GREENVILLE, S.C. – The National Christian College Athletic Association held their Annual Convention this week, where they announced their national awards for this past year and honored the award winners. During the Hall of Fame Banquet on Thursday evening, University of Northwestern Athletic Trainer and former Head Baseball Coach
Dave Hieb was awarded the 2023 NCCAA Game Plan 4 LIFE Male Athletic Staff Character Award.
The award, given to just one NCCAA-institution male athletics staff member in the nation, is a part of the Game Plan 4 LIFE Character Award series. The purpose of the GP4L awards are to recognize NCCAA student-athletes and athletics staff who epitomize the Christian character qualities of Love (I Corinthians 13), Integrity (Job 27:5), Faith (Hebrews 11), and Excellence (Philippians 4:8).
The first NCCAA Game Plan 4 LIFE Athletic Staff Character Awards were awarded in 2013. In the 11-year history of the award, Hieb is the first male Northwestern staff member to win the award.
"Coach Hieb demonstrates love by how he treats his players and all of the players he sees on a daily basis in the athletic training room," said Head Women's Soccer Coach
Josh Pettit. "As a former athlete here myself, I saw firsthand how he treats athletes that are injured and how he treats them with love and patience. It is hard to find a day when the training room or his office does not have coaches or student-athletes in it talking to him about sports, trivia, or life."
"I have seen Dave demonstrate integrity many times over the past twenty years, as both a coach and a staff member at Northwestern," said Director of Athletics
Dr. Matt Hill. "He will never compromise in order to get ahead and teaches his team that God expects us to do what is right, not just what is okay. That's the definition of integrity. I appreciate a coach that demonstrates integrity even when winning is on the line."
"If there is someone who demonstrates incredible faith in Jesus Christ, it is
Dave Hieb," said Head Athletic Trainer
Brent Cramer. "He has the best catchphrase ever for any athlete who may have a competition that day and that would be "Give 'Em Heaven!" When he shouts that it comes from the depths of his heart as even though they are competing to win he truly believes they are there to exemplify something more than themselves: Jesus Christ, on whatever field or court they are on."
"Dave's teams are known for excellence," said 2016 NCCAA GP4L Female Athletic Staff Character Award winner and Head Volleyball Coach
Beth Wilmeth. "In 2021, they advanced for the first time in program history to the NCAA Regional Championship. He has a high standard for his players that he himself lives by as well. This spills over far beyond wins and losses on the field. He wants his players to demonstrate excellence in their studies and their quest to be God-honoring men."
