Hal Hawk '81 Slated for Induction into John Carroll Athletic Hall of Fame

5/15/2025 11:00:00 AM | By: JCUSID

Hawk has made an indelible impact on hundreds of Blue Streaks

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – You can hardly step into any of John Carroll's athletic facilities without witnessing the generosity of Harold "Hal" Hawk '81.

Over the course of the last two decades, Hawk has been quietly supporting John Carroll's extensive athletics operation and mission. His unending generosity has made him one of the athletics department's greatest supporters in its history.

This coming fall, Hawk will be inducted into the John Carroll University Athletics Hall of Fame as a contributor. He will join John C. Wasmer, whose name graces the field at Don Shula Stadium and is etched in stone on the arch between Campion and Hamlin Halls, as the only two Blue Streaks to be inducted under this category.

"It is a great honor to recognize Hal Hawk as an inductee into the John Carroll Athletics Hall of Fame as a contributor," said Vice President for Athletics and National Engagement Brian Polian '97. "Mr. Hawk has been an instrumental supporter of the department for decades, positively affecting the lives of hundreds of student-athletes along the way. He has made Blue Streak Athletics better through his generosity of spirit, expertise, and resources. The story of the last quarter century of JCU sports cannot be told without him. We look forward to celebrating with Hal and his lovely wife, Diane, in October during Homecoming Weekend."

Polian adds, "We look forward to celebrating with Hal and his lovely wife, Diane, during Homecoming Weekend. We are also excited to welcome family members Megan '18 and Cory Colston, Morgan Hawk, and grandson, William, back to campus."

During his time in University Heights, Hawk was a four-time co-captain of the John Carroll Swimming & Diving Team. His outstanding captainship at the dawn of one of JCU's most decorated programs guided the Blue Streaks to glory. The 1980-81 Men's Swimming & Diving team secured its first Presidents Athletic Conference championship in 1981, which solidified that team's eventual spot in the Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

The 1981 Team went on to place 7th at the NCAA Division III National Championship in the program's first ever appearance, just a few years after JCU Swimming & Diving's inception.

After graduating from John Carroll in 1981, Hawk started his career at Crown Battery as a truck driver before spending the next 18 years working his way up through the company ranks. He and his wife, Diane, purchased Crown Battery in 1998 and have since sparked the company's significant growth.

Two of Hawk's most notable philanthropic endeavors were the creation of the JCU Fellowship with the World Food Programme and serving the Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) as an International Director Group Member, both based in Italy. He also serves on the Sandusky County Economic Council, the Battery Council International (where he is a past president), Rotary Fremont (where he is a Paul Harris Fellow), and the Lake Erie Foundation. In addition, he is active in many other organizations throughout Sandusky and Ottawa counties.

In continued support of his love for swimming, Hawk was a benefactor for the Hawk-Bucci Natatorium that serves the students at Fremont Ross High School and has worked as an OHSAA swim official for over 20 years.

Hawk has used his success at Crown Battery to support education through the establishment and continued engagement with several scholarship programs.

The 100 Years of Athletics Gala was primed to be a memorable event in honor of the storied past of all Blue Streaks programs. While the gala was canceled due to the COID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Hawk-spearheaded proceeds from the event were used to create the Championship Endowment, which was immediately valued at $500,000. In an act of pure love for the University and its athletics programs, Hawk helped to ensure that nearly all of the gift commitments remained despite the gala's cancellation.

The major renovations to the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center in 2003, Don Shula Stadium in 2003, and the Short Family Tennis Center in 2022 all received significant assistance from Hawk.

The Johnson Natatorium has been a staple of John Carroll's athletics facilities since 1975. Its historic beginnings also means that it became an outdated home for JCU Swimming & Diving. Hawk took it upon himself to upgrade Johnson Natatorium with new lane lines, scoring systems, training equipment, and a sound system. These overdue improvements turned the building into an impressive venue that has played host to countless high school and collegiate swim meets.

In 2018, Hawk earned the Alumni Medal as a result of his lengthy list of charitable ventures. It is the highest award given annually by John Carroll University's Alumni Association based on the recipients accomplishments in their profession, contributions to their community, and dedicated service to John Carroll University post-graduation.

John Carroll is built on the support of its alumni and donors, and the case for Hawk as one of the greatest supporters of the University's athletics programs certainly has merit. John Carroll University is a better place for its student athletes because of Hal Hawk, an embodiment of a Man for Others, who will be enshrined forever as a member of the John Carroll Athletics Hall of Fame.

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Hawk has made an indelible impact on hundreds of Blue Streaks

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