Belles' Hildebrandt resigns from positions
By KATIE McVOY
Associate Sports Editor
Assistant athletic director and head swim coach Gretchen Hildebrandt will vacate her positions in the athletic department at the end of this semester to attend school and focus on triathlon competition, Hildebrandt announced last week.
Hildebrandt was accepted to the University of Westchester in Philadelphia Tuesday, where she hopes to earn her masters degree in exercise and sports physiology. Hildebrandt, who also holds an undergraduate degree in elementary education, will focus her master's thesis on sports psychology.
"As hard as it is for me to see her move on, I'm excited," athletic director Lynn Kachmarik said. "She's just coming into her own as an athlete."
After receiving her master's degree, she plans to look at several options — such as returning to college athletics, coaching or following more administrative lines.
"[The masters] opens up a lot more doors," Hildebrandt said. "I'm thinking about going into a more corporate kind of athletics, possibly working for Sports Illustrated."
However, education isn't the only thing Hildebrandt will be furthering. She plans on training full time as a triathlete. Hildebrandt, who competed for the United States last year in Perth, Australia, is looking to expand the scope of her competition.
"It will give me an idea of where I can go with triathlon," she said. "Last year I wanted to do it for fun. This year working under a coach it's become a lot more serious. Ultimately, I want to go professional. At my age I can afford to explore this and see where it takes me."
Hildebrandt came to Saint Mary's in the fall of 1999. During her time at Saint Mary's as the assistant athletic director, one of Hildebrandt's main responsibilities was intramural sports and club sports.
Since 1999, participation in club sports has almost tripled, Midnight Madness — the intramural championships — was instituted, and Saint Mary's introduced new club sports, such as the triathlon club.
"[Hildebrandt] has moved this program forward so that we can attract really qualified people [to fill her position]," Kachmarik said.
Hildebrandt also led the swim team to a sixth-place finish in the MIAA this season.
Upon her arrival and Saint Mary's, Hildebrandt was reunited with Kachmarik, who had served as her swimming coach at Bucknell Uni-versity during Hildebrandt's undergraduate years.
"It was an instantaneous colleague relationship," Kachmarik said. "I've been inspired working with her not only professionally but personally as well. But I know that people move on."
The athletic department has already begun to accept applications to fill the spot Hildebrandt will be leaving. The new assistant athletic director will also be serving as the swim coach and handling intramurals, according to Kachmarik. The application deadline closes in the middle of next week.
After interviewing the top 10 applicants, "We want to bring the top three candidates to campus," Kachmarik said. "Not only do the athletes need to meet the candidates, these candidates need to meet the athletes so they can be excited about being a part of this program."
Kachmarik is looking for an applicant who already has successful collegiate experience. She expects to name a new assistant athletic director by mid-April.
All Sports Stories for Thursday, March 29, 2001
