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Jeff Hilk '86 Selected for Induction into Bucknell University Athletics Hall of Fame
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Among the best water polo players and swimmers in Bison history, Jeff Hilk '86 will be among six individuals inducted into the Bucknell University Athletics Hall of Fame during the university's Homecoming Weekend on Saturday, October 30.
The new class will be inducted as part of the 32nd Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast, hosted by the Bison Club on Homecoming Weekend. The new Hall of Famers will also be re-introduced at halftime of the Bucknell-Lafayette football game later that afternoon.
A standout for both the Bucknell water polo and swimming and diving teams in the mid-1980s., Hilk posted 334 goals and 460 points in his career, totals that still rank second only to fellow Hall of Famer and All-America selection Scott Schulte '81 on Bucknell's career charts. Hilk is one of only nine players in program history to score 100 goals in a season, and he and Schulte are the only two to do it more than once. A four-year starter, Hilk scored 108 goals as a sophomore and 104 as a senior.
In 1985 Hilk co-captained a Bison squad that finished 25-9, won the Mid-Atlantic Conference title, was runner-up at the Eastern Championship and placed seventh at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship. That was the last Bucknell team to win a league title or qualify for the NCAAs. Hilk was a three-time All-MAC and All-East honoree, and as a senior he was an Honorable Mention All-America selection. He was later picked to play on the East team at the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1985 and 1986, and in 1983 he was a member of the National Junior Development Team.
As a four-year swimming letterman, Hilk graduated with school records in the 200-yard freestyle and 400 and 800 freestyle relays. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was a top-eight finisher in five freestyle events at East Coast Conference Championships and was on two gold-medal relays in 1985.
Hilk won the Scott Schulte Award as the water polo team's MVP in 1985 and was also the co-recipient of the Christy Mathewson Award as the top senior athlete in his class.
The Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 1979 to honor the very best in the history of Bison athletics. This year's induction brings to 217 the number of outstanding student-athletes, coaches, administrators and friends of Bucknell whose contributions to Bucknell athletics are forever preserved in the Hall of Fame.
