Jim Hilvert - Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator
Email: james.hilvert@thomasmore.edu
Office Number: 859-344-3516
Jim Hilvert enters his fifth season as the head football coach at Thomas More College with a 34-11 career record, three Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) championships and three NCAA Division III Championship Playoff appearances. In addition to serving as the head coach, he is also the defensive coordinator and coaches the defensive backs.
In just four seasons on the sidelines in Crestview Hills, Hilvert has earned three Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Coach of the Year honors, while coaching 26 first team All-PAC players, three All-Americans and two PAC Players of the Year. During the 2010 season, he guided the Saints to their highest ranking in school history when they received 610 votes in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top-25 poll and were ranked No. 9 in the nation after week four. The Saints also have a 3-1 record in the Bridge Bowl against across-the-river rival, the College of Mount St. Joseph, in Hilvert’s four seasons as Thomas More head coach.
In 2010, Hilvert led the Saints to their second straight and fifth overall undefeated regular season. The Saints finished the season with an 11-1 overall record, a third straight perfect record in the PAC (7-0) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship Playoffs for the second straight season.
During the 2009 season, the Saints won their second straight PAC title while compiling an 11-1 overall record and a perfect 6-0 record in the PAC. The Saints clinched the PAC title with a come-from-behind, 14-7, victory over then No. 6 ranked Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania. Thomas More then made its fourth appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship Playoffs, where it advanced to the second round and hosted both playoff games.
In 2008, Hilvert guided the Saints to an 8-3 overall record and a 6-0 mark in the PAC which earned the team its first-ever PAC title and the program's third appearance in the NCAA Division III National Playoffs.
In his first season as head coach in 2007, Hilvert led the Saints to a 4-6 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the PAC.
Hilvert came to Thomas More from across-the river rival, the College of Mount St. Joseph (MSJ), where he served as the defensive coordinator. He spent seven seasons coaching at the Mount and the Lions made three consecutive trips to the NCAA Playoffs. During his tenure at MSJ, he coached the conference’s defensive player of the year in four straight seasons, six All-North Region players and three All-Americans.
In addition to his defensive coordinator role, Hilvert served as the recruiting and strength coordinator at Mount St. Joseph.
A 1989 graduate of Elder High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, Hilvert earned his undergraduate degree at Division II St. Joseph’s (Ind.) College. He was a graduate assistant at Division I Western Michigan University, where he also earned his master’s degree. He and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Highland Heights, Kentucky with their daughter, Joy, and sons J.T. and Max.
Assistants
| TITLE | NAME | |
| Offensive Coordinator | Trevor Stellman | trevor.stellman@thomasmore.edu |
| Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers | Jeremy Kasper | jeremy.kasper@thomasmore.edu |
| Recruiting Coordinator | Kyle Prosser | kyle.prosser@thomasmore.edu |
| Wide Receivers | Jeff Hill | jeff.hill@thomasmore.edu |
| Defensive Line | Chris Norwell | christopher.norwell@thomasmore.edu |
| Senior Offensive Asst./Quarterbacks | Vince Suriano | |
| Defensive Backs | Mike Koenig | michael.koenig@thomasmore.edu |
| Running Backs | Kyle Koester | |
| Offensive Line | Bryan Flickinger | |
| Tight Ends | Jim Stofko | coachstof@gmail.com |
| Kickers | Charlie Rowe | |
| Defensive Line | Bill Eilerman | |
| Defensive Line | Mike Holzinger | |
| Defensive Backs | Marcus Lancaster | |
| Defensive Line | Tyler Owens | |
| Equipment Manager | Abe Hollenback |
