Robert Hill is an American retired ice hockey defenseman and coach who was the first All-American for Minnesota–Duluth.[1]

Bob Hill
Born 1944
Duluth, Minnesota, USA
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Defenseman
Played for Minnesota–Duluth
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 1962–1966

Career edit

Hill was born and raised in Duluth, playing hockey for Duluth East alongside Dick Fisher and won the 1960 State Championship. In 1962 Hill followed his defensive partner Fisher to Minnesota–Duluth. The Bulldogs were in the process of transition to the top level of college hockey but were playing as an independent. This allowed Hill to start playing for UMD as a freshman and he proved to be one of the top Bulldogs defenders from the start. When he was a senior Hill's team joined the WCHA and, to very little surprise, the team finished last in their first season of conference play. Despite this, Hill was named as the program's first All-American.

After graduating Hill remained in the area and worked as a teacher. He became the head coach of the hockey team at Denfeld High School in 1970 and earned a Master's degree the following year. He remained at Denfield until 1984 when he returned to his old high school, Duluth East, to coach both of his sons on the hockey team, as well as Dick Fisher's son Dave.[2] Hill retired after the 1986 season and was inducted into the Minnesota–Duluth Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.[3]

Personal life edit

Hill's two sons, Noel and Sean both played college hockey after being coached by their father in high school. Noel played at Wisconsin–Eau Claire while Sean attended Wisconsin–Madison and went on to a 17-year NHL career.

Career statistics edit

Regular season and playoffs edit

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1959–60 Duluth East MN-HS
1960–61 Duluth East MN-HS
1961–62 Duluth East MN-HS
1962–63 Minnesota–Duluth NCAA 24 3 9 12 4
1963–64 Minnesota–Duluth NCAA 25 5 13 18 10
1964–65 Minnesota–Duluth NCAA 27 9 25 34 33
1965–66 Minnesota–Duluth WCHA 28 8 19 27 24
NCAA Totals 104 25 66 91 71

Awards and honors edit

Award Year
All-WCHA Second Team 1965–66 [4]
AHCA West All-American 1965–66 [1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "1965-1966 All-American Team". The American Hockey Coaches Association. Retrieved 2017-06-21.
  2. ^ "Family ties: Two East hockey families are on their third generation of defensemen". Duluth News Tribune. December 23, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  3. ^ "Bob Hill". Minnesota–Duluth Athletic Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  4. ^ "WCHA All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.

External links edit