Chase Hilgenbrinck
Encyclopedia
Chase Michael Hilgenbrinck McDonald (born April 2, 1982 in Quincy, Illinois
) is a former American
soccer defender
. He's most notable for walking away from his professional career to become a Catholic priest.
His parents, Mike (a regional sales manager for a fertilizer dealership) and Kim (an accountant with State Farm Insurance), raised their children as Catholics. They brought him and his older brother, Blaise, to church each and every Sunday, where both sons served as altar boys at Holy Trinity Church in Bloomington, Ill.
Chase made the United States Under-17 national team, before moving on to play for Clemson University, where he was a three-year starter, playing on the same defensive line as future U.S. senior national team fixture Oguchi Onyewu
.
After graduating in 2004, Chase was undrafted by MLS
after a decent college career. Claudio Aureas, the Chilean soccer coach at nearby Southern Wesleyan University, suggested going to Chile where he thought he could help Chase get a contract. Hilgenbrinck signed with Huachipato of Chile's top division, but was loaned out to lower division club Deportes Naval
. He eventually moved on to second-division club Ñublense
and helped them to achieve promotion to Chile's top flight. In all, he spent four seasons in Chile, with three different clubs, and grew to become a star player.
He joined Colorado Rapids in early 2008, but was waived during the pre-season without making a senior appearance after the Rapids needed to clear salary cap space for other acquisitions. Two weeks later the New England Revolution
called, and after a two-day tryout, the Revolution signed him on March 28.
Hilgenbrick's last game was on a Sunday, July 13 2008, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Along with the England Revolution, they faced Mexican club Santos Laguna in a SuperLiga game.
In the summer of 2007, the vocation director for the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, Ill., sent him an extensive application packet. He had to write a 20-page autobiography and submit responses to a series of essay questions, in addition to a background check and fingerprinting. In December, the day after he returned to the U.S. following the end of the soccer season in Chile, he went through an entire battery of testing. He took five written exams in one day, and was evaluated by three different psychologists.
Hilgenbrinck retired from soccer on July 14, 2008 to enter the Catholic
Mount St. Mary's Seminary
of the Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland
in order to become a priest
.
Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, known as Illinois' "Gem City," is a river city along the Mississippi River and the county seat of Adams County. As of the 2010 census the city held a population of 40,633. The city anchors its own micropolitan area and is the economic and regional hub of West-central Illinois, catering a...
) is a former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. He's most notable for walking away from his professional career to become a Catholic priest.
His parents, Mike (a regional sales manager for a fertilizer dealership) and Kim (an accountant with State Farm Insurance), raised their children as Catholics. They brought him and his older brother, Blaise, to church each and every Sunday, where both sons served as altar boys at Holy Trinity Church in Bloomington, Ill.
Chase made the United States Under-17 national team, before moving on to play for Clemson University, where he was a three-year starter, playing on the same defensive line as future U.S. senior national team fixture Oguchi Onyewu
Oguchi Onyewu
Oguchialu Chijoke Onyewu also known as "Oguchi" Onyewu is an American soccer player who plays as a defender for Sporting Clube de Portugal, in Primeira Liga, and the United States national team. Onyewu also holds a Belgian passport....
.
After graduating in 2004, Chase was undrafted by MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
after a decent college career. Claudio Aureas, the Chilean soccer coach at nearby Southern Wesleyan University, suggested going to Chile where he thought he could help Chase get a contract. Hilgenbrinck signed with Huachipato of Chile's top division, but was loaned out to lower division club Deportes Naval
Deportes Naval
Club de Deportes Naval is a Chilean Football club, their home town is Talcahuano in the VIII Región of Biobío in Chile. They currently play in the second level of Chilean football, the Primera B....
. He eventually moved on to second-division club Ñublense
Ñublense
Deportivo Ñublense S.D.A.P is a professional football team based in Chillán, Ñuble Province. The club was formed in 1916 under the name of Liceo Fútbol Club...
and helped them to achieve promotion to Chile's top flight. In all, he spent four seasons in Chile, with three different clubs, and grew to become a star player.
He joined Colorado Rapids in early 2008, but was waived during the pre-season without making a senior appearance after the Rapids needed to clear salary cap space for other acquisitions. Two weeks later the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
called, and after a two-day tryout, the Revolution signed him on March 28.
Hilgenbrick's last game was on a Sunday, July 13 2008, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Along with the England Revolution, they faced Mexican club Santos Laguna in a SuperLiga game.
In the summer of 2007, the vocation director for the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, Ill., sent him an extensive application packet. He had to write a 20-page autobiography and submit responses to a series of essay questions, in addition to a background check and fingerprinting. In December, the day after he returned to the U.S. following the end of the soccer season in Chile, he went through an entire battery of testing. He took five written exams in one day, and was evaluated by three different psychologists.
Hilgenbrinck retired from soccer on July 14, 2008 to enter the Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Mount St. Mary's Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of the Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland
Emmitsburg, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,290 people, 811 households, and 553 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,992.9 people per square mile . There were 862 housing units at an average density of 750.2 per square mile...
in order to become a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
.