The Hillsdale College athletic department is thrilled to announce the induction of three distinguished alumni into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
The Class of 2019 is made up of Jerry Schaffer, '61, Clara Leutheuser, '12, and Joe Glendening, '13. Those three were chosen for induction by the Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 30 at the Searle Center, on Hillsdale's campus.
Schaffer was a three-sport standout during one of the golden ages of Hillsdale College athletics, playing football, basketball and baseball from 1957-61. During his time with the Dales, Schaffer was the basketball team's starting point guard for four years and was the MVP and team captain of the 1960-61 squad. He was a starting defensive back in football and led the undefeated 1958 Hillsdale team in interceptions. In baseball, Schaffer was an All-MIAA selection following the 1960 season.
After his prolific athletic career at Hillsdale, Schaffer went on to an outstanding career coaching high school basketball, spending most of his time at Three Oaks River Valley. He won 473 games as a prep basketball coach and led Three Oaks to the 1979 Class C state championship. His teams in 1981 and 1997 were state runner-ups and he was named the state of Michigan's Coach of the Year in Class C twice.
Schaffer is also a member of the MIchigan High Schoool Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Basketball Coaches of Michigan Hall of Fame.
Leutheuser was a dominant middle hitter for the Charger volleyball team from 2008-11. She led the team to three straight GLIAC championships, was named All-GLIAC and All-Region three times and garnered three separate NCAA Division II All-Americna honors during her career.
She finished her career with three of the top seven single-season marks for hitting percentage, with a high of .398 in 2011. Her 1,125 career kills ranks eighth in school history and she holds Hillsdale's all-time record for career blocks with 580.
An outstanding student, Leutheuser was named CoSIDA Academic All-Region and was a two-time recipient of the GLIAC Academic Excellence Award.
Her teams established an era of dominance, especially from 2009-11, when the Chargers had a combined total record of 84-13. The 2011 Charger volleyball team captured the Midwest Regional Championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II final four, held in San Bernardino, California.
Glendening is the finest running back in the 126-year history of Hillsdale College football. His career mark of 4,722 rushing yards is more than 300 more than any other player. He also holds the school's career total touchdowns record with 62, 10 more than anyone else.
He took over as Hillsdale's starting tailback in the 2010 season and immediately established himself as one of the nation's best at his position. He rushed for 1,485 yards and 15 touchdowns in leading the Chargers to a 9-3 record and a second consecutive spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs.
In 2011, Glendening was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, emblematic of the top player in Division II, and was named First-Team All-American. That season, he racked up 1,604 yards and 27 touchdowns, both single-season school records to this day. Hillsdale would go 8-3 in 2011, winning the outright GLIAC regular season championship. Glendening was named GLIAC Player of the Year in 2011, becoming the third Charger to win that award in a five-year span.
Despite being hampered by injuries, he still produced 1,517 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in 2012, helping the Chargers to a share of the GLIAC North Division title.
In his final game, played on a muddy field at Northwood University on Nov. 10, 2012, Glendening rushed for 211 yards and 2 touchdowns, the second of which came on his final carry of his career, a 14-yard sprint up the middle to help clinch a 14-3 win for Hillsdale.
The Chargers had a total record of 34-13 during Glendening's career, won at least a share of three GLIAC championships and qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs twice.
Join us! To register, please visit: 2019hillsdalecollegeathletichalloffame.eventbrite.com