ELMS COLLEGE MOURNS THE DEATH OF DAVID HILDEBRANDT 

Elms College community is filled with great sadness today, upon learning of the drowning death Sunday of our colleague, David Hildebrandt.

We are devastated to learn of the passing of our friend, colleague, and volleyball coach, David Hildebrandt, who joined the Elms College family in May. We were so looking forward to his talent and experience in guiding our men and women's volleyball teams in the coming years as well as our intramural program.

Through his love of the sport and of his student athletes, David had become a highly successful volleyball coach during the past eight years. He was head coach at Newbury College in Brookline for the last seven years, and his success there was unprecedented. His teams' winning percentage was the best of any coach in any sport in that school's history.

"David was a talented young man, full of promise, ready to bring his passion and enthusiasm to our campus community as men and women's volleyball coach and director of intramurals. His passing is a great loss to the Elms College family," said Walter Breau, Ph.D., interim president, Elms College.

"We were excited to hire someone of David's caliber, and we are sure that with his talent, experience, and passion for volleyball, he would have set a wonderful example for our student athletes." Louise T. McCleary, director of athletics noted. "We are greatly saddened that we will not have an opportunity to get to know and work with him. David's passion for life was infectious and we are so grateful for the short time we knew him."

We are all praying for David, his family, and his friends at this time of great tragedy.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, August 8 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Newbury College Student Center located at 129 Fisher Street, Brookline, Massachusetts.