Jack McAvoy ‘55
From his role as an athlete to coach, athletic director and beloved mentor to hundreds of students, few men have been as influential in the history of athletics at Hillsdale College as Jack McAvoy. He served as head coach for the football and men’s basketball programs, then settled in as athletic director from 1975-96, where he was responsible for a period of great expansion in the department. He raised tens of millions of dollars for the department, and played a large role in the construction of the George Roche Sports Complex in the 1980s. The natatorium inside the sports complex is named in his honor. He’s a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame, and continued to provide a support role for the Chargers until his passing in 2007.