UST's Andrew Hilliard gets elite Woody Hayes award

January 23, 2003
St. Thomas football/track star Andrew Hilliard (SR-Woodbury) has added another prestigious national award to his glowing resume.

Hilliard is one of six college student-athletes who will receive the 2003 Woody Hayes National Scholar-Athlete Award, sponsored by the Sertoma Club of Columbus, Ohio.

One male and female from across the nation is honored in Division I, II and III. Hilliard will receive his award Feb. 7 in Columbus, Ohio.

The other 2003 recipients are:
--Emory (Ga.) soccer and basketball standout Andrea Pawliczek (3.99 gpa);
--North Dakota State track and field sprinter Jill Theeler (4.00 gpa);
--Mount Vernon (Ohio) Nazarene soccer player Casey Swanson (3.85 gpa);
--Ohio State University women's basketball player Lauren Shenk (3.89 gpa);
--Arizona QB Jason Johnson (3.79 gpa)

Hilliard, who has 3.98 grade-point average in Mathematics, was a 2002 football co-captain and a two-time track & field co-captain.

As sprinter/400 hurdler in track and field, he's a four-time NCAA Division III All-American (4x400/4x100) and a member of both the indoor and outdoor conference record-holding 4x400 relay teams. He's contributed to 11 victories (relays and hurdles) at conference indoor/outdoor meets in three seasons, and helped the Tommies win all six team championships.

In football, Hilliard started 38 of 40 career football gamees, missing only two with injuries, and twice was voted All-MIAC. In 38 career games he had 147 receptions for 2,547 yards (17.3 ypc) with 23 touchdowns. He finished second on UST's career receiving yards list. He helped the Tommies win 25 of 35 conference games in his era. Despite being slowed by injuries in 2002, Hilliard had 989 yards in total offense and six touchdowns. He had an 88-yard kickoff return for TD vs. No. 6 St. John's, and had a 38-yard reverse for TD vs. Gustavus.

Among his other previous honors:
--Hilliard traveled to New York in December as one of 14 college football recipients of the National Scholar-Athlete Award. That award, presented by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame, includes an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. Hilliard was the second MIAC honoree in the 43-year history of the award -- joining Chirs Palmer of St. John's, a 1995 recipient.

--Hilliard also was among 10 finalists for the 2002 Galiardi Trophy, honoring the NCAA Division III Football Player of the Year

--Hilliard also is a finalist for an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

--Hilliard is a four-time Verizon Academic All-American, twice in football and twice in track and field.

--Hilliard also was named to the American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) "Good Works Team" for exceptional community service. Only three Division III players in the nation were recognized. It's the fifth year in a row that St. Thomas has had a player on the Good Works team. His service work includes weightlifting coach for a Special Olympics team; volunteer for National Youth Sports Program (NYSP) as youth coach; 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; volunteer for Habitat for Humanity -- helped on homebuilding projects in St. Paul's Frogtown neighborhood; volunteer for Loaves & Fishes Foodshelf; volunteer at neighborhood cleanup day in St. Paul; volunteer at annual on-campus Faculty/Staff Family Christmas party (last four years); volunteer at Bailey Elementary School P.E. classes; and member campus Fellowship of Christian Athletes (three years).