OCC former coach and athletic director Jane Hilgendorf dies at 74

Jane Hilgendorf, who led Orange Coast College to three state titles in 18 seasons as women’s volleyball coach, served as athletic director for three years and was assistant AD for seven years, died Sunday. She was 74.

Hilgendorf, who joined the OCC faculty in 1970, coached the volleyball team from 1973-1990, winning state titles in 1978, 1980 and 1982. Her teams won five conference championships and advanced to the playoffs 15 times. Her record was 233-100.

“Jane absolutely loved Orange Coast College,” former coach and athletic director Barbara Bond said of her longtime co-worker in a statement. “She worked tirelessly as athletic director and dean to improve the athletic programs and improve the competitive experience for the OCC students. She was also one of the pioneers for women’s athletics at the state level, ushering in Title IX and its impact on women’s sports throughout the California community colleges.”

Hilgendorf began at OCC at a physical education teacher. She began coaching in 1971 when she helped develop OCC’s co-ed volleyball team.

“I still get emails and notes from players through the years who have been real close,” Hilgendorf told the Daily Pilot in 2003. “We had so much fun on those teams, especially the teams from the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s. If you didn’t have fun, it was your own fault.”

In 1978, Hilgendorf was named the California Community College Volleyball Coach of the Year and in 1995, she was inducted into the California Community College Women’s Volleyball Coaches Assn. Hall of Fame.

She was assistant athletic director from 1991 to 1998 and became dean of the physical education department and athletic director from 1998 to 2001.

Hilgendorf was a member of the state Commission on Athletics from 1981-1987 and served as president of the Orange Empire Conference in 1998.

She was inducted into the OCC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.