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We are proud to announce the 2016 inductees to the Hillsdale High School Hall of Fame. John Hazelhurst [HHS ‘78] was involved in TV production and musical theater while at Hillsdale. He then enlisted in the US Air Force where he served for 20 years, specializing in air crew life support and pressure suits for high altitude aircraft (U2 and SR71) while earning numerous commendations. He then became a NASA contractor for the Shuttle program, serving as an insertion technician on closeout crews and working directly with astronauts as the “last man out” on numerous Shuttle flights, including the ill-fated Columbia mission in 2003. He is a recipient of the NASA Space Flight Awareness Honoree Award. Currently, John continues his work with life support systems for the WB57 aircraft, a high altitude scientific platform for the NASA Airborne Science Program. Valerie Fleming [HHS ‘94] was an honor student, involved in student government, and an award winning four sport athlete (track, soccer, softball, and swimming) while at Hillsdale. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara where she won numerous honors in both track and field, and then earned a Masters degree from St. Mary’s College. Valerie became involved in two women bobsled in 2003 as a pusher/brakeman. Over the next 8 years she earned 21 World Cup Medals, 3 World Championship Medals, and a Silver Medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. She is now the coach/manager of the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Development Program. Valerie was honored in 2010 as one of St. Mary’s 40 Influential Women, and has been inducted into the Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame. Karen Kraft [HHS ‘87] attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo following her graduation from Hillsdale. There she earned a degree in architecture and was a member of the school’s club rowing program. Karen’s interest and success in rowing grew as she continued to compete in women’s coxless pairs. She won World Cup Gold Medals in ’95, ’96, and ’99, US National Championship Gold Medals in ’96 and ’99, a Silver Medal at the Atlanta Summer Olympics in 1996, and a Bronze Medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. She was named US Rowing’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1996 and 2000. Karen and her partner missed the ’96 gold medal by .039 of a second! Karen continued her involvement in rowing as the assistant varsity rowing coach at the University of Wisconsin, and she currently teaches Bikram Yoga in Madison, WI. Nick Vanos [HHS ‘81] was a 3 year varsity starter at Hillsdale where he holds the single game scoring record (51 pts), was twice the CCS leading scorer, and twice the SM County Player of the Year. Nick then attended Santa Clara University where he fashioned a stellar career, twice being named 1 st team all league and invited to the 1984 Olympic Basketball Trials. In 1985, Nick was chosen by the Phoenix Suns as the 2 nd pick of the 2 nd round, and was projected to be the Sun’s starting center for the 1988 season. Tragically, following the 1987 season, Nick was killed in an airliner crash at the age of 24. Nick has been widely recognized for his outstanding character and athletic ability, and has been inducted into the Santa Clara University and SM County Athletic Halls of Fame, and had his jersey retired both at Santa Clara and Hillsdale. Bill Wilkin [HHS ’64-‘03] began a distinguished career at Hillsdale following graduation from Capuchino HS and Utah State University. He served as a Physical Education Teacher, Athletic Director, Frosh-Soph Baseball, Frosh-Soph and Varsity Softball, and Frosh-Soph and Varsity Basketball Coach. Over 30 years as Varsity Basketball Coach, his teams won 493 games, captured 8 league titles, were CCS runner-ups in ’86-’87, and champions in ’95 and ’97. The ’97 team was the Northern California Champion and finished as California Division III runner-up. Bill was named CCS Coach of the year in 1989, was inducted into the San Mateo County Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and has been honored by Hillsdale’s naming of the “Bill Wilkin Court”. Bill coached both of his successors and is respected as a true gentleman who coached “the Hillsdale way”.

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Weareproudtoannouncethe2016inducteestotheHillsdaleHighSchoolHallofFame.

JohnHazelhurst[HHS‘78]wasinvolvedinTVproductionandmusicaltheaterwhileatHillsdale.He thenenlisted in theUSAir Forcewherehe served for20 years, specializing in air crew lifesupport and pressure suits for high altitude aircraft (U2 and SR71) while earning numerouscommendations. He then became a NASA contractor for the Shuttle program, serving as aninsertiontechnicianoncloseoutcrewsandworkingdirectlywithastronautsasthe“lastmanout”onnumerousShuttleflights,includingtheill-fatedColumbiamissionin2003.HeisarecipientoftheNASASpaceFlightAwarenessHonoreeAward. Currently,Johncontinueshisworkwith lifesupportsystemsfortheWB57aircraft,ahighaltitudescientificplatformfortheNASAAirborneScienceProgram.ValerieFleming[HHS‘94]wasanhonorstudent,involvedinstudentgovernment,andanawardwinning four sport athlete (track, soccer, softball, and swimming) while at Hillsdale. ShegraduatedfromUCSantaBarbarawhereshewonnumeroushonorsinbothtrackandfield,andthenearnedaMastersdegreefromSt.Mary’sCollege.Valeriebecameinvolvedintwowomenbobsledin2003asapusher/brakeman.Overthenext8yearssheearned21WorldCupMedals,3WorldChampionshipMedals,andaSilverMedalatthe2006WinterOlympicsinTurin.Sheisnow thecoach/managerof theU.S.BobsledandSkeletonDevelopmentProgram. Valeriewashonored in 2010 as one of St.Mary’s 40 InfluentialWomen, and has been inducted into thePeninsulaSportsHallofFame.

KarenKraft[HHS‘87]attendedCalPolySanLuisObispofollowinghergraduationfromHillsdale.There she earned a degree in architecture and was a member of the school’s club rowingprogram.Karen’sinterestandsuccessinrowinggrewasshecontinuedtocompeteinwomen’scoxlesspairs. ShewonWorldCupGoldMedals in ’95, ’96,and ’99,USNationalChampionshipGoldMedalsin’96and’99,aSilverMedalattheAtlantaSummerOlympicsin1996,andaBronzeMedalatthe2000SummerOlympicsinSydney.ShewasnamedUSRowing’sFemaleAthleteofthe Year in 1996 and 2000. Karen and her partner missed the ’96 gold medal by .039 of asecond!KarencontinuedherinvolvementinrowingastheassistantvarsityrowingcoachattheUniversityofWisconsin,andshecurrentlyteachesBikramYogainMadison,WI.

Nick Vanos [HHS ‘81]was a3 year varsity starter atHillsdalewhereheholds the single gamescoringrecord(51pts),wastwicetheCCSleadingscorer,andtwicetheSMCountyPlayeroftheYear.NickthenattendedSantaClaraUniversitywherehefashionedastellarcareer,twicebeingnamed1stteamall leagueandinvitedtothe1984OlympicBasketballTrials. In1985,NickwaschosenbythePhoenixSunsasthe2ndpickofthe2ndround,andwasprojectedtobetheSun’sstartingcenterforthe1988season.Tragically,followingthe1987season,Nickwaskilledinanairlinercrashattheageof24.Nickhasbeenwidelyrecognizedforhisoutstandingcharacterandathletic ability, and has been inducted into the Santa ClaraUniversity and SMCountyAthleticHallsofFame,andhadhisjerseyretiredbothatSantaClaraandHillsdale.

Bill Wilkin [HHS ’64-‘03] began a distinguished career at Hillsdale following graduation fromCapuchinoHS andUtah StateUniversity. He served as a Physical Education Teacher, AthleticDirector, Frosh-Soph Baseball, Frosh-Soph and Varsity Softball, and Frosh-Soph and VarsityBasketballCoach.Over30yearsasVarsityBasketballCoach,histeamswon493games,captured8leaguetitles,wereCCSrunner-upsin’86-’87,andchampionsin’95and’97.The’97teamwasthe Northern California Champion and finished as California Division III runner-up. Bill wasnamedCCSCoachof theyear in1989,was inducted into theSanMateoCountySportsHallofFamein2006andhasbeenhonoredbyHillsdale’snamingofthe“BillWilkinCourt”.Billcoachedbothofhissuccessorsandisrespectedasatruegentlemanwhocoached“theHillsdaleway”.