CLEVELAND, Ohio - Baldwin Wallace announced today that Jim Hilvert will become the school's new football coach. Hilvert replaces John Snell, who stepped down at the end of last season.
Hilvert comes to Baldwin Wallace after leading Cincinnati La Salle High School to back-to-back Division II state titles. The hire makes Hilvert just the fourth head football coach at BW since 1957.
Prior to leading La Salle, Hilvert was the coach at Thomas More College, where he finished 67-19. The Saints appeared in four straight NCAA Division III playoffs from 2008-2011 and won six Presidents Athletic Conference titles.
In a written release, BW athletics director Kris Diaz said: "Jim is an intense competitor who is focused on winning and is committed to developing student athletes for success on and off the field. Jim's excitement, energy and drive are contagious and we look forward to welcoming him to BW."
Also in the same release, Hilvert said he believes in building lifetime relationships with his players as a coach and mentor and his goal is to win a conference and national title.
Prior to Thomas More, Hilvert was an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at then College of Mount St. Joseph. He's a graduate of St. Joseph's College in Indiana and he received his master's from Western Michigan University.
He starts at BW on Monday. He will relocate to Northeast Ohio along with his wife Jennifer and three children.
The Yellow Jackets open the 2017 season on Sept. 2 at Defiance College.