Photo by Larry Radloff, d3photography.com

Guard - Hunter Hill
Augustana College
2012 - 2016

All-American selections: 2015 (2nd), 2016 (1st)

All-Region selections: 2015 (1st), 2016 (Player of the Year)

Conference MVPs: 2015, 2016

NCAA Tournament appearances: 2014 (second round), 2015 (national runners-up), 2016 (Elite 8)

Other honors: 2015 All-Tournament team

From the archives

• True tales of going pro (Jan. 2017)
• Augustana experience means setting ego aside (Jan. 2016)
• Hill scores 41 in 2OT win over No. 1 UWW (Dec. 2014)
• Senior year highlight reel (YouTube)

What others say: "Hunter elevated our program from good to great with his play and his influence. All of us fortunate enough to be around him couldn’t help but be inspired by his work ethic, passion, and loyalty to his team. I never coached a more committed, selfless, humble, fierce competitor in my 39 years of college coaching. He possessed an unmatched will to prepare and to win." – Grey Giovanine, former Augustana men's basketball coach

In their own words: "What I remember most about my career at Augustana was the journey and growth from my freshmen year to my senior year, both individually and as a team. I remember being benched for half of my freshmen season (rightfully so) and going back to the drawing board, analyzing my game and role within the team, reflecting on what I do well and what I didn't, and then going to work. We had eight freshmen start a journey together in what would be an unsuccessful bid at playoffs my freshmen year and, surprisingly, we stayed together through all four years – which is unheard of these days.

"Some of my fondest memories were our trips to Camp Shalom; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and most importantly, Salem, Virginia.  I enjoyed the ups and the downs, like when we lost three or four straight and then ran off numerous wins to get a shot at a national championship my junior year (Coach G's first-ever Final Four appearance) and then continued on with one of the most dominant seasons in D3 history my senior year. The diverse skill sets and meshing personalities of those teams are what allowed us to be so great and what allowed me to excel. Without the players and coaches, the Augustana community, all of our friends and families who showed up to the games (and a little hard work) there are no All-American awards."

Where are they now: Fellow at the Genesis Hospital Complex in Davenport, Iowa 

Career synopsis: Hunter Hill came to Augustana College from Ogle County (Illinois) after a senior year of high school marked by athletic accomplishment and personal tragedy. While finishing his all-conference football and basketball career at Byron (Ill.) High School, Hill lost his father, Kirk, who suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after a long career as a member of Navy SEAL Team Six.

Hill later told the Quad City Times that his mother, Susan, and the memory of his father drove him throughout his collegiate athletic career. "Every game, I play for him. I was fortunate to have a wonderful father figure in my life for 17 years who taught me to appreciate the chance to compete. He taught me that nothing comes easily, that you earn what you get by the work you put into it.’’

Augustana started Hill's junior season by winning 14 of its first 15 games, including a double-overtime win over defending champions UW-Whitewater in which Hill scored 41. After a short two-game skid, the Vikings finished the CCIW schedule with a flourish, holding Carthage to 29 points and then rolling over Illinois Wesleyan and Wheaton. Hill led Augustana in scoring when the Vikings beat Illinois Wesleyan for the CCIW tournament title and then continued his strong play as the Vikings' leading scorer in four of their five NCAA Tournament wins. 

Augustana was arguably even better in Hill's senior season, going 13-1 in conference, winning the CCIW tournament and entering the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 1 in the country. Hill poured in 24 points in Augustana's second-round win over Hope and made all 11 of his free throw attempts. That perfect showing was not unusual: Hill is Augustana's all-time leader in free throwing shooting at 89.3%.

After graduating from Augustana, Hill played professionally in Germany where his team won Oberliga for its region. Since returning to the United States, Hill earned his master's degree in hospital administration from the University of Minnesota and is now pursuing a career in that field. "There is always so much of the game one can apply to the business world," Hill tells us. "Lessons such as appreciating the daily grind, resiliency when a setback occurs, working within diverse teams, and most importantly, having fun, all come to mind."