Last Wednesday, Feb. 5, high school senior and wide receiver Andrew Wilcox committed to attend the school he had grown up cheering on his whole life.
“Ever since a young age I’ve always thought about playing at the next level at Hillsdale, whether in football or basketball,” Wilcox said. “I just think it’s pretty awesome that we have a college like Hillsdale so close to here.”
Eighteen other student-athletes hailing from Colorado to Wilcox’s hometown of Hillsdale committed to suit up for the Chargers on College Football National Signing Day.
In addition, the track and field team signed 13 student-athletes – six men and seven women. Other programs’ incoming freshmen either signed last November, or will sign in April, according to Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations and Event Management Brad Monastiere.
The 13 track and field athletes and 19 football players are not the extent of each team’s freshman rosters, as some students have yet to commit to Hillsdale College, and still others may join the team as walk-ons.
Along with Wilcox, 11 other football commits are natives of Michigan. The group boasts an average GPA of 3.82 and an average ACT score of 28.
Head coach Keith Otterbein said that he and the other coaches, who divide recruiting by area, were able to sign a lot of their top picks. In addition to visits, much of football recruiting is done through the Internet with video clips.
Roughly 100 prospects visit Hillsdale each year, and the coaching staff aims to have an annual incoming class of 25. Last season, the class consisted of 33 members.
“It takes a lot of bodies to run a football program, and with the number last fall being 114, it really helps practices run smoothly, especially when you have injuries,” coach Otterbein said.
Wilcox had a unique recruiting experience due to his familiarity with the Chargers. Last semester, Wilcox took Introduction to Psychology with Psychology Department Chair Kari MacArthur on campus.
“That really opened my eyes,” Wilcox said. “I was kind of nervous because Hillsdale is really tough, and it kind of made me see that, ‘Ok, I can do this,’ and how much I loved being at Hillsdale. Everyone is really nice and the professor was awesome.”
In addition to attending his hometown institution, Wilcox will also be joining a family legacy, as his mother, Missy, graduated in 1991.
“We’ve had a lot of success with kids out of Hillsdale High,” coach Otterbein said. “We’re excited about Andrew and his potential to make a positive contribution to the program.”
