is prepared when hundreds of runners make their way through the route. There’s registration and marketing and all the other things that need to happen to run a successful relay.
“We’ve become experts in this very strange field where there’s really no book to tell you what to do,” Jay said. “We just figured it out.”
Jay is responsible for much of the race logistics and is often the one who corresponds with the teams.
Joy is there to take care of whatever else is necessary to make the event a success. “If we want something, we’ll build it, we’ll make it, we’ll sew it,” Joy said. “We are always brainstorming and then usually out of these crazy ideas, we come out with something solid.”
It takes months to plan and execute a typical cross country relay race. And it often requires an army of family and friend volunteers to make it work. The Hilschers have seven children ranging in age from 5 to 27. Each one has a role in the business,
from packing gift bags to taking pictures to working the merchandise tent. Even Jay’s parents help with whatever they can to ensure a successful event.
The Texas Independence Relay is in its 16th year. The relay is an approximately 200-mile race from Gonzales to Houston, Texas, and each relay team is comprised of 12 runners of various skill levels. Some teams are competitive and some are not, but the Hilschers said they rely on the honor system. The overall goal is for everyone to have a great experience.
“We have to tell people that they’re going to spend an entire weekend
running with 12 of their friends, and they’re going to love it,” Jay said of marketing the relay races. “And even though it sounds like it’s horrible and sounds like it might be Hades for them, actually they are going to really love it. It’s almost like a little party. It’s like a big parade.”
The Hilschers also operate a few other relay races around Texas. This year, they will host the 170-mile Red River Relay in late October from Texas to Oklahoma. A few years back, then Texas Gov. Rick Perry competed in one of their relays, which was sort of a campaign tour for him.
“He loved it because he got to go through all these small towns and do all his campaigning,” Jay said.
The Hilschers are also involved in coaching youth track and field, with Jay leading the local homeschool high school team. In their free time, if they get any, they enjoy volunteering for many of their children’s activities and at their church. The couple has homeschooled all their children, and Joy said the couple is thankful for the classical liberal arts education they received at Hillsdale.
“I feel like I got such a good classic education,” said Joy, who was an English major. “I feel so comfortable with it, and it’s so rich and so deep. I had amazing professors. I got such a great foundation at Hillsdale.”
To learn more about Lone Star Relays, visit www.lonestarrelays.com.
BY DOUG GOODNOUGH, ’90
MICHAEL LAKE CARVES OUT 25-YEAR PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL CAREER IN EUROPE
After a standout basketball career at Hillsdale College, where he was a sharpshooting point guard who led the Chargers to a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title, Michael Lake, ’95, thought he was good enough to play professional basketball. Soon after graduation, he traveled to Chicago to try out for a few overseas professional teams.
He thought he performed well, but never received a call back. Quickly pivoting to his “fallback” plan, Lake moved to California to pursue an accounting career.
Fast forward two years. Although thoughts of a professional career had waned, he was content playing on the weekends in a pickup league that included some current and former NBA and major college players. A friend introduced him to someone who had professional basketball connections in Europe.
“About two weeks after we met, he called me and said, ‘I just got a call from my old team, and they are looking to make a change of their import player,’” Lake said of the conversation. “At that time, teams could have one non-
European player per team. And they were looking for a point guard.”
More than two years out of college and not in “playing shape,” he was told he had a month to prepare. Further complicating things is that he had just signed a new lease and was entering the busy audit season at his firm. “I thought, there’s no way. I mean, I put on a good 15 pounds. I didn’t think this was going to work,” Lake said.
However, after his roommates and his firm encouraged him to pursue the opportunity— and after some prayer—Lake decided to follow his dream. That dream has lasted more than 25 years as a professional player, coach, and administrator in Germany and France.
His professional basketball career began in January of 1998. After finishing a frenetic workout regimen, Lake moved to Germany and joined the Nördlingen team near Munich. The city, which Lake said looked straight out of medieval times, loved its hometown club. Now a professional player and the only American on the team, he had an adjustment period to both basketball and the German culture.
“My first game was a little rough,” Lake admitted. “I asked for a break after the first five minutes. I was just winded. And the coach looked at me and said, ‘No, you’re the ringer. You’re over here for a reason.’”
His game shape improved, and Lake went on to have a very successful first season. When he was invited back to play the next year, Lake thought he would spend maybe three to five years overseas playing professionally, then return to the U.S. to get married and start a family.
But the playing opportunities continued, and he quickly moved through the different professional levels in Germany over the next few years. His girlfriend and now wife, Dawn, was able to secure a job in Germany. When she moved there, that also helped the decision process to stay in Europe long term.
After seven years as a professional, Lake finally earned an opportunity to play for Nuremberg, which was a first division club, the highest German professional level. A highlight was playing against eventual NBA and German legend Dirk Nowitzki. Lake and the former Dallas Mavericks superstar each scored 35 points in a back-and-forth contest, with Nowitzki’s team eventually pulling out a narrow victory.
Lake, who finished his Hillsdale career with 1,608 points and was named the GLIAC Tournament MVP during his senior season, said making it to the first division in Germany was also a career highlight.
“It’s a grind because if you’re not an ex-NBA player or haven’t played at a high Division I [school], it’s hard to get there,” said Lake, who was also named All-GLIAC as a senior at Hillsdale. “So it was nice to get there.”
He had an opportunity to travel to many European countries while playing in Nuremberg. His best year came in 2007-08, when he averaged 16.4 points and 3 assists per game. He was named to the all-defense team in 2004-05, and he was the league scoring leader in four different seasons over his professional playing career.
“Outside of basketball, which has been great, I couldn’t have imagined the experience,” Lake said. “Just the people I’ve met. I ended up
“OUTSIDE
OF BASKETBALL, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT, I COULDN’T HAVE IMAGINED THE EXPERIENCE. JUST THE PEOPLE I’VE MET. I ENDED UP LEARNING THREE LANGUAGES. I’VE GOT FRIENDS WHO ARE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. IT’S JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE.”
learning three languages. I’ve got friends who are from all over the world. It’s just been incredible.”
However, years of professional basketball have taken a toll physically on Lake. After multiple knee surgeries, Lake decided he needed to take a step back on the level of competition. When his wife was offered a job opportunity in Nice, France, Lake was able to secure a spot with Menton, a nearby French club team in a lower league. He spent several more years playing, and in 2019, his body finally told him it was time to retire.
“After I had my last knee injury, the club said, ‘If you want to rehab and come back, we’d like you to keep playing. But we would prefer if you would take over as coach,’” Lake said.
In 2019-20, Lake began his coaching career with Menton.
“Now you’ve got to worry about a whole team,” the 51-year-old Lake said of the transition from player to coach. “Obviously, there’s the tactics and things, but I would say, understanding each player is different. My job is, how do I get the best out of each player?”
After the 2023-24 season, Lake left coaching and recently accepted an administrative position with the Cavigal Nice Basketball Club. He will serve as the team’s director of player development.
“It is something that I am looking forward to,” Lake said of the new role. “It also allows me time with my family on the weekends, where I can watch my boys play.”
With his family now firmly entrenched in France, Lake said he and Dawn follow their two sons, Julian (13) and Jaden (11), who both play competitive soccer.
“We’ve always had the plan that we are going to move back to the States,” Lake said. “For the moment, though, we’re going to be here. We’re really happy.”
The Michael Lake File
2024: Director of Player Development, Cavigal Nice (France) Basketball Club
2019-24: Head Coach, Menton Basketball Club (France National 3 Division)
2012-19: Foreign Professional, Menton Basketball Club (France National 3 Division)
2011-12: Foreign Professional, Cavigal Nice Baskets 06 (French Region Division)
2009-10: Foreign Professional, Science City Jena (German Pro A Division)
2007-08: Foreign Professional, Franken 1st Nuremberg (German Pro A Division)
2005-07: Foreign Professional, Sellbytell Baskets Nuremberg (German 1st Bundesliga, BBL)
2004-05: Foreign Professional, Erdgas Baskets Jena (German 2nd Bundesliga)
2003-04: Foreign Professional, FC Kaiserslautern (German 2nd Bundesliga)
2001-03: Foreign Professional, BBC Bayreuth (German 2nd Bundesliga)
1998-2001: Foreign Professional, 1861 TSV Nördlingen/ (Regionalliga)
Highlights Professional
League scoring leader in 1998, 1998-99, 2000-01, and 2003-04
First-Team All-Defense, 2nd Bundesliga, 2005
College
GLIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player, 1994-95
First-Team All-GLIAC, 1994-95
Team captain and Most Valuable Player, 1994-95
1,608 career points (eighth all-time)
294 career 3-pointers made (third all-time)
Outstanding Senior Man
Being a great running back in the sport of football requires speed, power, and explosiveness.
But an underrated trait of any great rusher is patience—to let the blocks in front of him develop, read the defenders in front of him, and get the information necessary to make the right decisions on the field.
for plays to develop, and winning the mental game as well as the physical.
“Doing that really created a lot of openings in defenses that I was able to take advantage of throughout the season.”
Herzog’s mature approach led to one of the greatest seasons by a running back
of five rushing touchdowns in an epic performance in a 35-17 win over Ohio Dominican in the final game of his career on November 11, 2023.
In running to a record-breaking season for the Hillsdale College football team in 2023, senior running back Michael Herzog made good use of his natural talent and athletic gifts, but it was patience that helped him ascend to an elite level in the NCAA DII ranks in his final season with the Chargers.
“Earlier in my career, I was a little too sped up, trying to make things happen on my own too much,” Herzog said.
“I did come back this past year bigger and stronger, but the real key was just trusting my blockers more, waiting
in Hillsdale College history in 2023. He led Hillsdale and the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in every major rushing statistic, including carries (230), rushing yards (1,333), and rushing touchdowns (21), while ranking in the top 10 in the nation at the NCAA DII level in seven of those categories and in the top five in many of them.
That season-long performance helped Herzog rewrite both school and conference record books, setting or tying five G-MAC records while also tying Hillsdale’s single-game record
At the conclusion of his impressive season, Herzog received national honors that only a select few Chargers have matched. He was named a firstteam All-American by two national awards bodies and a second-team All-American by two more, making him Hillsdale’s first consensus All-American in football since 2012. Herzog also became the first Hillsdale player since 2018 to earn G-MAC Player of the Year honors, and just the third Charger to be named a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy—the NCAA DII Heisman—in the 37-year history of the award.
“It was really special for me to get these accolades, just given where I come from and the player I was when I arrived at Hillsdale,” Herzog said. “It’s a testament
to how far hard work can really go, that I could be recruited here in 2019 as a defensive back, and five years later, graduate as one of the two or three best running backs in [NCAA DII].”
Patience and determination have been key virtues for Herzog throughout his football journey, and not just on the field. Growing up in Canada in the border city of Windsor, Herzog followed in the footsteps of older brothers Robert and Zach and fell in love with the game of football at an early age, starting at eight years old when he first took the field as a fullback in a local house league.
Although the Canadian province of Ontario has more of a passion for football than most outsiders realize, producing 13 players who were active in the NFL last season, it’s still not seen as a hotbed of football talent by coaches in the United States, making Herzog’s dream of playing football past high school a longer shot than his talent implied.
“Being from Canada, it’s an uphill struggle to get noticed by coaches in the States, so in high school it was a lot of e-mailing FCS [Football Championship Subdivision] and DII coaches sight unseen, sending them my tape, trying to catch an eye,” Herzog said. “I just had to play the waiting game and hope my opportunity would come.”
Herzog got a break when his older brother, Zach, caught the eye of Hillsdale’s coaching staff and earned an offer to join the Chargers in 2017. Zach would go on to have an excellent career
for the Chargers as a playmaking safety, earning first-team All-G-MAC honors three consecutive years.
Bringing Zach into the fold put Michael on Hillsdale’s radar, and two years later, he joined the Chargers as a freshman defensive back in 2019.
After a 2019 season that saw a move to wide receiver and his first taste of playing time, Herzog made a big move again in the spring of 2020, returning to the position he grew up playing in the backfield. Herzog made an immediate leap to the top of the depth chart and looked poised for a breakout season the following fall.
But, once again, circumstances beyond Herzog’s control forced him to practice patience. First, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the fall 2020 season, delaying Herzog’s chance to get on the field for an abbreviated spring campaign.
Then, just days before the team’s first scheduled game of that spring 2021 season, Herzog suffered a dreaded non-contact injury during a special teams drill in practice, his leg bending the wrong way as he tried to change direction. An MRI confirmed his fears—a serious knee injury that, because of the timing, not only meant he was out for the upcoming spring contests, but also wouldn’t be healthy to return to play the full campaign in the fall.
“It was devastating,” Herzog said. “As a football player, it’s the last thing you want to hear. I focused on staying
positive and going after rehab a day at a time. I was lucky to have good friends on the team in Josh Peroni [a defensive back] and Joe Bentley [a wide receiver] who either had gone through rehab to come back and play or were going through rehab with me at the time, and they really helped me figure it out. My brother, Zach, had had a similar injury, so he was able to give me good advice and keep my spirits up as well.”
By the time Herzog returned to the field following a grueling rehab process as Hillsdale took on Lake Erie on September 3, 2022, it had been 1,036 days since his last football contest, and he was hungry to make up for lost time.
“I pretty much hadn’t had a chance to play the sport I love in three years, so that whole season was very emotional,” Herzog said. “I think every game, as I was preparing to run out onto the field, I had tears in my eyes. I just felt so lucky and blessed after everything that had happened to be back on the field, and I felt determined to make the most of my opportunity.”
Herzog had a strong first season as a starter in 2022, rushing for 940 yards and earning first-team All-G-MAC honors. But while he had made his mark on the league, his performance was just a prelude to his epic 2023 campaign.
In his final season, Herzog had eight 100-yard rushing games and five games with multiple rushing touchdowns. He capped his career with that recordsetting performance against Ohio Dominican, finishing with a careerbest performance against a Panthers defense that had entered the week as one of the top rushing defenses in not
just the G-MAC, but the entire country.
“We knew coming in that we were facing an elite defense, and I was expecting to have to fight for every yard,” Herzog said. “It was just a special day; our blocking was there the entire game and we all executed at a really high level.
“I didn’t even know about the records I had tied or set until the day after. Really, I was just so happy to finish the year with a win and go out with our best effort, because it’s pretty rare you get to do that.”
Herzog was selected by the Montreal Alouettes with the 56th pick in the 2024 CFL draft. He spent May and June in the training camp of the defending Grey Cup champions, making it to the final cuts prior to the start of the season before being let go.
“The last six months since I graduated from Hillsdale have been such a whirlwind that I don’t think I’ve really been able to stop and appreciate the moment,” Herzog said. “Only the top 2 to 3 percent of high school football players go on to play in college, and only the top 1 or 2 percent of those
Looking back on his Hillsdale career, Herzog also feels strongly about the preparation Hillsdale College gave him for his life after school.
Herzog says he would recommend Hillsdale College to any football player. His teammates and coaches were people who held him to high standards and developed him into one of the top running backs in the country.
“The professors and instructors that helped me pursue my marketing degree were just as motivated in seeing me succeed as a person as my coaches
Herzog’s final two years at Hillsdale not only left an outstanding legacy that will be remembered for years to come, but also created professional football opportunities for him.
The Windsor native was one of a small group of elite players to earn a spot in NFL Rookie minicamps with the Detroit Lions in May. He also joined his brother, Zach, in being picked in the Canadian Football League draft.
college players get to go to an NFL minicamp or a CFL training camp. It’s something that I can be proud of for the rest of my life, that I was able to be a part of that group.”
While Herzog isn’t currently on a professional team, he’s ready for the call if a CFL team has a need, once again patiently waiting for opportunity to knock and continuing to put in the work to be ready.
were, and they went the extra mile for me as well,” Herzog said. “Hillsdale is why I am who I am today, and I’m forever grateful for it.”
Senior Elise Mason has broken records and amassed numerous honors during her three years on the Chargers swimming team. Yet she almost did not come to Hillsdale, originally intending to follow in the footsteps of her parents who swam competitively at Grove City College.
”I’ve been swimming since I was 5 or 6,” said Mason, who grew up in Zeeland, Michigan. She participated in club swimming during high school and knew she wanted to continue swimming in college.
As a student at Libertas Christian School, a classical school in Hudsonville, Michigan, Mason also believed strongly in the importance of a classical education. So when her senior-year rhetoric teacher, a Hillsdale graduate, talked to her about the College, Mason began to have second thoughts about where to attend college.
“A Hillsdale Admissions counselor visited my school for interviews, and I met with him,” Mason recalled. “I loved the discussion we had, and I decided I should visit Hillsdale.” She talked with Head Swimming Coach Kurt Kirner about competing on the swim team. Although the recruiting season had passed, Kirner believed Mason would be competitive with the other distance swimmers and welcomed her to the team.
hard, but I was not the fastest one on my team.” She began distance swimming events halfway through high school, but the COVID-19 pandemic cut short her opportunities to compete. Once at Hillsdale, however, things began
“I had some dramatic time drops my freshman year,” Mason said. “Maybe it was the motivation to compete because I lost out on opportunities during the pandemic. Maybe it was the good pressure that comes from being on a college team and having encouraging teammates. I also really respect Coach Kirner’s training, especially when it comes to distance.”
Whatever the reason, Mason’s times placed her in the upper ranks of the G-MAC and have kept her there since her freshman year. She burst onto the scene as G-MAC Women’s Swimmer of the Week in November of her freshman year and was named G-MAC/MEC Swimmer and Freshman of the Year at the conference championship, where she won three individual titles, set meet records in the 1,650 freestyle and 500 freestyle, and contributed to the team’s overall conference championship. She was the only Hillsdale swimmer to qualify for the NCAA championship,
Her sophomore season brought repeat championships for her three distance events (1,650, 1,000, and 500 freestyle) as well as another trip to the NCAA championship. This time, Mason finished 11th in the nation in the 1,650 freestyle with a schoolrecord time of 16:59.27, netting honorable mention All-American honors. In her junior season, Mason completed a G-MAC title three-peat of her distance trifecta and earned runner-up honors in three relay events. She was named co-2024 G-MAC/MEC Swimmer of the Meet and competed in the NCAA championship a third time, finishing just shy of a repeat AllAmerican honor.
On top of her athletic accolades, Mason has also been a champion in academics as well, earning Academic All-District honors twice from the College Sports Communicators and contributing to the swimming team, as a whole, earning Scholar AllAmerican honors, a feat the team has accomplished for 17 consecutive seasons. “We are a prestigious team when it comes to academics,” she said. “I think that athletics gives you the qualities—like a strong work ethic and time management—that help you succeed in other areas of life.”
“I won’t remember every time drop I had, but I will remember the times spent with my teammates and how I developed as a person.”
She has volunteered at Mary Randall Preschool, mentored students at Gier Elementary School in Hillsdale with her teammates, and teaches Sunday School at Hillsdale Orthodox Presbyterian Church and swimming lessons in the summer. During the spring semester, she had an apprenticeship at Hillsdale Academy. “I love God, and I love kids,” she said. “I want to help them grow in body, mind, and spirit and know their Creator. I believe classical education and Christianity go hand in hand.”
As she looks ahead to her final season with the Chargers, Mason reflects on the personal growth she has experienced with the team. “I won’t remember every time drop I had, but I will remember the times spent with my teammates and how I developed as a person,” she said. “Hillsdale’s approach to academics is about developing the human person, and the same goes for Hillsdale’s approach to athletics. The development of your character, and using your talents for God’s glory, are most important. Hillsdale is a great place for that.”
John Tharp
Director of Athletics (517) 607-3130 jtharp@hillsdale.edu
Keven Bradley
Head Coach, Men’s Basketball (517) 607-3148 kbradley@hillsdale.edu
Brianna Brennan
Head Coach, Women’s Basketball (517) 607-3148 bbrennan@hillsdale.edu
Adam Burlew
Head Action Shooting Coach (517) 610-5593 aburlew@hillsdale.edu
Josh Calver
Deputy Director of Athletics (517) 607-3140 jcalver@hillsdale.edu
Tyler Cortright
Assistant AD—Sports Medicine and Performance (517) 607-3193 tcortright@hillsdale.edu
Anika Fassett
Internal Operations and Compliance Manager (517) 607-3156 afassett@hillsdale.edu
James Gensterblum Director of Athletic Communications (517) 607-3172 jgensterblum@hillsdale.edu
Chris Gravel
Head Volleyball Coach / Assistant Athletic Director (517) 607-3162 cgravel@hillsdale.edu
Kyle Gross
Head Softball Coach (517) 607-3191 kgross@hillsdale.edu
Jordan Hintz
Head Shotgun Coach (262) 930-9718 jhintz@hillsdale.edu
Haley Ketchum
Executive Assistant to the Athletic Director (517) 607-3130 hketchum@hillsdale.edu
Kurt Kirner
Head Women’s Swimming and Diving Coach (517) 607-3142 kkirner@hillsdale.edu
Jeff Lantis
Director of Development for Athletics (517) 607-3182 jlantis@hillsdale.edu
Ted Matko
Director of Sports Broadcasting (517) 607-2351 tmatko@hillsdale.edu
Emma Purdy
Coordinator of Creative Services and Fan Engagement (517) 607-3129 epurdy@hillsdale.edu
Nate Shreffler
Head Football Coach (517) 607-3141 nshreffler@hillsdale.edu
Matt Thompson
Head Men’s Golf Coach (517) 607-3149 mthompson@hillsdale.edu
Tiffany Treppa
Marketing and Game Day Experience Manager (517) 607-3132 ttreppa@hillsdale.edu
Keith Turner
Head Men’s Tennis Coach (517) 607-3180 kturner@hillsdale.edu
Tom Vessella
Head Baseball Coach (517) 607-3137 tvessella@hillsdale.edu
Nikki Walbright
Assistant Athletic Director, Senior Women’s Administrator, Head Women’s Tennis Coach (517) 607-3168 nwalbright@hillsdale.edu
R.P. White
Head Men’s and Women’s Track & Field and Cross Country Coach (517) 607-3161 rwhite@hillsdale.edu
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