“You will never be a college athlete or a college volleyball player.” “You are too small to be an outside hitter.” “There is no way you are going to play college volleyball for a good team and make an impact.” These are some of the common statements Dillon Hildebrand heard coming out of Red Lion High School in the York, Pennsylvania area.

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The five-foot ten-inch junior has proved any and all doubters wrong by becoming one of the best volleyball players in the AMCC Conference. Hildebrand already has over 500 kills in his college volleyball career, and admits that he is officially on the quest for 1000 kills. “I am hunting this achievement for one simple reason, and it is because I just want to truly prove the people wrong that doubted me and continue to doubt me,” Hildebrand said. His competitive edge is apparent, but it has worked out for his personal benefit as well.

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Hildebrand came to Behrend with three years of varsity experience out of Red Lion, where he won three varsity letters as well as selections for First-Team All-County and First-Team All-District. He played in one of the most competitive areas of high school volleyball in the entire state, and the consistent competition prepared him for the college game.

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However, Behrend’s schedule was one of the toughest in the region during his freshman campaign. Hildebrand said of this season “We played an extremely tough schedule in my freshman season. It was truly a tough jump from high school to playing national contenders at the Division III level. It made me better in my freshman year to play such a tough schedule, but I am glad to see the AMCC Conference develop a league for men’s volleyball.”

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Behrend was officially named the 2018 AMCC Champions in men’s volleyball, but it was not as climatic as many would think. “Our head coach Phil Pisano called us into the conference room as a team. He told us he just got off the phone with the AMCC Committee, and he then told us that we won the conference championship. Unfortunately, it was not a super thrilling environment because we did not play a championship to win it. However, I understand the importance of winning our first ever conference championship because it is the kind of recognition our program needs to continue to become better. Our team is excited to hopefully play in the first ever AMCC Conference Title game this April and win it to experience the true feeling of winning the conference title,” Hildebrand commented.

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As mentioned, Hildebrand dealt with some doubters coming out of high school. When it came to his college athletics career, though, his parents continually invested their full faith in him as he journeyed five hours away for the chance to obtain a degree in mechanical engineering while continuing his career in volleyball. “My parents (Lori and Loren Hildebrand) deserve huge recognition for truly being the world's best parents. They taught me right from wrong at a very early age while also helping me develop the work ethic I have today as a student athlete. They also taught me how to go after what I want and that dreams can come true as a result of this hard work. I could not ask for better parents.”

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Speaking more about the opportunities his parents allowed him to pursue, Hildebrand spoke about his club volleyball career and his trip to Huntington Beach, California, where his club competed at nationals. In addition to his trip to California, he has traveled to Boston with the Behrend team to play a few games and tour the city. These are some of his favorite memories as a volleyball player, but he surely will make more over his next two seasons as a Behrend Lion.

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It is important to recognize Hildebrand is more than a volleyball player. He is also a skilled craftsman, mechanic and powerlifter. Hildebrand worked this past summer as a contractor, which will serve him well in his engineering career. His choice of engineering was mechanical engineering because he hopes to work in the automotive industry for a company like Ford or Harley Davidson. In addition to his extremely logical mind, what sets Hildebrand apart from many other athletes is the time he spends in the weight room.

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Hildebrand spends around ten hours a week in the gym, and results show as he has over a forty inch vertical jump. To put this into perspective just how high Hildebrand can jump, he has around the same vertical leap as NBA legends like Shawn Kemp, Dominique WIlkins and Steve Francis, who were all known for their incredible bounce.

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Hildebrand is likely one of the most competitive people at Behrend. He is fueled by his doubters. The reigning AMCC Co-Player of the Year still has a lot to prove as far as he is concerned. His quest for 1000 kills as well as obtaining a job in the automotive industry upon graduation is officially on. Hildebrand is excited for what Behrend has to offer for him over his last two seasons as a student athlete.