Shortly after beginning what would be a 22-year tenure as the ninth president of North Central College, Dr. Harold R. (Hal) Wilde (H) ‘15 referred to the College as an institution which was ‘poised for greatness.’
Wilde’s efforts in securing funds, building facilities and creating opportunities for student-athletes to excel at the NCAA Division III level enabled that greatness to be realized in the form of new and improved competition venues, a trio of new athletic programs and enhancements to many other areas of student life.
During the interview process for the position in 1990, Wilde requested the opportunity to go for a run with men’s cross country and track and field coach Al Carius (H) ‘16 in Merner Field House.
“Al embodied some of the special character of North Central College and still does,” Wilde said. “He was unassuming and humble, but it’s also no secret Al loved to win. There was a magic sauce that was built into the DNA of this institution and I thought my job was to build on that, and to hopefully let the institution realize more of its full potential.”
Among the 15 major construction projects which took place during Wilde’s tenure were Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, Zimmerman Stadium, and the Residence Hall/Recreation Center, which includes Al B. Carius Track. Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium was the site of the 1994 and 2000 NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships, as North Central claimed the men’s national title in both meets. The stadium has hosted 22 NCAA Division III postseason games in football, including a national semifinal, as well as the first two rounds of the Division III Men’s Soccer Championship in 2022.
Wilde joined Carius for another run in 2010 at the grand opening for Al B. Carius Track, which has since hosted Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships in 2013 and 2017. North Central won the men’s team championship in 2017.
“I’m proud of the legacy of improved facilities in athletics, as well as academics and the arts,” Wilde noted. “North Central was winning championships in cross country and track before I arrived, because it had great teachers and coaches and, most importantly, a winning culture. Going around the Carius Track was a culmination of all that had gone before it, and a confirmation of the legacy of a great program and a great school.”
Wilde expanded the athletic department with the addition of three sports as president, bringing women’s soccer (1994), women’s golf (1997) and women’s lacrosse (2009) into being. North Central was the first Division III institution in Illinois to sponsor women’s lacrosse as a varsity sport.
“It was important to have equal men’s and women’s sports,” Wilde said. “We’ve had great leadership in athletics to grow the number of sports and bring to those sports some of the tradition of excellence which has been fostered in other areas. I’m proud in the years since I retired to come and watch our women’s teams achieve some incredible success.”
Wilde was a regular presence on the sidelines and in the stands to watch the Cardinals compete as president and has maintained that presence since retirement.
“Presidents have a variety of roles,” Wilde said. “A role I relished was being a cheerleader for our students and our student-athletes. There’s no bigger payoff for a president than watching students do things well.”
Wilde stepped down as president in 2012 after watching North Central student-athletes claim 16 Division III national championships and 91 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) titles.
“One of the pieces I’ve given to my successors is to enjoy those moments,” Wilde said. “When you’re president, there will be hard moments. Tragedies happen. So take advantage of those moments of incredible joy. It lifts you up, watching students come through and summit adversity in different ways. There’s just nothing more fun and rewarding. Presidents come and go, but those achievements will live forever.”
