Written by Doug Goodnough
Ask Bill Lundberg to sum up his 40 years at Hillsdale College, and he is at a loss for words.
For those who know him, it might be a first. After spending his first 27 years as a head coach for the men’s cross country and track and field programs and more than a decade as the head of the Hillsdale College Wellness Initiative, Lundberg retired from the College in May.
“I’ve been very honored to have those different roles,” Lundberg said from his office in the clubhouse at Hayden Park. “Just being a Charger through and through, I have loved it. Everything along the way has been special.”
The man affectionately known as “Wild Bill” came to Hillsdale in February of 1985 full of vigor and built a powerhouse program. Here are just a few of his career coaching highlights:
- 25 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) championships
- 17 NAIA or NCAA Division II individual national champions
- More than 200 academic or athletic All-Americans
- Top three finishes in NAIA cross country in 1992, 1993, and 1994
- 1994 NAIA Coach of the Year
- 22 GLIAC Coach of the Year awards
However, it was often his impact off the track that people remember.
A man of deep faith, Lundberg has dedicated his life to giving back to his community, working closely with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and with several other charitable organizations. His 40-plus-year legacy of living out his faith has made an incalculable impact on the spiritual lives of countless numbers of his students.
Surprisingly, running wasn’t his first athletic love. It was basketball, and he was focused on that growing up in the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois. “My whole world was basketball,” he said. When his family moved to Jackson, Michigan, in 1969, Lundberg attended Lumen Christi High School and decided to try running in the spring of his senior year.
He did so well that college coaches, including those at Hillsdale College, were very interested. After graduation, Lundberg enrolled at nearby Jackson Community College, where his running career accelerated. In fact, powerhouse programs recruited him. He eventually decided to attend the University of Kansas over the University of Michigan.
At Kansas, he was one of the nation’s top steeplechasers, competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1976 and 1980. Lundberg was on track to make the 1980 Olympic team before rupturing his Achilles tendon in the U.S. Trials steeplechase final.
“I was part of some of the finest track and field programs in our country at Kansas,” he said.
Originally thinking he would pursue a career in architecture, he eventually switched his major to education.
“There’s an expression that those who can’t do, teach,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s that way at all. I think teaching was always for me. I always thought that whether I taught at the elementary or secondary level, I would like to coach as well.”
When his elite racing career ended, Lundberg entered coaching, first at Jackson Community College at the young age of 22, then at Hillsdale, where he was able to teach as well.
Upon his arrival at Hillsdale, he inherited a talented group of student-athletes from departing coach Joe Rogers—names like Paul Aufdemberge, Mike Nugent, and John Chandler. Hall of Famers like Ryan Pschigoda, Jim McHugh, and DeShawn Meadows soon followed.
“Tradition, excellence, legacy. I think of those words when I remember those runners and the program we built. I’ll never forget those early teams,” he said.
He is grateful for the sage advice he received early on at Hillsdale from his fellow coaches, including then-Athletic Director Jack McAvoy and former football coach Dick Lowry.
“I look at [student-athletes] like a son or daughter,” he said. “You better care for them like that, because who do you have to answer to? Their parents, who aren’t always right there, and you have to answer to the good Lord, because the students are on loan to us. They are totally His.”
Lundberg values his longtime relationship with Diane Philipp, who was his coaching counterpart on the women’s side for many years.
“You want to be associated with greatness, great leaders, and excellence,” he said. “Diane’s a big part of that.”
He said the camaraderie of the Hillsdale coaching staff is special and continues with current Athletic Director John Tharp.
“There’s greatness in my life because of the greatness that was poured into my life,” he said of the Hillsdale College community. “I’m so inspired by the other coaches in the program. I’ve always been grateful for that. I love being a part of something that reflects who I am. We’re part of the Charger family. It’s the best.”
A few years ago, the Athletic Department created the “Wild” Bill Lundberg Award, which is given annually to a student-athlete who makes the biggest positive impact in the community.
Lundberg and his wife of 41 years, Sharon, raised three children—Steven, ’08, Kate, ’10, and Tommy, ’13. The Lundbergs are also blessed with four grandchildren.
Lundberg remains a fixture at Chargers sporting events and also volunteers at many Hillsdale College and area high school track and field meets. His trademark “Wild Bill whistle” will still be heard in the community.
“We’re not moving right away or anything,” Lundberg said of his retirement plans. “I think I can assist athletics in different ways. We’re going to fill it with family and with faith.”
Doug Goodnough, ’90, is Hillsdale’s senior director of Alumni Marketing. He enjoys connecting with fellow alumni in new and wonderful ways.
Reposted from the fall 2025 issue of Arete.
