John Hildebrand ’76 Elected to Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame – Induction Set for June 2008

John “Hilde” Hildebrand, Class of 1976, was elected into the Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame in June 2007 by the Ohio Lacrosse Foundation. At his request, he will be formally inducted with the June 2008 Hall of Fame Class, in Columbus, Ohio.

Hilde was a 4-year varsity letter winner at OWU (1973-1976) and during that four year span, he and his teammates recorded a 41-14 record under Coach Joe Horn (1973) and Coach Rich Seiler (1974-1976). Those teams set some major records in Bishop Lacrosse: the 1975 team made its first ever appearance in the NCAA Division II-III Tournament, and recorded its first Midwest Lacrosse Association Championship in 1976. In Hilde’s senior year, the Battling Bishops would make their second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II-III Tournament and met Hobart College, who ultimately claimed the national title, in the semi-final game. Hilde set the records that stand today and received the following honors during his four-year tenure as a Battling Bishop:

• led the Bishops in goals scored for 4 straight years (1973-1976)
• 4th all-time record holder for goals scored in an individual game - 8 goals - May 12, 1976, versus Kutztown State
• 4th all-time record holder for career goals - 162 goals (1973-1976)
• Honorable Mention All-American, Attack, 1975
• 3rd Team All-American, Attack, 1976
• 1st Team, All-Midwest Lacrosse Association, Attack, 1974, 1975, 1976

Congratulations are in order for Hilde on his election into the Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He joins a growing list of other Bishops recently inducted into the Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame:

• Founding OWU Lacrosse Coach Fred Myers – inducted in 2002
• Bob Sargent ’76 – inducted in 2005
• Steve Meinsen ’77 – inducted in 2005
• Richie Seiler ’72 – inducted in 2006
• Toby Boucher ’88 – inducted in 2007