Hilary Coady arrived at The College of Wooster as a standout in the hurdles. Through continuous belief, determination, and dedication, she embraced the versatility and competitive drive to "contribute wherever the team needed me." Coady's career was capped with a national runner-up finish in the heptathlon at the Div. III Championships.
Coady's father's best friend attended Wooster and encouraged her to visit. Wooster's strong academics, the beauty of campus, the brand-new Scot Center, and the immediate connection with Wooster's staff drew her in.
Following a successful initial season where she earned two all-conference laurels, Coady broke through at the national level as a sophomore. At the Div. III Championships, she had a strong debut in the heptathlon, placing 21st in the very event she finished second in two years later. Coady also competed in the 400 hurdles, posting a time of 1:06.49. At the conference level, Coady secured her first of three 400 hurdles titles.
As a junior, Coady built off her national championship experience, elevating her performance to new heights. She outperformed her seed in the pentathlon at the Div. III Championships, placing 13th with 3,318 points after entering the meet ranked 15th in the event. Come outdoor season, Coady's commitment and persistence to training paid off with All-America status in the 400 hurdles. At nationals, she won her preliminary heat in 1:01.65, earning an automatic spot in the championship final. She crossed in 1:02.15 to secure the All-America award.
Senior year is when it all came together for Coady, in the shot put especially. At the national championships, she went a career-best 36 feet, 10.25 inches for second in the 17-competitor field of the pentathlon. Coady came into the shot put ninth in the overall pentathlon standings and went on to finish third nationally following her season-best 2:22.19 in the 800 meters. The momentum carried over to outdoor, where she accumulated 5,020 points and recorded career-bests in three of seven events en route to the runner-up heptathlon finish. She improved her school record by 224 points.
Coady is one of seven in program history with at least three All-America honors. Her 19 All-NCAC certificates are tied for the fifth-most in program history. She still holds school records in the heptathlon, pentathlon (3,581 points), indoor 4x400 relay (4:02.16), and outdoor 4x400 relay (3:56.78).
"Hilary saved her best for the biggest moments," shared Dennis Rice, Wooster's head coach. "She competed with relentless determination, unmatched work ethic, and a championship mindset. She thrived under pressure, embraced every challenge, and represented our program with pride and competitive spirit."
After graduating from Wooster with a degree in religious studies, Coady attended Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia to pursue a career in dentistry. At present, she works as a dental hygienist, specializing in periodontics and advanced dental hygiene treatment in Calgary. There, she resides with her husband, Benjamin Foster, and their son, Frederick.
