Hall Of Fame Inductee: David Hochtritt
This is the seventh in a 14-part series that introduces the 14 members of the 2024 UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Class. Their inductions will take place Friday, August 2 (3:30 p.m.) at the Culver Family Welcome Center (625 Pearl Avenue) on the UW-Oshkosh campus. Tickets ($45 each, aged five and older) for this event are open to the public and will be on sale through July 1. Tickets are required to attend and will not be available for purchase at the event. All purchased tickets will be available for pick up at the event. Click here to purchase tickets.
UW-Oshkosh then celebrates 50 years of inductions into its Athletics Hall of Fame during a special event held Saturday, August 3 (3:30 p.m.) at the Oshkosh Convention Center (2 North Main Street). Hall of fame members in attendance will be recognized and receive a variety of commemorative items. The keynote speaker is Iowa State University Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard, a 1999 UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame inductee. Tickets ($45 each, aged five and older) for this event are open to the public and will be on sale through July 1. Tickets are required to attend and will not be available for purchase at the event. All purchased tickets will be available for pick up at the event. Click here to purchase tickets.
With nearly 50 years of remarkable service to UW-Oshkosh, David Hochtritt established a coaching and teaching legacy that included mentoring young men and women to become excellent leaders at the high school, college and professional levels.
Hochtritt's leadership style was admirable, and he truly influenced and mobilized his players and students to set goals and work as a team with his "We Can Do This" spirit.
Hochtritt arrived on the UW-Oshkosh campus from Macalester College (Minn.) in 1967 to become an assistant football coach, assistant men's track & field coach and assistant professor in the school's Physical Education & Health Department.
A 1951 graduate of Wausau High School, Hochtritt served as an assistant football coach at UW-Oshkosh from 1967-76. He helped coach the Titans during those 10 seasons to three WIAC championships and a 50-30 record against league opponents.
UW-Oshkosh compiled a 7-1 league record in 1968 to share the WIAC title with UW-Platteville. The Titans then went unbeaten in eight league games in 1972 to win the outright WIAC championship. In 1976, UW-Oshkosh tallied a 6-2 league record to share the WIAC title with UW-Platteville and UW-River Falls.
Hochtritt served as UW-Oshkosh's running backs coach in 1967. He coached one All-WIAC First Team performer, 1983 UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame inductee Myles Strasser, as the Titans led the league in rushing at 214.1 yards per game. In 1968, Hochtritt coached an offensive line that featured a pair of All-WIAC First Team award winners.
Hochtritt became the Titans' defensive coordinator in 1969 and remained in that capacity through the 1976 season. UW-Oshkosh led the WIAC in rushing defense at 77.6 yards per game in 1976 while ranking second in the league in rushing defense in 1969, passing defense in both 1970 and 1972 and total defense in 1976.
During his tenure as defensive coordinator, Hochtritt coached two NAIA All-Americans, including 1991 UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame inductee Len Kurzynske, and 17 All-WIAC First Team selections, including 1985 UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame inductee Clair Rasmussen.
Hochtritt was an assistant coach for the UW-Oshkosh men's track & field team in 1968 and 1969. He helped coach the Titans to the WIAC outdoor championship in 1968.
Hochtitt was named UW-Oshkosh's head football coach in 1977 and served in that role through the 1983 season. The Titans ranked second in the WIAC in rushing offense in 1977 and passing defense in 1982.
Hochtritt coached five NAIA All-Americans as head coach of the Titans, including 1992 UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame inductee John Dettmann. Hochtritt also coached 16 All-WIAC First Team performers, including Dettmann, 2007 UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame inductee Jim Wild and 2022 UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame inductee Steve Jorgensen.
Several players that Hochtritt coached also went on to achieve outstanding high school, college and professional coaching careers, including UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame members Dettmann, Jorgensen, Kurzynske, Blaine Felsman and Tom Taraska.
After coaching football at UW-Oshkosh, Hochtritt went on to coach and serve as a scout for a variety of teams associated with the Arena Football, Canadian Football, Professional Indoor Football and the National Football leagues.
Hochtritt was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2000 and served as honorary captain for UW-Oshkosh's football game against UW-La Crosse in 2008 and UW-Platteville in 2012. He was named the recipient of the UW-Oshkosh Russ Young Leadership & Achievement Award in 2011.
Hochtritt received his bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1956, master's degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1959 and doctorate degree from the University of Minnesota in 1972. He played football at both the University of Wisconsin and University of Northern Colorado before spending 27 months as an officer in the United States Air Force.
Hochtritt is a professor emeritus at UW-Oshkosh. After retiring from the school in 1995, he later served as an adjunct faculty member in UW-Oshkosh's Human Kinetics & Health Education Department. Hochtritt is a member of the American Legion Post 234 in Omro and is an active advocate for Wisconsin wildlife, particularly the grey wolf.
Hochtritt lives in Pickett and is the father of daughters Lisa and Linda.
2024 UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Announcements
Wednesday, April 24: Danielle (Rankin) Salm, Whitney (Tyriver) Stenbroten
Thursday, April 25: Leah (Rosenbaum) Cisler, Jordan Timm
Friday, April 26: Tammy (Milz) Baugnet-Heesacker, John LeRoy
Monday, April 29: David Hochtritt, 2 p.m. • TBA
Tuesday, April 30: 10 a.m. • TBA, 2 p.m. • TBA
Wednesday, May 1: 10 a.m. • TBA, 2 p.m. • TBA
Thursday, May 2: 10 a.m. • TBA, 2 p.m. • TBA
The UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 1974 to enhance school tradition and give lasting recognition to those student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and friends of the university who distinguished themself at an exemplary level.
Each hall of fame member represents greatness, with their accomplishments built on campus, after graduation or through meritorious efforts that benefit the UW-Oshkosh athletics program.
The first UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held April 28, 1974, at The Pioneer Inn & Marina. The five inductees were Edward Boguski, Edward Hall, Burton Karges, Robert Kolf and Robert Williams.
Four venues have hosted the UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony – The Pioneer Inn & Marina (1974-2001), Hilton Garden Inn Oshkosh (2002), UW-Oshkosh's Reeve Memorial Union (2003-13) and UW-Oshkosh's Culver Family Welcome Center (2014-19, 2021-Present).