The Oregon State University Sesquicentennial Oral History Project

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Aki Hill Oral History Interview. April 14, 2015

Aki Hill Oral History Interview

Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.

April 14, 2015

Location:  Hill residence, Albany, Oregon.

Aki Hill (b. 1940) is the winningest women's basketball coach in OSU history, compiling a career record of 274-206. A native of Japan who counted legendary UCLA coach John Wooden as among her mentors, Hill took over the Oregon State program during its third year in existence and spent the next seventeen years as head coach. During that timespan, OSU competed in the post-season eight times and won the National Women's Invitational Tournament on two occasions. In her interview, Hill details her introduction to and early love for basketball, the important role that John Wooden played in her advancement as a coach, and the years that she spent building the women's basketball program at OSU.