Seiberling court renamed to honor iconic player, coach, AD

The court inside Seiberling Gymnasium has a new name – one that pays tribute to iconic ‘Berg student-athlete, coach and athletic director John Hill ‘70.

Sayger-Hill Court was dedicated between the men’s and women’s basketball games of Basketball Alumni Day Saturday. The court had been known for many years as Sayger Court, to honor the legacy of 1920 alum Herman Sayger who was an all-Ohio star in football and basketball at the Berg.

Former players, classmates and friends of John rallied to raise funds to add honor his legacy and add his name to the court where he still holds the record for point per game in a season.

As a coach, John Led the Student Princes to more than 350 victories and two NCAA tournament appearances. He also served for 17 years as athletic director at his alma mater.

Although Herman Sayger and John Hill graudated 50 years apart, both embodied a passion for basketball, an innovative approach to coaching and dedicated service to Heidelberg.

Herman went on to serve as a player-coach of the 1917 football team that went 5-1-1. As a coach from 1924-30, he won 29 football games and 41 basketball games, leading the 1928 football team to an Ohio Conference title. Widely credited as an early proponent of the 3-point shot in basketball, he also published the first set of referee hand signals for football and basketball.

As a player, John’s record of 26.5 points per game, recorded in the 1969-70 season, still stands today. He served as the head men’s basketball coach from 1976-2002, winning a total of 357 games. As AD, he oversaw the growth of the department by adding six varsity sports and guiding the renovation of Seiberling Gymnasium.

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams marked the occasion with wins over Wilmington.