Arete Archives

No Regrets: 1955 Football Team United in Turning Down Tangerine Bowl Bid

The 1955 Hillsdale College football team finished the regular season 9-0 and dominated the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In fact, the Dales were being considered for a New Year’s Day bowl game in Orlando, Florida. However, there was one huge caveat.

Longshot Leaders: Shea Ruddy and Jacob Vance go from Overlooked to Undeniable for Hillsdale College Football

After three seasons on the field for the Hillsdale College football team, the importance of Shea Ruddy and Jacob Vance to the Chargers is easy to see. Ruddy and Vance have achieved tremendous success as individuals at Hillsdale, but for their final season in 2026, both players have just one goal in mind—to bring home the team’s first championship since 2018.

Special Season: 1985 National Champions Gather for 40th Reunion

When the 1985 Hillsdale Chargers took to the football field, the team knew the season was going to be special. That season, the Chargers celebrated 11 victories. Ironically, the biggest celebration did not come after a win, but a tie. Several teammates returned to Hillsdale during Homecoming Weekend 2025 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of that national championship team.

When Work is Play: Kyle Gross Guides Hillsdale Softball to Success

A popular saying goes, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” For Head Softball Coach Kyle Gross, that sentiment rings true as he comes off one of the most successful seasons ever in program history and enters his eighth season at the helm.

Find Your Strength: Emma Ruhlman’s Breakout Basketball Season

From a freshman on the bench to a starting senior, Emma Ruhlman has truly blossomed during her years as a Charger. During her junior year, she had found her strength, earning a spot in the starting lineup and helping the Chargers to their best season in 16 years.

Don’t Neglect the Gift: Legacy in the Roberts Sisters’ Strides

Not everyone considers running a gift, but for the Roberts family, it is the gift that keeps on giving. Anna, ’26, Megan, ’27, Caroline, ’29, are carrying the family legacy forward, running their own races at their own paces for the Chargers.

Generations: Emerson Family Spans More Than 90 Years of Hillsdale Athletics

More than 130 years ago, the first member of the Emerson family walked the Hillsdale College campus as a student. Since that time, 18 additional family members have attended Hillsdale, become student-athletes, and left a family heritage of which very few can boast.

A Teacher First: The Pool is Kurt Kirner’s Classroom

The Chargers Swimming program has been doing things the right way during Kirner’s nearly two decades at the helm of the program, consistently finishing as a team near the top of the G-MAC—including a “title wave” of conference championships from 2020-2022—and garnering numerous individual honors as well.

Hammer Time: Thrower Ben Haas Wins Double National Championships

The first time Ben Haas, ’26, visited the Hillsdale College campus, he was told he had the raw potential to be a national champion someday. Four years later, Haas made that potential a reality, becoming the first double NCAA champion in men’s track and field at Hillsdale since the Chargers moved from the NAIA in 1998.

Strength Through a Setback: Anna Chellman Perseveres

Anna Chellman, ’26, has learned through softball that commitment to excellence takes diligence, even when a possible career-ending injury seems to crush years of dedication. She’s no stranger to commitment, challenges, and success. It’s evidence of “doing hard things,” all while keeping her team’s best interest in mind.

Triple Threat, No Regrets: Marilyn Popplewell Excels in Three Sports

Excelling at one sport in college is a dream come true for most athletes. Marilyn Popplewell, ’25, made the most of her final school year, making a huge impact in three different sports—volleyball, basketball, and track and field—to become Hillsdale’s first true three-sport athlete in more than two decades.

Far From Basic Training: Sports Medicine and Performance Team Recognized as Conference’s Best

Tyler Cortright leads a team that includes a head trainer, athletic trainers, a head strength and conditioning coach, and medical director. They are all part of the team that keeps the Chargers in peak physical condition in all 14 of Hillsdale’s varsity sports.