Big Ben’s Big Wins
BEN HAAS, ’26
Sports Trifecta
MARILYN POPPLEWELL, ’25
Roaring Down the Field
ISAAC TESLAA, ’25
Aretê, a Greek word meaning “excellence,” is used frequently in Chargers Athletics. It encompasses what the Hillsdale College community—including our student-athletes—seeks in every way.
When I started as athletic director two years ago, I came to the job with a philosophy of “One Team. One Family.” for Hillsdale College Athletics.
Hillsdale has always been family to me, first as a coach, and now as athletic director. And I know it is for many others who have worn Charger Blue over the years. Many families have created athletic legacies here at Hillsdale. In this issue, we focus on a few of them.
The Emerson family has a remarkable story of how athletics provides memories and experiences that can last a lifetime—and in this family’s case, even longer. I hope you take some time to read their remarkable family history and what being a Hillsdale College student-athlete meant to each of them. It wasn’t always about championships won or accolades earned; it was also about lessons learned, friendships made, and experiences shared.
Those Hillsdale Athletics family legacies continue today. This issue also features multigenerational family stories about the Chellmans as well as the TeSlaas, who now boast a former Charger in the NFL. They represent many multigenerational families who have competed for the Chargers from one generation to the next.
Every year is a new beginning for our teams, and the goal of Hillsdale College Athletics is to provide each studentathlete with a first-class experience both on and off the field.
Mike Emerson, ’91, was a four-year member of the baseball team. He never was a starter in any of those years but was still named a team captain and earned the team’s Hustle Award as a senior. One of his quotes resonated with me:
“I didn’t get as much time on the field as I would have loved to have had, but I never gave up. And I think it showed me that other people saw what I was doing and how I was contributing to the team in the way I could. I really was able to have a significant experience that was similar to my grandfather’s and father’s. It’s something that will never be taken away from me, having that connection with them. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
That is the outcome we hope for with every Charger student-athlete.
One Team indeed.
And if you are reading this, you are part of our team as well! I hope to see you at a Hillsdale athletic event this season. Come out and support the Chargers!
John Tharp Director of Athletics
BY DOUG GOODNOUGH, ’90
More than 130 years ago, the first member of the Emerson family walked the Hillsdale College campus as a student. Since that time, 18 additional family members have attended Hillsdale, leaving a family heritage of which very few can boast.
They eventually became teachers, preachers, farmers, and business owners. While at Hillsdale, a good number of those Emersons were student-athletes. The first documented Emerson to don the Hillsdale White and Blue was Ward, who enrolled in the fall of 1932. He was a member of the baseball and football teams before the Great Depression forced him to leave school and start a business and family in Upstate New York. But that was not the end of his—or his family’s—Hillsdale story.
Several other Emersons followed in the 1930s and were teammates with legendary Hillsdale student-athletes like Johnny Williams, Red Farquharson, and Al Rizzardi.
The second generation of Emerson student-athletes arrived in the 1960s in the form of Ward’s sons, Art and Paul. They continued the family athletic legacy and encouraged the next generation to follow in their footsteps.
When Lisa Emerson graduated in 1992 as a member of the newly formed women’s swim team, she (for now) completed the Emerson athletic legacy.
Three generations of Emersons, one Hillsdale athletic family.
Ward Emerson was one of six children of Charles and Anna (Slaybaugh) Emerson to attend Hillsdale College. However, he was the first family member to participate in athletics when he earned a spot on the Hillsdale baseball team in 1933.
Because of his “squatty” build, he was a natural catcher, and his teammates quickly gave him the nickname “Tubby.” It was more of a term of endearment until an opposing player occasionally tested Ward’s fortitude.
“He was a big man, but not a tall man,” said his son, Art. “You didn’t come into home plate, or he would knock you over.”
When the Great Depression took hold, Ward decided to leave school in 1935 and return home to Potter, New York, to work in real estate, farm, and raise a family. He was even involved in local politics.
After Ward’s father died in 1945 after a long ministry as a Baptist preacher, his mother, who attended her first class at Hillsdale in 1893, decided to finish her degree. Needing just 10 credit hours, Anna petitioned the College to let her take correspondence courses from her New York home. Hillsdale agreed.
His mother’s decision apparently sparked something inside Ward, who by 1945, was married with five children. Following his mother’s lead, he moved his entire family back to Hillsdale to attend classes, and in 1947, he graduated. Ward and his 72-year-old mother received their Hillsdale diplomas together, which made headlines in the local newspapers.
“I think he was just stubborn enough to finish [his degree],” Paul said of his father. “When he started on a job, he finished it. He was proud when we went to Hillsdale and graduated.”
Moving back to Potter after graduation, Ward ran a successful poultry and livestock business and was the manager of the local semi-pro baseball team that included many family members. Years later, he would enjoy watching his son, Paul, and later his grandsons, Doug Allen, ’83, and Mike Emerson, ’91, play baseball for Hillsdale, oftentimes from a folding lawn chair somewhere beyond the outfield fence, proudly wearing his Hillsdale baseball hat. “He always talked about the old baseball field and also the friends he met playing baseball,” said Mike of his grandfather, who played home games on Martin Field behind Central Hall.
Ward’s younger brother, Art, arrived on Hillsdale’s campus in the fall of 1935. Labeled the best athlete of the brothers, he quickly established himself as a standout shortstop and third baseman for the Dales. During that time, Hillsdale was the only college in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) to offer varsity baseball after the other conference schools dropped the sport in 1929. That meant scheduling games with much larger schools such as the University of Michigan, the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, and Michigan State University.
Art’s teammates were Hillsdale College Hall of Famers Rizzardi, ’38, Farquharson, ’38, and Williams, ’37; the latter two went on to professional baseball careers. Also, his future brother-in-law, Eugene Charland, ’38, was a team captain and left fielder on a Hillsdale team that was called “one of the best baseball teams in years” in 1935.
Art’s story unfortunately had a tragic ending. In January of 1939, he was playing in a pickup football game back in New York when he suffered a head injury and died, just months before his graduation.
A member of the baseball and basketball teams, “Gene” served as a captain for both. In basketball, he was one of the top scorers in the MIAA as a senior, earning honorable mention all-conference honors. In baseball, he was a steady presence in left field.
However, his eventual wife, Margaret Emerson (Ward’s younger sister), was an accomplished student-athlete in her own right despite women’s intercollegiate sports still decades away from reality. The College’s Women’s Athletic Association (WAA) offered a robust menu of intramural sports like basketball, volleyball, baseball, fieldball, tennis, archery, and fencing. In fact, the MIAA conducted a “Play Day” for female student-athletes, the precursor to conference-sanctioned athletics. Margaret, a four-year WAA member, earned the College’s doubles deck tennis championship in 1938, and she also was a member of the champion Chi Omega baseball team in 1940.
When Ward’s son, Art, followed in the steps of his older sister, Donna Emerson Marcus, ’60, to Hillsdale in the fall of 1960, he was hoping to join the Hillsdale baseball team like his father and late uncle. However, he learned quickly that academics came first.
“It was just way too much,” he said of trying to play baseball while taking a full load of classes.
Later in his college career, he was sitting in a religion class taught by Dr. Leo Phillips, who just happened to be the men’s cross country coach.
“He got me interested in [cross country],” Art said of Dr. Phillips. “I enjoyed the company and the people.”
In 1963, Hillsdale won all but one of its races, as Art said teammates like Darrel Morton, ’64, Wendell Shiffler, ’65, and Richard Adams, ’64, “were the stars and great, great people. The people I met here changed my life.”
The most important person he met at Hillsdale was his future wife, Janet Prew, ’66, to whom he proposed in the Arb during his senior year. A member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, he also received the honor of “Man of the Year” by the Chi Omega sorority in 1964.
He said he was thrilled when his daughter, Lisa, ’92, decided to attend Hillsdale and continue the Emerson athletic tradition.
“I was very proud,” said Art, who went on to have a successful insurance career in Florida and metro Detroit. “She decided to join the Chi-O sorority, like my wife, which was neat.”
Emerson Family Spans More Than 90 Years of Hillsdale Athletics
Paul’s road to Hillsdale College took a detour. When he graduated from high school, he enrolled at Albion College. However, that didn’t quite work out.
“I made the baseball team, but I forgot to go to class,” Paul said. “So I went home and worked as a truck driver. After a while, I decided this is not what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
After a semester off, Paul’s father steered him to Hillsdale. There, he found his home both in the classroom and on the baseball field. As a fiery left-handed pitcher and outfielder, Paul had an “edge” to his game, according to his brother, Art.
“He had the competitive spirit,” Art said of Paul, who was deemed the best athlete of the siblings. “He was always a natural.”
The team MVP in 1968, Paul said he had many baseball memories, including pitching against Notre Dame and Georgia Tech. However, the experiences off the field were just as memorable.
During one spring trip south, he remembers the team stopping at a restaurant. A waiter told Jerry “JJ” Simmons, the only African American player on the roster, that he would not be served.
“We got up and left,” said Paul, experiencing his first taste of segregation. “So, when we were down [South], we made sure somebody stayed with JJ all the time.”
Getting married before his senior year at Hillsdale, Paul fondly remembers having his wife, Corinne, attend games at Simpson Field.
Despite Paul’s early aversion to attending class, he had a 34-year teaching career in his hometown of Penn Yan, New York. Nearly 60 years later, he proudly displays his Hillsdale baseball memorabilia, including his vintage team jacket, glove, and several wooden bats.
Doug Allen, ’83
Doug Allen, ’83, described himself as “a little bit wild” as a farm boy from the Finger Lakes of Upstate New York. After graduating from high school, he spent most of his summer milking cows on his uncle’s farm, not sure of his next step.
Then reality literally hit him in the face.
“I got slapped in the face by a [cow’s] tail,” Allen remembered. “I said, ‘Now it’s time to do something different.’”
He remembered the stories his grandfather and some of his aunts and uncles shared about Hillsdale. After visiting the College, he decided to follow in his family’s footsteps.
“I think I was the first grandchild to go to school [at Hillsdale], and I think that made Gramps pretty proud,” Allen said of his grandfather, Ward.
Another proud moment was when Allen earned a spot on the Hillsdale baseball team as a catcher, playing the same position as his grandfather.
The accounting major and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity member said the lessons he learned both in the classroom and on the field at Hillsdale served him well.
“I’ve been in several different places and have a lot of management experience,” said Allen, who currently works in inventory and purchasing for an alarm distributing company in Florida. “I had to adapt to everything. That’s
honestly what I did at Hillsdale. I had to grow up, and I did. I was proud I was able to do that.”
He used his Chargers baseball experience to help his two sons become NCAA Division I college baseball players. The Allen branch of the Emerson family tree eventually produced a Major League Baseball player. Doug’s youngest son, Logan, is currently a starting left-handed pitcher for the Cleveland Guardians.
Allen said he looked up to his three Hillsdale uncles and is proud to have followed them as Hillsdale graduates—and student-athletes.
“They were big role models for me,” said Allen of his uncles, Art and Paul Emerson and the late Gene Charland. “I spent a lot of time with the Emerson side of the family, and they were very instrumental.”
You won’t find Mike Emerson’s name in any of Hillsdale’s baseball record books. Although he wasn’t a starter during his four-year career, his impact on the program as a senior captain and teammate was felt by those who played with him.
As a boy, he heard about his grandfather’s and father’s Hillsdale baseball stories, and when it was time for him to make a college decision, he wanted the opportunity to make his own memories.
“I always saw the Hillsdale hat he wore and the jerseys and coats,” Mike said of his father, former team MVP Paul. That intrigued me. It made me fall in love with Hillsdale and want to have a chance to play baseball.”
He got that chance, joining the Chargers in the fall of 1987. The outfielder from Penn Yan had a main goal: “To come out with a letterman jacket. I wanted those leather sleeves, and I wanted to wear that ‘H’ on my chest.”
Going on the annual Florida spring trip was a highlight, especially playing at the Kansas City Royals’ spring training facility in Haines City. Competing against larger schools like the University of Toledo and the University of Michigan was also a thrill.
However, his top highlight was being named a captain of the 1991 team. After the season, he earned the team’s Hustle Award.
“That showed me that what I was doing mattered, and other people saw that,” said Emerson, an accounting and history double major and member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. “I never gave up.
“I think I relish it now more than ever before,” he said of his Hillsdale experience. “I really was able to have a significant experience that was similar to my grandfather’s and father’s. It’s something that will never be taken away from me, having that connection with them.”
When it was time to attend college, Lisa Emerson Tobin wasn’t interested in continuing the Emerson family legacy at Hillsdale.
“I was adamant about not going [to Hillsdale],” she said. “I wanted to do something different.”
But she was eventually persuaded by her parents to visit Hillsdale.
“I walked up the hill, and it was so beautiful,” Lisa said of her campus visit. “The whole campus resonated with me. And then having the unique experience of being a part of the first swim team was really cool.”
A standout high school swimmer, Lisa carved out her own Hillsdale athletic tradition as a member of the new Chargers swim team. She anchored the breaststroke events and was a member of several relays.
“It was fun to be on the team,” she said. “I remember those experiences riding the bus up north for meets and staying in the hotels. One of the reasons I rushed Chi-O [sorority] was because of my teammates Kelly Brown [Buckley, ’92] and Jill Fielding [O’Connor, ’90]. We were all so close.”
“Of all the [Emerson] women who went [to Hillsdale], I was the only one who played a sport,” Lisa said. “It’s kind of a wild thought. In hindsight, it makes it extra cool.”
Lisa expanded the Emerson family legacy when she married Jay Tobin, ’88, in 2020. A standout infielder for the Chargers, he was grafted into the Emerson athletic family tree at Hillsdale.
“Hillsdale keeps giving back,” said Lisa, who finished her 23rd year as a third-grade teacher at Detroit Country Day School. “This huge family just keeps growing. I feel like [Hillsdale] keeps giving back to me, not just in the degree, but in the people, in the relationships.”
Although family is a tie that binds, similarly, athletics binds many of the Emersons to Hillsdale College. The proof has been well-documented over the years in the form of pictures, trophies, letterman sweaters, newspaper articles, and memories to last a lifetime.
BY JAMES GENSTERBLUM,
Excelling at one sport in college is a dream come true for most athletes.
For Hillsdale College senior Marilyn Popplewell, however, that was just the beginning. Thanks to hard work and taking advantage of chance opportunities, Popplewell made the most of her final school year, making a huge impact in three different sports—volleyball, basketball, and track and field—to become Hillsdale’s first true three-sport athlete in more than two decades.
“I’m grateful to be at a school like Hillsdale that’s given me a chance to get an excellent education, and at the same time take advantage of these opportunities to challenge myself and play the sports I love,” Popplewell said. “Every team I’ve been a part of at Hillsdale has brought me relationships and friendships I treasure, as well as so many experiences that have shaped who I am and that will stick with me for the rest of my life.”
A multi-sport star at Mason High School in Ohio, Popplewell was recruited by Head Coach Chris Gravel to play volleyball at Hillsdale College. She made an immediate impact as a freshman, finishing with a team-high 18 kills in Hillsdale’s four-set Midwest Regional Championship win over Ferris State that gave the Chargers their first NCAA DII Elite Eight appearance in a decade.
That was Popplewell’s first big moment in a career full of them for the Chargers volleyball team. Over the next four seasons, Popplewell was named an American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American twice while helping lead the Chargers to four G-MAC titles and three more NCAA Tournament appearances. She set the program’s single-match kills record with 28 in an upset of second-seeded Lewis in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, and her 1,257 career kills rank eighth all-time in program history.
“Marilyn is one of the most dedicated and focused competitors I’ve ever coached,” Gravel said, reflecting on Marilyn’s career. “Her consistency and her work ethic day-in and day-out in practice allowed her to maximize her potential and is why she excels at everything she does.”
As Popplewell’s volleyball career drew to a close, she found herself thinking about the path she chose not to take as a dualsport athlete coming out of high school.
“Growing up, basketball was a huge part of my life as well, and with my volleyball career winding down, I thought, ‘Let’s see if there’s an opportunity to play basketball at this level with the eligibility I have left,’” Popplewell said. “I approached [volleyball] Coach [Chris] Gravel and [women’s basketball] Coach Brie [Brennan] with the idea in the spring before my senior year, and both coaches were very supportive.”
Brennan, for her part, was intrigued by the idea of adding a proven leader to an up-and-coming team looking to break through in the 2024-25 season.
“I knew from watching her on the volleyball court that Marilyn had the athleticism, and I knew from talking to her coaches and teammates what a leader she was and how respected she was,” Brennan said. “I knew that even if it didn’t work out in any other way, that leadership would have a positive impact on our squad.”
After the 2024 volleyball campaign wrapped up in early December with another trip to the NCAA DII Midwest Regional, Popplewell was with the basketball team just a week later, already making an impact in practice within her first couple of days. “From the moment she stepped on the floor, Marilyn’s
“MARILYN IS ONE OF THE MOST DEDICATED AND FOCUSED COMPETITORS I’VE EVER COACHED.”
–CHRIS
“SHE CAME IN WITH AN INCREDIBLE WORK ETHIC AND HUMILITY AND WORKED AS HARD AS SHE COULD. IT WAS JUST INFECTIOUS ON OUR TEAM, AND I COULD SEE THE INTENSITY OF PRACTICE CHANGE IMMEDIATELY.”
mindset was ‘I’m going to try and win every sprint, every rep, and just put everything I have into everything I do,’” Brennan said. “She came in with an incredible work ethic and humility and worked as hard as she could. It was just infectious on our team, and I could see the intensity of practice change immediately.”
Popplewell quickly found herself playing an important role on the court, too. After playing a bit role in January, she stepped up in February after injuries opened up a spot in the rotation, grabbing 14 rebounds in a win at Tiffin and scoring 12 points in two separate contests as a key substitute.
Thanks in part to Popplewell’s aid down the stretch, Hillsdale finished with its most wins since 2009 and a runner-up finish in G-MAC play. Just as she had in volleyball, Popplewell concluded her basketball season playing in the NCAA Tournament as Hillsdale made its first appearance in the Big Dance since 2018.
As amazing as Popplewell’s senior year had become, the story wasn’t finished yet. In March, with basketball over, Popplewell happened to be working out in the weight room at the same time as members of Hillsdale College’s track and field team. As she was lifting next to national champion thrower Ben Haas, with Associate Head Track and Field Coach Jessica Bridenthal nearby, the group struck up a conversation.
“I asked Ben, not really seriously, how far he thought Marilyn could throw a javelin, and Ben responded, ‘Probably pretty far,’” said Bridenthal. “Marilyn jumped in and said, ‘I’m willing to give it a shot if you want.’”
At the time, the Chargers track and field team didn’t have a dedicated javelin thrower, which is how Popplewell found herself trying out for the event despite never having touched a javelin in her life. It turned out Haas was right—Popplewell could throw a javelin pretty far. Just six weeks after that chance meeting in the weight room, Popplewell took runner-up honors in the event at the G-MAC Outdoor Championships, scoring significant points for a Hillsdale team that finished third in the competition. Her best
throw on the season—38.92 meters—is the sixth-best throw in the event in program history.
“My mindset was, if I’m able to perform at a level that helps the team and helps Hillsdale, then why not?” Popplewell said.
Many of the same traits that helped Popplewell stand out on the volleyball and basketball court helped her excel as a first-time competitor in the javelin, Bridenthal said.
“Marilyn is a stellar athlete, which really helps,” Bridenthal said. “More than that, she is driven to excel at what she does and is so coachable.
“She’ll do extra reps outside of practice, and she’s always hungry for feedback and ways she can improve. She’s just a joy to work with, and her success this year is a real testament to who she is as a person.”
Playing three sports in the same school year didn’t come at the expense of Popplewell’s academics. The senior graduated in May as one of the top students in her class, with a 3.94 GPA and a double major in biology and Spanish. She plans to attend medical school to become a doctor.
Popplewell credits her coaches and her experience at Hillsdale for giving her the tools she needed to excel at a high level across multiple sports and in the classroom simultaneously.
“One thing I learned from being in athletics was how important it is to put your whole self in whatever you’re doing so you can get the most out of it,” Popplewell said. “So whatever I’m doing—playing sports, studying, being with teammates—in that moment, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got, and then, when I’m doing something else, I’m putting everything else aside and giving that everything I’ve got, too.
“If you can do that consistently, you’re never going to short-change yourself on what you could have done or could have been. That mindset has helped me a lot, and it’s why I can leave Hillsdale with no regrets.”
“ONE THING I LEARNED FROM BEING IN ATHLETICS WAS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO PUT YOUR WHOLE SELF IN WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING SO YOU CAN GET THE MOST OUT OF IT.”
— MARILYN POPPLEWELL
BY JAMES GENSTERBLUM, ’12
The first time Ben Haas, ’26, visited the Hillsdale College campus, he was told he had the raw potential to be a national champion someday.
Four years later, Haas made that potential a reality. The junior thrower on the Hillsdale College men’s track and field team delivered the program’s first NCAA DII national championship on the men’s side in a decade by capturing the weight throw title with a mark of 22.89 meters at the NCAA DII Indoor Championships in Indianapolis in March.
Just two months later, in May, Haas added an unprecedented second national title at the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships in Pueblo, Colorado, taking the hammer throw crown with a throw of 66.31 meters to become the first double NCAA champion in men’s track and field at Hillsdale since the Chargers moved from the NAIA in 1998.
Both titles were huge moments for both Haas and Hillsdale College Associate Head Coach Jessica Bridenthal, who had told Haas he had the makings of a future national champion during Hillsdale’s summer track camp while Haas was still in high school.
“I think to hear Coach Jess say that I had the potential to be great; it changed my mindset a little bit,” said Haas, a two-sport star in high school at Clarkston who was originally leaning toward playing college football.
“Having a coach tell you that you could make that kind of difference as an individual made me really consider track and field as something I could have a future in as well. I trusted that she could develop me in a way that would make that happen.”
In watching Ben throw in that first camp, Bridenthal, a past NCAA DII national champion in the weight throw herself at Ashland under legendary coach Jud Logan, immediately saw rare traits in Haas she knew she could work with.
“Ben had the athleticism, explosiveness, and frame necessary to get to a high level, and beyond that, he had two characteristics that I knew would give him a chance,” Bridenthal said. “First, Ben’s very coachable. He has a great kinesthetic awareness of his own body and knows how to translate feedback immediately from coaches into adjustments in his form.
Haas hit the ground running at Hillsdale during his freshman year with strong performances in his first two indoor meets, but he quickly encountered adversity in the form of a broken foot that derailed his initial campaign. After recovery, Haas broke the same foot again in the summer, hampering his preparation heading into his second season with the Chargers.
“It was definitely a huge blow to my confidence, especially the second one, because the doubt creeps in about whether you’re really going to be able to stay healthy,” Haas said. “With the help of our training staff and Coach Jess, I tried to flip that doubt on its head and turn it into motivation to make up for lost time; I wanted to prove the potential I showed before I got hurt was real.”
Fully healthy entering the 2022-23 campaign, Haas exploded onto the national scene, capturing the G-MAC title in the weight throw and placing third in the nation in the event at his first national meet. He took another step forward in the following season, breaking Hillsdale’s weight throw school record set by past national champion Jason Stomps, ’10, and earning All-American honors in both the weight and the hammer throw.
“The other thing was his competitiveness. We had another really strong throwing recruit in his group, and Ben beat him in every session and rep. When you can combine athleticism, coachability, and competitiveness into a single package, that gives you a real shot to be a champion.”
That set the stage for this spring, where for the first time in his career, Haas entered the Indoor Championships not just as a contender but also as a massive favorite to win the weight throw title, entering the competition with the best mark in the nation. That put added pressure on Haas to deliver, but Bridenthal felt he was ready to seize the moment.
“Something that Jud [Logan] used to talk to me about when I was an athlete was, every kid that shows up to the
“BEN’S VERY COACHABLE. HE HAS A GREAT KINESTHETIC AWARENESS OF HIS OWN BODY AND KNOWS HOW TO TRANSLATE FEEDBACK IMMEDIATELY FROM COACHES INTO ADJUSTMENTS IN HIS FORM.”
national meet is big and strong and athletic and puts in a ton of work to be great, so how do you find that extra three percent that separates you from that elite group and gets you to the top of the podium?” Bridenthal said. “Throughout the year, Ben had found that edge. I felt confident that he was going to get it done because I had seen everything that had come before, and I knew what it meant to him.”
When the order of throwers was revealed at the championship, Haas was excited to see he would be the first competitor up in the top flight of the event.
“I looked at that and thought, ‘Okay, if I can put down a really big mark on my first throw, a personal best or close to it, it’s going to put a lot of pressure on everyone else,’” Haas said.
Haas executed his plan to perfection, putting down a 22.89 meter mark on his first attempt that was not only a personal best, but also the fourth-best throw in the history of NCAA DII competition. In effect, the competition was over almost as soon as it started, and the title was his.
Not content with one title, Haas added another in May. In a much closer competition in the hammer throw, Haas came through in the clutch with a big fourth throw to claim a second crown.
“The hammer throw crown was really special to me because I started doing the hammer throw much later than the weight throw, and throughout my college career, my weight has always been ahead of my hammer,” Haas said. “To win a national title in the hammer really
shows I can be an elite all-around thrower and not just a specialist in one discipline.”
The silver lining of Haas’ freshman year injury is that it will allow him to compete for a fifth year in college in 2025-26 and to potentially add more records and awards to an already historic resume.
In the process of becoming an elite thrower, Haas also has helped Bridenthal transform the men’s throws group at Hillsdale College from just two other athletes in Haas’ freshman year to a squad that’s now in the double digits. With the rapid improvement some showed this season, it’s possible that Haas will be joined by teammates at the national meet next season.
As a leader and mentor, Haas has played a role in the accelerated development of his teammates, Bridenthal said.
“I think Ben’s legacy at Hillsdale is going to be not just the national championships and All-American honors he himself wins, but the national championships and AllAmericans that are won after he’s graduated by throwers that learned from him and followed in his footsteps,” Bridenthal said. “He does a great job of setting an example for his teammates and giving them advice and coaching from his perspective when they ask for it.
“You can already see the impact it’s having on some of our freshmen and sophomores and how fast they are reaching a very high level. Ben is laying a foundation for success not just for himself, but for this program that I think will pave the way for more great throwers to emerge from Hillsdale over the next several years.”
“TO WIN A NATIONAL TITLE IN THE HAMMER REALLY SHOWS I CAN BE AN ELITE ALL-AROUND THROWER AND NOT JUST A SPECIALIST IN ONE DISCIPLINE.”
“I FELT CONFIDENT THAT HE WAS GOING TO GET IT DONE BECAUSE I HAD SEEN EVERYTHING THAT HAD COME BEFORE, AND I KNEW WHAT IT MEANT TO HIM.”
—
Hillsdale College’s 26th Hall of Fame class includes six individuals who have left an indelible mark on the athletic program. They will be honored on September 26 at the Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet during Homecoming Weekend.
As a player, coach, and supporter of Hillsdale College athletics, Otterbein has been a Charger for five decades and has had a massive impact on what it means to be part of the Hillsdale College football program. As a player at Hillsdale in the late ’70s, Otterbein was a 1978 NAIA All-American and the program’s Linebacker of the Year three times. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Hillsdale under Dick Lowry in 1980, and after two decades of success elsewhere, returned to Hillsdale in 2002 to take over as head coach of the football program. In 22 seasons leading the Chargers, he won 133 games, third-most in program history, and led the Chargers to four conference championships, three NCAA DII Playoff appearances, and the program’s only two NCAA DII playoff victories to date. During his tenure, Otterbein recruited and coached Hillsdale’s all-time leading passer, rusher, and receiver, as well as long-time NFL players Jared Veldheer and Andre Holmes. A strong believer in the importance of education and character, Otterbein also worked during his tenure to make the Chargers one of the best teams in the nation in terms of academic achievement and spearheaded the start of several charitable projects that remain a part of the team’s annual calendar today.
Michno capped a decorated distance running career with an NAIA National Championship in the outdoor 1,500 meter run (3:52.01) in 1984, beating the field to the line by a hundredth of a second in an epic sprint to the finish. A two-time All-American who also placed second in the nation in the mile run indoors in 1984, he was a key part of a Chargers men’s distance crew that captured nine NAIA individual national titles from 1981 to 1987. After a successful college career, Michno joined the military, where he served his country while continuing to race at an elite level, including breaking the four-minute mark in the mile as a member of the USA Armed Forces team and competing at the 1992 Olympic Trials for the Barcelona Games in the 1,500m run. During and since his honorable discharge from military service, Michno has been successful in the field of aerospace procurement for the military and is currently the senior growth and strategy advisor at Resonant Sciences.
A tremendously successful distance runner at Hillsdale College, Nugent won back-to-back NAIA National Championships in the indoor three-mile run, bringing home the 1984 crown as a junior in 14:08.45 and then repeating as champion in 1985 in 13:58.51 in a dominant showing. A three-time All-American who also earned the honor at the 1985 outdoor championships, Nugent additionally won GLIAC titles in the 5,000m run as a sophomore outdoors in 1983 and indoors as a junior in 1984, and along with Michno was part of a stellar run of elite athletes in the men’s distance races at Hillsdale College. An excellent student at Hillsdale, he graduated with a double major in English and Spanish in 1985 and was named Outstanding Senior Man in the 1985 class. He currently runs an American school in Madrid, Spain. He was previously inducted into the Hall of Fame at his high school alma mater, Detroit Catholic Central, in 1985.
Know a former Charger who may be worthy of the Athletic Hall of Fame?
Visit hillsdalechargers.com/sports/2024/5/20/athletics-HOF-AthleticHallofFame.aspx
Complete the nomination form by December 1, 2025, to be considered for the 2026 class.
A legendary friend and supporter of Hillsdale athletics, Delp first starred at Hillsdale on the baseball diamond, serving as a team captain, starting at first base, and leading the team in slugging percentage for two consecutive years. After graduation, Delp built the insurance business he inherited from his father, TFO Partners, into a Forbes Top 25 Wealth Management Company. On top of supporting a variety of worthy philanthropic causes in his hometown of Toledo and Northwest Ohio, Delp also has given generously to his alma mater, supporting Hillsdale College’s endeavors on a variety of fronts. He has made possible the construction of many of Hillsdale’s new athletics facilities in the past decade while also supporting athletic scholarship efforts. His love for the Chargers is perhaps best expressed by the fact that all five of his children have attended and played sports at Hillsdale College—Morgan (women’s tennis, 2012-15), Sydney (women’s tennis, 2012-16), Dugan (men’s tennis, 2015-18), Maverick (women’s basketball, 2019-23), and Winston (baseball, 2024-present).
A driving force behind Hillsdale College’s best multi-year run in football since becoming a member of NCAA Division II, Weatherhead set records and broke new ground for the Chargers as a three-year starter. One of the most accurate quarterbacks in NCAA history, he set NCAA all-division records for single-season completion percentage (76.9%) and career completion percentage (70.2%) during his career that stood for over a decade. A 2010 All-American and the GLIAC Player of the Year, Weatherhead led Hillsdale to back-to-back playoff appearances and Hillsdale’s first conference title in nearly two decades in 2010. He graduated as Hillsdale’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdown passes, and completions, and he still holds Hillsdale’s career, single-season, and single-game completions records over a decade after his career ended. After his time at Hillsdale, Weatherhead has had tremendous success in the medical sales industry while working for Stryker.
The most decorated athlete Hillsdale College has ever produced, Newcomb won at unprecedented levels that may never be duplicated. A nine-time national champion, four more than any other athlete in Hillsdale College history, and 14-time All-American, Newcomb dominated the steeplechase and distance events at the national level for two seasons. She set school records in the indoor mile, indoor 3,000m run, outdoor 3,000m steeplechase, and distance medley relay that still stand, and she still holds the indoor mile record at the NCAA DII National Championships as well. Newcomb was the engine of Hillsdale women’s cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field teams that finished in the top three in the nation five out of a possible six times in a two-year span in 2014-15 and 2015-16, and earned USTFCCCA Program of the Year honors for the first and only time in 2015-16. Newcomb won the 2016 Honda Cup as the top female athlete in NCAA DII regardless of sport, the highest honor available to her at the time. She also was a three-time USTFCCCA DII Track Athlete of the Year, and the 2016 CSC Academic All-American of the Year. After graduation, Newcomb ran professionally for several years, participating in multiple U.S. Olympic Trials in the steeplechase. She worked for Hillsdale College as an admissions counselor for several years and is now employed as a talent consultant at DISHER Talent Solutions.
BY DOUG GOODNOUGH, ’90
Ask Bill Lundberg to sum up his 40 years at Hillsdale College, and he is at a loss for words.
For those who know him, it might be a first.
After spending his first 27 years as a head coach for the men’s cross country and track and field programs and more than a decade as the head of the Hillsdale College Wellness Initiative, Lundberg retired from the College in May.
“I’ve been very honored to have those different roles,” Lundberg said from his office in the clubhouse at Hayden Park. “Just being a Charger through and through, I have loved it. Everything along the way has been special.”
The man affectionately known as “Wild Bill” came to Hillsdale in February of 1985 full of vigor and built a powerhouse program.
Here are just a few of his career coaching highlights:
• 25 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) championships
• 17 NAIA or NCAA Division II individual national champions
• More than 200 academic or athletic All-Americans
• Top three finishes in NAIA cross country in 1992, 1993, and 1994
• 1994 NAIA Coach of the Year
• 22 GLIAC Coach of the Year awards
However, it was often his impact off the track that people remember.
A man of deep faith, Lundberg has dedicated his life to giving back to his community, working closely with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and with several other charitable organizations. His 40-plus-year legacy of living out his faith has made an incalculable impact on the spiritual lives of countless numbers of his students.
Surprisingly, running wasn’t his first athletic love. It was basketball, and he was focused on that growing up in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois. “My whole world was basketball,” he said. When his family moved to Jackson, Michigan, in 1969, Lundberg attended Lumen Christi High School and decided to try running in the spring of his senior year.
He did so well that college coaches, including those at Hillsdale College, were very interested. After graduation, Lundberg enrolled at nearby Jackson Community College, where his running career accelerated. In fact, powerhouse programs recruited him. He eventually decided to attend the University of Kansas over the University of Michigan.
At Kansas, he was one of the nation’s top steeplechasers, competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1976 and 1980. Lundberg was on track to make the 1980 Olympic team before rupturing his Achilles tendon in the U.S. Trials steeplechase final.
“I was part of some of the finest track and field programs in our country at Kansas,” he said.
Originally thinking he would pursue a career in architecture, he eventually switched his major to education.
“There’s an expression that those who can’t do, teach,” he said. “But I don’t
think it’s that way at all. I think teaching was always for me. I always thought that whether I taught at the elementary or secondary level, I would like to coach as well.”
When his elite racing career ended, Lundberg entered coaching, first at Jackson Community College at the young age of 22, then at Hillsdale, where he was able to teach as well.
Upon his arrival at Hillsdale, he inherited a talented group of studentathletes from departing coach Joe Rogers—names like Paul Aufdemberge, Mike Nugent, and John Chandler. Hall of Famers like Ryan Pschigoda, Jim McHugh, and DeShawn Meadows soon followed.
“Tradition, excellence, legacy. I think of those words when I remember those runners and the program we built. I’ll never forget those early teams,” he said.
He is grateful for the sage advice he received early on at Hillsdale from his fellow coaches, including then-Athletic Director Jack McAvoy and former football coach Dick Lowry.
“I look at [student-athletes] like a son or daughter,” he said. “You better care for them like that, because who do you have to answer to? Their parents, who aren’t always right there, and you have to answer to the good Lord, because
the students are on loan to us. They are totally His.”
Lundberg values his longtime relationship with Diane Philipp, who was his coaching counterpart on the women’s side for many years.
“You want to be associated with greatness, great leaders, and
excellence,” he said. “Diane’s a big part of that.”
He said the camaraderie of the Hillsdale coaching staff is special and continues with current Athletic Director John Tharp.
“There’s greatness in my life because of the greatness that was poured into my life,” he said of the Hillsdale College community. “I’m so inspired by the other coaches in the program. I’ve always been grateful for that. I love being a part of something that reflects who I am. We’re part of the Charger family. It’s the best.”
Lundberg and his wife of 41 years, Sharon, raised three children—Steven, ’08, Kate, ’10, and Tommy, ’13. The Lundbergs are also blessed with four grandchildren.
Lundberg remains a fixture at Chargers sporting events and also volunteers at many Hillsdale College and area high school track and field meets. His
A few years ago, the Athletic Department created the “Wild” Bill Lundberg Award, which is given annually to a student-athlete who makes the biggest positive impact in the community.
trademark “Wild Bill whistle” will still be heard in the community.
“We’re not moving right away or anything,” Lundberg said of his retirement plans. “I think I can assist athletics in different ways. We’re going to fill our time with family and with faith.”
“There’s greatness in my life because of the greatness that was poured into my life.”
— BILL LUNDBERG
BY STEPHANIE GORDON
As Isaac TeSlaa walked through the practice field doors at the Meijer Performance Center, the Detroit Lions’ headquarters and training facility in Allen Park, Michigan, he smiled as he sat down with the media in his new Honolulu blue and silver uniform, humbly wearing #18. What started as a childhood dream is now a reality for the former Chargers standout, who officially became a Detroit Lion in May 2025.
The Hudsonville, Michigan, native said he’s loved the game of football for as long as he can remember. “I have pictures of me holding a little stuffed football as a baby,” TeSlaa recalled. “My dad, Mark, was a football coach at Unity Christian High School, so I went to a lot of football games growing up. We’re also big Lions fans, so we would watch Lions games every Sunday.”
MY DAD, MARK, WAS A FOOTBALL COACH AT UNITY CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL, SO I WENT TO A LOT OF FOOTBALL GAMES GROWING UP. WE’RE ALSO BIG LIONS FANS, SO WE WOULD WATCH LIONS GAMES EVERY SUNDAY. “ ”
NFL DRAFT: 2025: 3RD ROUND, 70TH PICK
TeSlaa took that early love for the game and started playing tackle football in third grade. His drive, dedication, and athleticism made him a successful quarterback at Unity Christian, where he helped lead the Crusaders to a Division 5 state title in 2018. His all-around athleticism wasn’t limited to just football, though. He played on the Crusaders’ 2018-19 state champion basketball team and won a regional championship in the long jump in 2019, setting a school record.
Despite not being heavily recruited in high school, TeSlaa knew he wanted to play college football. “I started going to football camps during my junior and senior years,” he said. “I went to a camp at Hillsdale, and they offered me a full scholarship. My parents, Mark and Stephanie [both 1997 alumni], graduated from Hillsdale, so it was a no-brainer with that full scholarship offer.”
TeSlaa stepped away from the quarterback position and focused on becoming a wide receiver powerhouse, working with his father, who was also a wide receiver for the Chargers. “I knew I had to put on some size, so I was doing a lot with nutrition and lifting weights,” said TeSlaa. “I’d go out to the field or the backyard with my dad, and we’d do drills and catch the football. My dad is definitely my biggest mentor.”
TeSlaa’s first season with the Chargers was anything but ordinary due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the fall 2020 season postponed to spring 2021, he focused on his wide receiver role and learned from veteran teammates like Alec Foos, ’22, and K.J. Maloney, ’21. “There were good leaders in every position group,” TeSlaa said. “These guys had a big impact on me, and I was able to look up to them during my freshman and sophomore years.”
Experiencing “fall camp” in January and February was unique, according to TeSlaa. “Negative temperatures, snow…whatever it was doing outside, we were out there,” he said. “It taught me that I need to love football if this is what I want to do. It was hard, but it was a good way to start my career. ”
Reflecting on his time at Hillsdale, TeSlaa distinctly remembers the strong emphasis on academics and core virtues. “Strength does rejoice in the challenge,” he said. “It is about football, but they [Hillsdale] develop young men. I think that’s the biggest thing at the end of the day.”
A teammate’s injury presented an opportunity for TeSlaa to take on a bigger role for the Chargers soon after starting his second season at Hillsdale. This marked a turning point in his college career, all while showcasing his capabilities.
NEGATIVE TEMPERATURES, SNOW...WHATEVER IT WAS DOING OUTSIDE, WE WERE OUT THERE. IT TAUGHT ME THAT I NEED TO LOVE FOOTBALL IF THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO. IT WAS HARD, BUT IT WAS A GOOD WAY TO START MY CAREER. “ ”
“I
went to a camp at Hillsdale, and they offered me a full scholarship. My parents, Mark and Stephanie [both 1997 alumni], graduated from Hillsdale, so it was a no-brainer with that full scholarship offer.”
“I was able to step in and make a big impact right away,” TeSlaa said.
And that he did. According to the Athletic Department, TeSlaa had a breakout 2021-22 season, seizing a starting job in week two and finishing the year as Hillsdale’s leader in catches (68), receiving yards (1,325), and receiving touchdowns (13). He earned the G-MAC’s Offensive Player of the Year award as well as AllAmerican honorable mention in 2022.
TeSlaa soon grabbed the attention of Division I schools. After his third season at Hillsdale, he transferred to the University of Arkansas and played for the Razorbacks for two seasons in 2023 and 2024.
“They were both very different dynamics,” TeSlaa said, having experienced Division I and II college football. “I loved many aspects of both. I really loved the feel of Hillsdale. I went through so much with those guys. It was like playing football with your best friends.”
TeSlaa can’t pinpoint the moment when the NFL could become a real possibility. “Even when I was at Arkansas, I didn’t necessarily have the most production, but I knew I had talent. I knew I was athletic, and I knew I could play in the league, but I needed my chance. I needed my shot.”
TeSlaa’s shot came when he was invited to the Hula Bowl in January 2025, the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl in February, and then the NFL Scouting Combine. There, he performed impressively. He ran a speedy 4.43 40yard dash and had the highest athleticism score out of all receivers.
“Once I played well at the Senior Bowl, that’s when my agent said they saw me as a draft pick,” TeSlaa said. “I
just learned it’s all about the process. They find guys who know how to be pros and have the intangibles, not necessarily the guys who have the most stats.”
And in April 2025, TeSlaa’s childhood dream officially came true when he was drafted in the third round (70th overall) by the Detroit Lions.
“I don’t know if I can put into words how much this means to me,” TeSlaa smiled. “When you’re a kid, people ask you what you want to do when you grow up. I always wrote down ‘NFL player.’ The fact that I’m in this position now, not only playing in the NFL, but playing for my team I’ve been rooting for since as long as I can remember—how can you put that into words?”
As a rookie, TeSlaa said his biggest goal is finding his role. “Obviously, there’s going to be some sort of offensive role for me—that’s why I was drafted,” he said. “There’s also a special teams role that I’m going to need to find. The biggest part of that is watching the guys ahead of me, those veterans, and how they work. Learning the playbook is going to be another big thing I have to do at full speed.”
In May 2025, the Detroit Lions asked TeSlaa about the best game he ever played. His response: “At Hillsdale College. Three touchdowns. 193 yards.” It’s evident that Hillsdale wasn’t just a stepping stone. It was a place that helped shape him not only as an athlete, but also as an individual, on and off the field. “I have such a love for Hillsdale,” TeSlaa concluded. “There’s no better education you can get. It taught me so many core values. I am a better, well-rounded man because of it.”
From a stuffed football toy to an official NFL game ball, TeSlaa will soon be going forward down the field, watching the blue and silver wave, soaking up his new reality—his childhood dream. And it’s just the beginning.
I HAVE SUCH A LOVE FOR HILLSDALE. THERE’S NO BETTER EDUCATION YOU CAN GET. IT TAUGHT ME SO MANY CORE VALUES. I AM A BETTER, WELLROUNDED MAN BECAUSE OF IT.
BY STEPHANIE GORDON
At the age of five, Anna Chellman, ’26, picked up her first bat and softball. From that moment, she committed herself to the sport of softball through recreational leagues and travel teams. Chellman was a successful pitcher and all-around utility player in high school and knew she wanted to continue playing the game she loved at the collegiate level. Now a third baseman for the Chargers softball team, Chellman has learned that commitment to excellence takes diligence, even when a possible career-ending injury seems to crush years of dedication.
Chellman grew up in Stevensville, Michigan, and attended Lakeshore High School. She helped lead her high school softball team to the 2022 Michigan High School Athletic Association Division II state title as a senior. When it came time to choose a college, Hillsdale seemed like the natural choice. After all, her father and mother, John and Summer, both Class of 1997, are former Chargers athletes. John was an offensive lineman for the football team, and Summer was a pitcher on the softball team. “I was obviously very familiar with Hillsdale and had attended a lot of Hillsdale Homecomings with my parents,” Anna smiled, “but for a while, I didn’t know if Hillsdale was the school for me.”
What Chellman wanted was a small college experience that emphasized academic excellence. She also wanted a tight-knit collegiate softball experience. So, she and her parents visited several colleges, and at the end of her search, Hillsdale emerged as her top choice. “My dad’s freshman roommate is my godfather,” she said. “My mom’s two best friends from her Hillsdale softball days are still a huge part of my life. I asked myself, ‘Why wouldn’t I want to be like them?’ Having these positive influences in my life really drew me to Hillsdale College, along with the softball program and academic rigor.”
“I popped up a bunt, ran, stopped and twisted, and tore my ACL from the rotation during the last double header of my freshman year season,” Chellman explained. “No athlete wants to go through a torn ACL injury.”
For Chellman, the year-long recovery was one of the hardest things she had to do—both mentally and physically. “It wasn’t easy, and it was a mental battle,” she said. “The entire time I told myself, ‘I can do hard things.’ I know it sounds cheesy, but it was what I needed to tell myself. God chose me to go through this journey for a reason. Looking back, it has made me stronger and more appreciative of the opportunities I have through softball.”
Chellman focused on her rehabilitation during the summer of 2023. “I took a lot of things for granted before I tore my ACL,” she said. “I see every day as a blessing because I now know what it’s like to not be able to walk or go outside and be active.”
During rehabilitation, Chellman never once felt like she was excluded from the softball team. “If anything, the injury strengthened my relationship with the team,” she said. “Coaches Gross and Hess and my teammates were always there for me. My role during my sophomore season was to support the team and be a positive presence for everyone.”
And that she did. Chellman continued to show up to practices, travel with her teammates, and cheer on her team at games. “It wouldn’t have been a positive experience if it weren’t for my teammates,” Chellman said. “I wouldn’t want to play softball anywhere else because I love these people so much.”
“I took a lot of things for granted before I tore my ACL. I see every day as a blessing because I now know what it’s like to not be able to walk or go outside and be active.”
By the end of Chellman’s sophomore year, she was able to pinch-hit in five of the regular season games in the last three weeks of the season. She was even able to cover third base for a few innings. She attributes her success to continued strength and agility training and her positive teammates and coaches.
“Coach Kyle Gross is probably one of the best college coaches out there,” Chellman said. “He makes sure that we’re all held accountable, and we, as a team, always put in the most work because that helps with consistency. He cares so much for his players and our well-being. A lot of coaches don’t see the person outside of the player. But he does.”
Her junior year, Chellman was simply elated to play softball again. “I was so excited to be on the field and to swing a bat,” she said. “Hitting a ball is my favorite thing in the world. Even when I strike out, I learn from my mistakes and adjust and do better the next time.”
In addition to her success on the field, she was named to the 2025 CSC (College Sports Communicators) Academic All-District team for her success in the classroom and on the field.
Chellman especially enjoyed traveling to Florida and Hawaii for tournaments, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime experience to grow as a team. “And it wouldn’t be possible without our parent support system,” she said. “That’s what’s different from other schools—our stands are always filled with parents. No matter where we are, they are there for us.”
Chellman has learned that softball means three things: growth, loyalty, and trust. “Softball gives me the opportunity to overcome hard things as an individual and as part of a team,” she said. “You have to trust the girls you play with, and they have to trust you. You don’t realize this until you step out on the field and there are high expectations and a lot at stake. You also have to trust your team to be able to succeed. Softball means more than I can put into words.”
For the 2024-25 season, Chellman stepped into a full-time starting role for the first time at third base and excelled, starting all 57 games for the Chargers, according to the Athletic Department. She batted .277 and tied for second on the team with 11 doubles while also finishing second with 35 RBIs. Chellman also had 10 multi-hit games and hit the go-ahead three-run home run in Hillsdale’s G-MAC Tournament win over Findlay on May 1, 2025, helping the Chargers advance and eventually claim the G-MAC crown while earning All-Tournament team honors in the process.
With nearly two decades of softball experience under Chellman’s belt, she’s no stranger to commitment, challenges, and success. It’s evidence of “doing hard things,” all while keeping her team’s best interest in mind. “That’s what I’ll always try to do,” Chellman concluded.
“It’s not just about me in softball. It’s about what I can do to help the team, and where I fit in the puzzle because everyone’s piece is different. It takes time and trust for everyone’s pieces to fall into the right place.”
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:
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 had its best season since 1991 last spring, 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.
Some Hillsdale athletic programs are funded to the maximum amount allowed by the 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.
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.
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
BY MONICA VANDERWEIDE, ’95
Head Swimming Coach Kurt Kirner likes to tell his students a tale of two fast food restaurants in his hometown of Sauk City, Wisconsin. Both opened about the same time, and while one restaurant put quantity first, which led to sloppiness, the other focused on quality, taking the time to get the orders right and know its customers. Within a few years, the first restaurant failed while the second restaurant became a successful national franchise. “That’s the kind of team you want to be on,” he said, “one focused on quality and doing things the right way.”
The Chargers Swimming program has certainly been doing things the right way during Kirner’s nearly two decades at the helm of the program, consistently finishing as a team near the top of the G-MAC—including a “title wave” of conference championships from 2020-2022—and garnering numerous individual honors as well. It’s a combination of recruiting swimmers who embody strong character and a growth mindset, along with Kirner’s passion for teaching and getting things right.
“A lot of swimmers come in with technical flaws and don’t realize they are doing things ineffectively even though they’ve experienced success on a high school level,” he said. “So, we break down their strokes and analyze what they’re doing. I have them do it slowly to build new motor patterns. Sometimes, it helps to have them try their strokes the wrong way so they get the feeling of what they’re doing wrong.
“I’m looking for hard workers who aren’t afraid to fail,” he continued. “It’s not about perfection; it’s about striving for excellence.”
Kirner began his coaching career at the age of 15, volunteering his time coaching for a summer club working with 10-and-under kids. His paid position was as a lifeguard, but he eventually took over the head coaching position there after just a few seasons. “I developed a passion for coaching then, but I never thought it was what I wanted to do for a living,” he said. “I consider myself a teacher first.”
Kirner earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and his master’s degree from New Mexico State University. He began work on a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, intending to become a college professor. He competed on the swim team as an undergrad and continued to coach club teams on the side during his schooling. However, as he was working on his Ph.D., he began to get low on money.
“I loved coaching and realized I could make a living doing it,” he said. In 1991, he got a coaching job at Division III Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, still intending to complete his Ph.D. But when his Ph.D. advisor left the university for the private sector, he decided once and for all to abandon that “pipe dream” and continue doing what he loved.
Kirner spent 16 successful years at Lawrence coaching both men’s and women’s swimming, not intending to leave his home state. But in 2007, one of his coaching colleagues, fellow Wisconsin native John Tharp, left Lawrence to take the men’s basketball head coach position at Hillsdale.
“John called me a few months after he had started at Hillsdale,” Kirner recalled. “He asked me if I was interested in coming to coach at Hillsdale. He thought it would be a good fit.”
When Kirner visited Hillsdale, he liked what he saw. “The school’s mission aligned with my beliefs, and I liked the athletes,” he said. He was hired and took the reins of the swimming program beginning with the 2007-2008 season. He inherited a young team with no seniors. “They were just looking for leadership,” he said. “They were looking to be challenged but in a way that was more autonomous.”
“I’M LOOKING FOR HARD WORKERS WHO AREN’T AFRAID TO FAIL. IT’S NOT ABOUT PERFECTION; IT’S ABOUT STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE.”
Kirner’s coaching philosophy is guided by three words: Deliberate. Intentional. Purposeful. It all goes back to breaking down each stroke, analyzing the technique, and doing it slowly in order to master the movement. His coaching began to bear fruit in his second year at the helm; in 2009, four Chargers competed at the Division II national meet. In 2011, Linda Okonkowski, ’12, received the first All-American honors for a Hillsdale swimmer in nine years. Since then, honors have continued to roll in, with the Chargers earning multiple All-American honors, G-MAC Freshman of the Year honors, and G-MAC Coach of the Year honors four times for Kirner.
curriculum. He has also taught kinesiology, methods of physical education, and sport psychology courses, as well as some independent studies. His love of reading fuels his teaching; in his spare time, he reads everything from historical fiction to sports psychology. Teaching and coaching don’t stop for him during the summers, either. He’s the longest-standing Nike swim camp director currently holding these camps at Hillsdale. Additionally, he heads up the technique track at University of Michigan swim camps each summer.
With retirement just a few years away, Kirner reflected on Hillsdale’s swimming program. “Character is the
Equally impressive for the program is an honor given outside of the pool. For 18 consecutive seasons, the swimming team has been named a Scholar AllAmerican Team by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America. This honor is given to teams that achieve a 3.0 or higher grade-point average.
“I believe the academic success of the team has to do with self-motivation and autonomy,” Kirner said. “Most collegiate swimmers swim six days a week and more than 10 months a year. It takes incredible commitment and drive to be a swimmer. It wires your brain a certain way, and that drive carries over into the classroom.”
Kirner continues to spend a lot of time in the classroom, teaching a full slate of Sport Studies classes. Years ago, he developed the Physical Wellness Dynamics course that is part of Hillsdale’s core
most important trait I look for in recruiting,” he said. “We recently exemplified that at a meet. A competitor from a rival team had broken her goggles. One of our Charger women happened to be there and loaned her a pair of her goggles for that event. Then she cheered on that rival swimmer in that event. That’s the type of role model we wish to embody. I want our competitors to think, ‘I wish I were a part of that team’ because of the behaviors they exemplify.”
Kirner may not have earned the Ph.D. he sought in his younger days, but he has earned a lifetime of fulfillment in doing a job he loves with students and colleagues he enjoys and respects. “Each job I’ve had has lifted me to another level and challenged me,” he said. “God has really blessed me here.”
Plan A was for Larry Covey, ’65, to attend Michigan State University on a football scholarship. The Hillsdale High School standout athlete dreamed of playing for the Spartans from an early age and spent his childhood building his mind and body up to accomplish that goal.
“I would do 200 push-ups and 200 situps every night before I went to bed,” said Covey of his childhood workout regimen. “And I ran to school every single day, and I ran home from school every day. I can still tell you the steps that I used to take.”
During his senior year, he visited Michigan State, and when then-head coach Duffy Daugherty offered him a football scholarship, Covey thought his dream was coming true. When signing day arrived, he found out the scholarship offer was no longer there.
“I was devastated,” he said. Plan B was contacting Western Michigan University, and although the football coach was interested, he didn’t have any scholarships available.
“I came home, and I didn’t know what I was going to do,” he said of his college options.
However, one coach was very interested in Covey and had a scholarship waiting for him. Hillsdale College football coach Frank “Muddy” Waters had a chance to see Covey play numerous times—including many
times on the College field—and quickly offered Covey a Plan C.
“I get a knock on the door, and he comes in,” Covey said of Waters’ visit to his house. “He says, ‘I’ll give you a full-ride scholarship. Do you want to come?’”
The answer was yes. And Covey is still thankful for making that decision. A blend of power and speed as a 6-foot, 200-pound defensive back, he was a four-year starter for the Dales. He was also a track and field standout who even played basketball and wrestled briefly during his time at Hillsdale.
In track and field, he set a school record in the discus as a freshman and was part of nine school records during his time at Hillsdale.
“A lot of them were relays, because I did a lot of relays,” said Covey, who was named a co-captain of the team. “I did them all. I probably scored more points [in track and field] than anyone in the history of the school.”
He spent two seasons playing basketball as a muscular forward before suffering a shoulder injury that ended his career on the court. Dan “Big Daddy” Goldsmith persuaded Covey to compete on the wrestling team for one season. Although he didn’t win any of his 10 matches, “I didn’t lose them all, either.”
On the football field, he started Day One for the Dales, earning most valuable defensive back honors as a freshman. Known for his coverage skills, Covey also returned punts and kickoffs. During the final game of his senior year in 1964, he was returning a punt against Central Michigan when he made a cut and severely injured his knee. Although he recovered enough to finish out track and field and later try out for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, the knee injury eventually ended his playing career.
“I JUST LOVE THE SCHOOL AND WHAT IT STANDS FOR,” SAID COVEY, WHO APPRECIATES HILLSDALE’S INDEPENDENCE FROM GOVERNMENT FUNDING. “CLASSICAL EDUCATION, YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE IT. IT’S SOMETHING I BELIEVE IN.”
Covey received the College’s Kimball Award twice for being an outstanding student-athlete and citizen who excelled in both academics and athletics. However, he had an academic wake-up call after his sophomore year.
He met a girl from Toledo, Ohio, who would eventually become his wife. The time spent in courtship affected his academics, and for a brief period, he lost his athletic scholarship. Then-Dean of Men Robert Hendee helped Covey return to good academic standing and back to the playing field. When Covey married his now-wife of 62 years, Cheryl, and brought her to campus, he said his perspective changed.
“After I got married, it was completely different,” he said. “All of a sudden, I was on the dean’s list. It was an amazing transformation for me in the classroom.”
Graduating with his teaching degree in health and physical education, Covey decided to teach and coach. He spent two years at Dowagiac High School and a brief time at Jackson High School but eventually returned to Hillsdale, where he served as an assistant football coach for eight years.
In 1977, he and his wife decided to move to Arizona with the hopes of him landing a high school teaching and coaching job. He received an offer, but it was only $10,000 per year. With three
daughters and a wife to provide for, Covey searched for other options. He first worked on remodeling houses and then was a construction superintendent who supervised the building of new Wendy’s Hamburgers and Godfather’s Pizza locations in the Phoenix area. He later would assist in constructing golf courses and other infrastructure projects for subdivisions. “I didn’t have any construction
background, but I learned fast,” Covey said.
When the construction business slowed, he went back into teaching and coaching for five years. He eventually returned to construction, this time starting his own company in
1996, spending 10 years building residential homes specializing in the Santa Fe style.
“Santa Fe is a unique home,” he said of the Southwestern Adobe style design.
“I just love them.”
He eventually retired, and he and his wife now reside in Gold Canyon, Arizona. All three of their daughters are grown, and the Coveys have seven grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.
Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer eight years ago, Covey has battled through his health challenges. Those battles have taken a toll physically, preventing him from golfing and playing pickleball, two of his favorite activities.
“I play a lot of cards,” he said. Able to return to campus for Homecoming last fall, and more recently in April to celebrate his 60year class reunion, Covey said he wears his Hillsdale College gear with pride.
“I just love the school and what it stands for,” said Covey, who appreciates Hillsdale’s independence from government funding. “Classical education, you’ve got to have it. It’s something I believe in.”
Baseball
Four Chargers players earned second-team All-G-MAC honors, including seniors Zak Kent and Brandon Scott, sophomore Rocco Tenuta, and freshman Billy Porotsky. All four players earned all-conference honors for the first time.
Softball
Senior right fielder Ashley Strick was named as one of nine recipients of the 2025 NCAA Division II Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Recipients of the award were selected by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s NCAA Division II All-America Committee. It was the first time a Charger has received the honor.
Men’s Basketball
Senior forward Joe Reuter is heading to Luxembourg, signing a professional contract with Avanti Mondorf in the Luxembourg Basketball League. He was a first-team All-G-MAC selection last season.
Women’s Basketball
Senior guards Lauren McDonald and Caitlin Splain each received first-team All-G-MAC honors for the 2024-25 season. McDonald led the Chargers in points, rebounds, assists, and steals and ranked seventh or better in the G-MAC in all four categories. Splain finished second on the team in scoring with 13.2 points per game. She became the 21st player in Hillsdale College history to surpass 1,000 points for her career.
Football
Sophomore receiver Shea Ruddy earned 2024 CSC Academic All-America second-team honors. He becomes just the 29th athlete in Hillsdale College history, and only the ninth Chargers football player, to receive CSC Academic All-American honors.
Men’s Track and Field/Cross Country
Four men earned All-Midwest Region honors for the 2025 outdoor season from the USTFCCCA. Those honors go to the individuals with the top five times or marks in each event in each of the eight NCAA Division
II regions across the country, as well as the members of each top-three-ranked relay teams. Honored were seniors Richie Johnston, Ross Kuhn, and Cass Dobrowolski, and junior Ben Haas.
Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country
Five women earned All-Midwest Region honors for the 2025 outdoor season from the USTFCCCA, which go to the individuals with the top five times or marks in each event in each of the eight NCAA Division II regions across the country, as well as the members of each top-three-ranked relay teams. Honored were senior Averi Parker, junior Tara Townsend, and freshmen Evyn Humphrey, Allison Kuzma, and Baelyn Zitzmann.
Volleyball
The Chargers signed three Michigan students and one from Indiana who will join the team this fall. Taylor Cook (St. Johns, Michigan/St. Johns), Maddie Krappmann (Clarkston, Michigan/Everest Collegiate), Madison Peal (Grand Rapids, Michigan/Grand Rapids Christian), and setter Grace Drake (Wabash, Indiana/ Southwood) are all talented players who will fill needs for Hillsdale.
Men’s Golf
After five successful seasons as the men’s golf coach at Hillsdale College, Matt Thompson stepped down after the spring season to spend more time with his family.
Two of the program’s three NCAA Division II Regional berths came under his watch, in 2021 and 2025.
Men’s Tennis
Freshman Ryan Papazov not only earned first-team All-G-MAC honors but also was named co-Freshman of the Year for the conference in a three-way tie with Northwood’s Sergio Lopez Guillen and Tiffin’s Romain Marionneau. He moved into the No. 1 singles role midway through the season for the Chargers.
Women’s Tennis
Melanie Zampardo, a former Hillsdale College women’s tennis star and an assistant coach for the Chargers in 2024-25, has been named Hillsdale’s third women’s
tennis coach since the program was restarted in 2010, taking over for Nikki Walbright, who was interim head coach of the program for the 2024-25 season. Walbright will remain an associate athletic director and senior women’s administrator at the College and will continue to assist the women’s tennis program in an advisory capacity as the director of tennis.
Senior Elise Mason earned first-team All-G-MAC honors for the fourth straight season this year. Joining Mason as a first-teamer was freshman Ella Schafer, who captured the 200 freestyle title at the 2025 G-MAC/MEC Championships for the Chargers. Freshman Matilyn Wilhelmsen was named the conference’s co-Freshman of the Year, sharing the award with Findlay’s Sophia Busby.
Davis Hay and Ava Downs each earned spots on Team USA at the USA Shooting National Shotgun Championship May 21-June 1 at the Halter Center. Hay’s combined performance in International Skeet at this match and this past spring’s selection match earned him a spot on the U.S. Junior National Team. In International Trap, junior Ava Downs tied for the third highest score of any woman at the match with 217/250 targets broken. She was crowned the 2025 Junior Women’s National Champion and also took home the bronze in Open Women. She was selected to both the U.S. National Team and Junior National Team.
The team closed out the 2024-25 campaign with a strong showing at the Ohio State Buckeye Blast in Marengo, Ohio. Against a field of more than 250 shooters, the Chargers had success in multiple divisions, including taking three of the top four spots in the Limited Division. Senior and team captain Taylor Chen placed second in the limited division to lead Hillsdale, with sophomore Jonah Kirstein taking first overall in the C Class Production Division.
After seven years of dormancy, the all-sports rivalry between Hillsdale College and Northwood University is renewed by the return of “The Jack” Traveling Trophy between the two programs. “The Jack” is headed back to Hillsdale as the Chargers decisively beat the Timberwolves in the competition between the two schools in 2024-25. Inaugurated in 1996 and named in honor of legendary athletic directors Jack McAvoy of Hillsdale and Jack Finn of Northwood, “The Jack” is awarded to the athletic department that receives the most points awarded for victories in head-to-head regular season competition between the two schools, as well as for the team with the better finish at conference championship events in sports without head-to-head contests. Hillsdale claimed all the points in football, men’s and women’s cross country, volleyball, men’s basketball, women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, men’s golf, and women’s tennis.
The Chargers rampaged through the G-MAC Tournament to bring home the program’s fourth G-MAC Tourney crown and rode that momentum into the NCAA Midwest Regional round where they lost to Indianapolis 3-2 in walk-off fashion. It was Hillsdale’s deepest NCAA Tourney run, finishing the 2025 season with 39 wins, the most since 1991. Senior pitching ace Joni Russell capped a record-setting career with a 23-4 record and a 0.60 regular season earned run average that led NCAA Division II, becoming the first player in Hillsdale College history to earn unanimous first-team All-American honors. Russell has Hillsdale career records for wins (73), strikeouts (899), shutouts (28), and innings pitched (662).
After receiving his first-ever NCAA Division II individual crown in March, it didn’t take long for junior Ben Haas to add another. The 2025 NCAA DII indoor weight throw national champion is now an NCAA DII outdoor champion as well, claiming the national title in the hammer throw at the 2025 NCAA DII Outdoor Championships in Pueblo, Colorado. His mark of 66.31 meters pulled him into the lead for good. With the championship, Haas becomes Hillsdale’s first two-time men’s national champion at the NCAA DII level and is the first double champion since Jim McHugh won his second NAIA national title in the high jump in 1994. Haas was also named the G-MAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. Read more about Haas in this issue.
Freshman Allison Kuzma was named the G-MAC Freshman of the Year for Outdoor Track after a sensational finish at the NCAA Division II national championships that saw her place third in the nation in the 10,000m run with a time of 35:02.50. That time also earned her All-American honors. Senior Nicole Marshall was Hillsdale’s third-ever recipient of the Elite 26 Award, honoring the athlete with the highest cumulative GPA competing in the G-MAC Outdoor Championship meet. Marshall graduated in the spring with a perfect 4.0 GPA and a degree in biochemistry, serving as class co-valedictorian.
Senior Megan Clifford accomplished something no other woman in Hillsdale College swimming history has done by earning her third All-American honor in the 200 butterfly at the 2025 NCAA Division II Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana. She also earned All-American honors in 2023 and 2024. Senior Elise Mason finished an unprecedented run of dominance at the conference level in distance freestyle events, taking titles at the 2025 G-MAC/MEC Championships in the 500, 1,000, and 1,650 freestyle for the fourth straight year to give her 13 conference titles during her time at Hillsdale. A 2022 All-American and a four-time national meet qualifier, Mason never lost a race in her three signature events to a G-MAC/MEC swimmer and graduated holding Hillsdale’s program records in all three events.
The Chargers placed in the top 3 in Division II at the ACUI/SCTP Collegiate Clay Target Championship in San Antonio, Texas. The team also was first in both American Skeet and Skeet Doubles on the way to a bronze Team High Overall finish. Madeline Corbin, ’27, brought home the Women’s Combined Skeet and Skeet Doubles titles; Jordan Sapp, ’26, earned the Men’s Combined Skeet trophy; and Josh Corbin, ’25, took first place in Men’s AA Class Sporting Clays and Super Sporting.
Correction
In the last issue of Arete, the photo on page 70 was labeled as Evyn Humphrey. That was actually a photo of her teammate, Anna Stirton. We apologize for the error.
