Martin High School Friday night added three more names to its Athletic Hall of Fame.

Honored at a ceremony at halftime of the boys’ basketball game against Marcellus were Tracey Hildebrand, Pat McLaughlin and Tom Koops.

Tracey Hildebrand

A 1988 graduate of Martin, Hildebrand is remembered best as a key member of the 1987 state Class D championship football team and the 1988 state Class D champion wrestling team.

He was selected to the all-state football team in 1987. Hildebrand also was a four-year starter in baseball and fashioned a 7-1 record pitching and a .460 batting average.

He noted his wrestling coach in 1987 and 1988 was Koops and he offered congratulations to him and McLaughlin for also being selected.

Hildebrand attended Olivet College from 1988 to 1991 and earned second team and first team All-MIAA defense honors. He also coached Varsity football for nine years at Martin, Portage Northern High School and Allegan High School. He coached Martin Rocket Football for five years and volunteered in the construction of the existing press box and concrete surrounding the current football field.

Hildebrand also has been a member of the football “chain gang,” assisted in putting up the new field goal posts and helped with the resurfacing of the softball diamonds.

He and his wife and three children live in Martin. Jazmin, the school’s top career scorer in basketball, bow attends attends Olivet College; Jaclyn is a freshman and starter on the girls’ basketball team and James is the youngest.

Pat McLaughlin

A 1956 graduate of Martin High School, McLaughlin has had 43 years of involvement with the local school system, including timing and scoring for athletic events, maintaining school grounds, and chaperoning band camp, earth science field trips, and school dances.

He developed the local Rocket football program, coaching and running operations for ten years. He coached eight years of middle school football, two years of junior high track and supervised and taught basketball skills to elementary students for many years and volunteered in the tee-ball program for one year.

McLaughlin served 12years on the Martin Board of Education, implemented Saturday night bingo for the Martin Athletic Boosters and ran the series for ten years and donated to various Martin education programs, having his donations matched by the Eaton Corporation, which provided programs, uniforms, supplies and materials. He served as transportation supervisor for the intermediate school district for six years.

Tom Koops

Koops served as a Martin varsity wrestling coach for 11 years, as well as assistant jayvee football coach and JV baseball coach. He coached Martin wrestlers to one state championship in 1988, two state runner-up finishes and198 dual wrestling meet wins. He was twice nominated for Class D Coach of the Year.

Koops initiated Martin’s youth wrestling program, providing transportation to competition meets on Saturdays, feeding his team and personally purchased singlets, headgear and shoes when needed.

He started the Martin High School weight room program and supervised weight lifting in and out of season.

Koops was Brandon Elementary Principal from 1988 to 1994 and then took an elementary principal’s position in Spring Lake and coached wrestling for six years, finishing with more than 300 dual meet victories.

“I really enjoyed coaching at Martin Public Schools,” said Koops, who was in Florida and was unable to be present for the ceremony. “There was great support from the Athletic Director, Ron Merrill, much needed help from many volunteer coaches, and many, many hard working, dedicated Martin athletes.”

PHOTO: Pat McLaughlin (left) and Tracey Hildebrand with their plaques.

Tom Koops