Calvin University

Becky Hilgert heads into her tenth season as head softball coach at Calvin University. In addition, she serves as Calvin's Assistant Director of Athletics. 

In nine years as head coach, she has amassed a won-loss record of 230-102 that includes four trips to the NCAA III Tournament. Seven of her Calvin teams have earned the MIAA Team GPA Award for maintaining a cumulative team grade point average of 3.30 or above.

Her 2024 team set a school record for victories in a season, finishing 34-12 overall while reaching the finals of the NCAA III Regional Tournament. The Knights finished 23rd in the final NFCA D3 Top 25 ranking. In addition, she coached sophomore Brooke Hunderman to 2024 MIAA Pitcher of the Year honors. On May 1, 2024, she picked up the 200th win of her collegiate coaching career in a doubleheader sweep of Alma. Her 2023 team hit the 20-win plateau for the sixth time under her watch, compiling a record of 29-11 that included a trip to the MIAA Tournament Championship finals. The Knights were regionally-ranked over the final three weeks of the 2023 regular season. She coached senior Hannah Biddlecome to MIAA MVP and NFCA Division III All-America honors in 2023 with Biddlecome later receiving CSC Academic All-America honors. Biddlecome was one of five Calvin players to receive All-MIAA honors in 2023 and three to land NFCA All-Region accolades. 

In 2021, she led Calvin to an MIAA Tournament title in the midst of a pandemic and guided the Knights to their third NCAA III Tournament appearance in the last four years. Calvin finished 29-9 overall, reaching the NCAA III Regional Tournament semifinals. During the 2021 season, Hilgert picked up the 100th victory of her collegiate career.

The Knights started the 2020 campaign with a 4-1 record before the spring season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Academically, Calvin placed 15 players on the MIAA Academic honor roll and received the MIAA Team GPA award for the second straight season with team GPA of 3.5689. In four prior seasons, she has compiled an overall record of 87-41 that includes back-to-back trips to the NCAA III Tournament (2018 & 2019).

In 2019, Hilgert led the Knights to a 31-10 record and their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals. The Knights finished second in the MIAA at 12-4 and won the MIAA Conference Tournament for the first time since 1997. The 2019 team landed five All-MIAA selections, two NFCA All-Region selections and six NFCA Academic All-Americans. For the first time since 2009, the program received the MIAA Team GPA award with a 3.429 team GPA.

Hilgert led the Knights to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 20 years in 2018. The Knights finished the year with a 32-10 record and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals. The Maroon and Gold finished the MIAA season with a second-place finish in the MIAA at 12-4 and advanced to the MIAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. The 2018 team landed five All-MIAA selections and three NFCA All-Region players. The 32 victories in the 2018 season was a program record.

In her first season as a head coach, Hilgert recorded a 20-20 record. Calvin landed two All-MIAA honorees and had two players named to the NFCA All-Region team.

From 2014-2016, Hilgert served as assistant coach for the Calvin softball program. A native of Bloomington, Minnesota, Hilgert is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. At St. Thomas, she was a four-year starter in the infield for the Tommie softball team that won three MIAC Championships and made four consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament appearances. As a senior in 2002, she served as a team captain on a team that won the program's first NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Championship and advanced to the NCAA Division III Softball World Series and placed fifth in the nation. She was subsequently named to the NCAA Division III World Series All-Tournament team. As a player, she was named an NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete in 2000. At St. Thomas, Hilgert played for three coaches in four years, including John Tschida, who is the all-time winningest NCAA Division III softball coach.

Hilgert graduated from St. Thomas with a bachelor's degree in political science while holding a minor in communications. As a St. Thomas student, she spent a semester with the St. Thomas exchange program with American University, studying in Washington D.C. during the fall semester of 2000. She completed her Masters of Science degree in recreation and sports sciences with an emphasis in coaching education at Ohio University in 2016.

In 2004, Hilgert began a four-year run as chief of staff in the Michigan State House of Representatives. Prior to her appointment, she was a part of four separate national political campaigns.

In 2008, she co-founded Traditions Communications, a multimedia communication consulting firm.

Hilgert later served as an assistant women's varsity softball coach at Allegan High School from 2011-2013 while also serving as the school's assistant varsity women's basketball coach from 2012-2014. After departing Allegan High School, she was awarded the Bob Terry Distinguished Service Award for her work with the softball and basketball programs.