For Casey Hill ’07, Trinity basketball is a family affair. The communication major is one of three Hill brothers who played basketball for the Tigers—the oldest brother, Cameron ’99, is now the head coach of the Trinity women’s basketball team, and the middle brother, Chris ’02, coaches the Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas boys basketball team. Their father, Bob Hill, was a longtime NBA coach. And now Casey is following in his footsteps, having been promoted to assistant coach of the Los Angeles Clippers this past summer.
Read about Casey’s national anthem tradition, gassy golden retriever, and more.
While you lived in San Antonio, were you a Spurs fan?
I was not much of a Spurs fan when I was at Trinity. My father coached the Spurs when I was younger and had moved on to another team by the time I got to Trinity, so my Spurs love affair had ended. But living and going to school in San Antonio during that Spurs era was special—all of us in the basketball community learned from watching those players come together the way that they did.
It seems that Trinity basketball is a family affair. Why did you choose to play basketball for Trinity in college?
I grew up in a basketball family, so playing basketball in college was always a goal of mine and somewhat expected. My oldest brother Cameron, who coaches the women's basketball team at Trinity now, transferred to Trinity from Akron in Ohio. My father was coaching the Spurs at the time, and we were living in the Northside of San Antonio. I was in elementary/middle school and was able to come watch him play in Sam's (now the Bell Athletic Center) and develop relationships with his teammates and coaches as well as the overall Trinity community, and through his experiences I developed my own relationship with the campus. Not long after Cameron made his decision to attend Trinity, my middle brother Chris made the decision to attend Trinity as well. Watching both of my brothers play on the same college basketball team was really fun for me. So, when it came to making my own decision on where to go play in college, Trinity was certainly amongst the top options. It wasn't until I actually visited Trinity as a prospective student-athlete and was able to experience the culture and camaraderie that was there that I really couldn't see myself being anywhere else. Not only was the team talented, but they were as much of a family as any other team I had encountered. It was a perfect fit for me and I dove right in.
What was life like as a student-athlete at Trinity?
Life as a student-athlete at Trinity is a true challenge—it was something I learned quickly was going to make me or break me. I learned a lot by going to classes, studying for tests, and getting to class on time. But there is an undercurrent of learning that you experience as a student-athlete. The class, studying, tests, and stress are all the catalyst for learning who you are as a person, learning how YOU learn and how to apply it. I learned how my brain worked at Trinity, I learned how to say no to my friends and more importantly how to say no to myself. I learned how to manage my athletic life, my social life, and my academic life. If you look at my transcripts you'll be able to see that process too...(wink).
What is your favorite Trinity memory?
It really is hard to nail one down. I got lucky enough to meet my wife at Trinity (Elizabeth Glomb ’08). So, the memories of building what would become the most important relationship in my life are strong and at the forefront of my mind when I think of TU. But, playing on a special team that made a run to the Elite 8 to winning multiple conference championships and all the while taking part in Trinity's Greek life and learning from the amazing professors...the Trinity experience is full of plenty of "favorite" memories for me. But, one specific memory that I have that resonates with me comes from a professor. I was in one of Dr. Aaron Delwiche's classes my senior year. One week, early on in the semester, we found ourselves in group discussions that went pretty deep into the current subject matter. I remember getting an email that weekend from Dr. Delwiche expressing how happy he was with my thoughts and input in the discussions. I remember very vividly how that email made me feel and the confidence it gave me to continue diving into the other classes I was taking at the time. It was a little thing, but such an impactful gesture for me. I tap into that feeling every time I step onto a basketball court to teach my teams.
Hill met his wife, Lizz, at Trinity.
Describe Trinity in 3-5 words.
Challenging, inclusive, secure, warm, confident.
What’s your favorite part about the sport of basketball?
My favorite part of basketball is the relationships you develop through being a part of a team. There are so many things that you get to experience when you set a goal as a group of individuals and combine your efforts to achieve it. Combining efforts is one of the most challenging processes there is in the world, and this sport shoves that challenge in my face. I absolutely love attacking that every day.
Do you have any traditions or superstitions you follow before each game?
I don't have many, but during the national anthem of every game I think about each and every member of my family. I give each of them a little time in my mind and included in that group are teammates from my TU Men's basketball team.
What has made you laugh the hardest or smile the widest in the past week?
Lizz and I have a golden retriever, CJ, who is about a year and a half old. She tends to get a bit gassy from time to time. Last weekend she was sleeping on the kitchen floor and had a "gas attack" so loud that she woke herself up. We had a pretty nice laugh about it. I'm sure CJ was pretty confused.
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