"Jack of all trades, master of all."
That’s the best phrase to describe Matt Hiestand (pronounced
HEE-stand) and his many talents, but you could also throw in any
number of others, such as "one-of-a-kind" or "small-town boy makes
good."
Hiestand began to display the abilities that would make him a star
at The College of Wooster during the late 1980s in a small town
outside of Tiffin, Ohio. He earned first-team all-state honors in
basketball and golf as a high schooler, and as if that wasn’t
enough, Hiestand was the valedictorian of his class at Old Fort
while scratching the surface of a baseball talent that would
eventually make him a pro prospect.
Most college coaches bristled at the thought of Hiestand playing
both men’s basketball and baseball — but
Wooster’s Lu Wims and Tim Pettorini welcomed the idea.
"I was recruited in both sports," explained Hiestand in a 1988
interview. "That was the main reason I came to Wooster, as well as
the outstanding reputation of the chemistry department and their
support of athletes.
"They encouraged two-sport athletes. I considered Kenyon (College)
and Denison (University), but those schools didn’t express an
interest in me as a baseball player.
Ironically, his prowess on the diamond is what he is most
remembered for. With the Scots, Hiestand developed into a .372
career hitter (196-for-527) with 34 doubles, 37 home runs, and 183
runs batted in during 160 games. The outfielder/first baseman
earned all-league honors all four years, including as a senior when
he was picked North Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year,
and still ranks among Wooster’s top-five in career homers,
RBI, slugging percentage (.677), and on-base percentage (.479).
That’s not to take anything away from what he did on the
basketball court. After all, there are only 11 other cagers to this
day who have been three-time all-league honorees for the third-most
winningest program in NCAA Division III. Statistically, Hiestand
eclipsed the 1000-point (1040), and 500-rebound marks (569) for his
career, while usually drawing the toughest defensive assignment,
but most importantly the 6-4 post/wing exhibited an unselfishness
that helped build the foundation for what is now one of the best
teams in the nation.
"No doubt about it, he was a special performer," commented current
coach Steve Moore, who took over for Wims after Hiestand’s
freshman year and has guided the program to a 359-92 record since.
"The other thing was he was a great leader … we
couldn’t have handpicked a better guy (to help) turn around
the program in the very beginning there … (with his)
approach to practices and off-season work.
"We owe so much to Matt for the success of our program throughout
the years. Passing it down from the next set of players to the next
set … Matt started all of that."
Hiestand carried his unmatched focus and work ethic into his
studies at Wooster, and when the Academic All-American didn’t
receive a call from Major League Baseball, he enrolled in medical
school, which was his plan all along.
Today, Hiestand is a successful physician at Bolivar Family Health
Center in Bolivar, Ohio, where he specializes in internal medicine
and pediatrics. He is married to Lori and they have two daughters
— Rachel (6) and Katherine (3).
"I think he was an outstanding player, and just a guy you could
count on everyday," Pettorini said in summing up Hiestand’s
baseball career. "You knew what you were going to get from him. So
consistent, so steady. Everybody knew every game that he was going
to be solid and lead the way."
