Gabe Stark
Reporter

One of Trenton’s most accomplished athletes is receiving one of the University of Missouri’s highest athletic honors.

Andy Hill, a Trenton High School graduate who went from walk-on wide receiver to longtime Missouri assistant football coach, has been selected for induction into the University of Missouri Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026. Hill will be inducted alongside former Mizzou quarterback Drew Lock after the pair learned of the honor through a surprise announcement arranged by the university.

Hill said he initially believed he had been invited to help surprise Lock with news of his induction.

Athletic department officials contacted Hill in April and asked him to participate in a video involving former Missouri Tigers who had won Super Bowl championships. Hill was given a letter announcing Lock’s induction and read it to his former player while cameras captured the moment.

Once Hill finished, university officials said the announcement was not over. Lock was then handed a letter revealing Hill had also been selected.

“I was totally shocked and surprised, and certainly it was a great honor to be chosen,” Hill said.

For Trenton residents, the recognition is another milestone in a football journey that began on Bulldog fields decades ago.

Hill is the son of Robert and Patsy S. Hill and grew up in Trenton, where he played football for the Trenton High School Bulldogs and also competed on the THS golf team. After graduating, he enrolled at Missouri in 1980 and walked on to the Tigers football team. He later earned a scholarship and developed into one of Missouri’s top receivers.

Hill said the Hall of Fame includes a select group of athletes and coaches from throughout the university’s history. The Class of 2026 is especially meaningful because it also includes Lock and Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton.

Hill also has deep family ties to Missouri. His wife, father, children and members of his wife’s family attended Mizzou. He described Trenton, the university and the Chiefs as three constants throughout his life.

Following his playing career at Missouri, Hill pursued his dream of reaching the NFL. He attended Kansas City Chiefs training camp in 1985 and advanced to the final roster cuts while competing alongside veteran receivers Carlos Carson, Stephone Paige and former Missouri standout Henry Marshall.

Although he narrowly missed making the regular-season roster, Hill also spent time with the Calgary Stampeders before turning to coaching.

His coaching career would ultimately include 24 years at Missouri. After serving as head coach at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, Hill returned to Mizzou’s staff in 1996.

He served in several roles, including wide receivers coach, quarterbacks coach, associate head coach and special teams coordinator. Missouri appeared in four conference championship games during his tenure, including two in the Big 12 Conference and two in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers also recorded several seasons with at least 10 victories.

Hill credited the players he recruited and coached with making his lengthy tenure and Hall of Fame recognition possible.

“They’re the reason why we were able to keep a job for 24 years at Missouri, because of the players we had that allowed us to win,” Hill said.

Hill added one of the most rewarding parts of coaching was helping young athletes develop during an important, and often challenging, period of their lives.

His connection with the Chiefs eventually came full circle. After retiring from Missouri following the 2019 season, Hill joined Andy Reid’s staff as an assistant special teams coach.

During five seasons in Kansas City, Hill helped the Chiefs win two Super Bowl championships while playing in four.

Hill said sharing those experiences with his family, friends, former teammates and hometown has been among the most meaningful parts of his career.

“Whenever they’re watching the Chiefs game or the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, I kind of feel like I’m bringing everybody along with us,” Hill said.

Hill credited his upbringing in Trenton with giving him the values that guided his playing and coaching careers. Before Hill left for Missouri as an 18-year-old freshman, his father gave him a simple piece of advice: “Do not forget where you came from.”

Hill said the message meant more than remembering Trenton. It also meant remaining humble, confident, truthful and honest.

Hill remains close with friends from high school and continues to return to Trenton to play golf, hunt and spend time with them. Members of the Trenton High School Class of 1980 also stay connected through a group text.

“I’m very proud of our hometown of Trenton, Missouri,” Hill said. “I just love going back there. I have such great, fond memories of growing up in Trenton.”

Hill was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2014 and has also received the Mizzou Alumni Association Award for Alumni Relations Excellence.