Football's Andrew Hilliard gets elite national honor

September 20, 2002
University of St. Thomas co-captain and starting wide receiver Andrew Hilliard (SR-Woodbury) is one of three Division III student-athletes honored on the 2002 Good Works team picked by the American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA).

It's the fifth time in the five-year history of the community-service award that St. Thomas has had a player honored. Mark Warder (1998), Greg Kaiser (1999), Mike Westland (2000) and Brian Brenberg (2001) were previous St. Thomas honorees.

Only 22 players nationally are selected each year -- 11 from Division I, and 11 others from all the nominations from Division II, III and NAIA schools.

Hilliard is one of two Minnesotans honored, joining Amherst senior PK Mike Proman, a Breck graduate and Minneapolis native.

Hilliard, who has a 3.98 gpa in Mathematics, has been voted to the Verizon Academic All-American teams twice in track and field and once in football. He's the first St. Thomas student-athlete to receive the elite Verizon honor twice in one school year.

In football, he's been a four-year starter and has 108 catches for 2,024 yards and 19 touchdowns. Twice last season he caught three TD passes in one game as he finished with 52 catches for 977 yards and 13 TDs in nine games. He needs 629 yards to become the Tommies' all-time receiving yards leader.

Hilliard also is a four-time relay All-American in track and field and is a member of the 4x400 relay team that holds the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) record.

Off the field, Hilliard has been an exceptional leader and volunteer in community and campus service projects. Among his activities:

. Volunteer weightlifting coach for Special Olympics team (West Metro/Twin Cities Team) (spring 2001 semester)
. Volunteer for National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) coaching FB, basketball, softball, track & field (summer 2002)
. Volunteer for Beaver Lake Church Vacation Bible School, in charge of recreational activities (summer 2002)
. Volunteer for hometown Woodbury Athletic Association at track, football camps (summer 1999, 2000, 2001)
. Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity -- helped on homebuilding projects in St. Paul's Frogtown neighborhood (spring 2002)
. Volunteer for Loaves & Fishes Foodshelf (spring 1998)
. Volunteer at neighborhood cleanup day in St. Paul (spring 2000)
. Volunteer at annual on-campus Faculty/Staff Family Christmas party (1999, 2000, 2001)
. Volunteer at Bailey Elementary School P.E. classes "Ultimate Dodgeball Day" (last three years)
. Campus Fellowship of Christian Athletes (three years)










see AFCA news story here