*** 2016 All-American ***

Career: Hill became the first Eastern player in school history to see action in four years and win Big Sky titles each year, with a collective record of 46-11 overall and 30-2 in the league. He actually started his career in 2012 when the Eagles finished 11-3 overall and 7-1 in the Big Sky in the first year of a three-peat as league champs and FCS Playoffs participant. Because Hill redshirted in 2015, he was also the second Eastern player in school history to letter in four playoff years (2012-13-14-16), joining kicker Kevin Miller (2009-10-12-13). He played in a school-record 55 games in his career, starting 25 as a wide receiver. Hill finished with 178 career catches to rank eighth in school history, good for 2,818 yards (seventh) and 32 touchdowns (fifth). The first team All-Big Sky selection and four-time all-league honoree passed his wide receivers coach (2,634, Nicholas Edwards, 2009-12) for yards against Portland State (11/18/16). Hill broke the school record for career kickoff return yards, with a total of 2,280 yards to pass the 2,176 of Craig Richardson from 1983-86. With 94 career returns, Hill previously broke Richardson’s record of 80. Hill’s average of 24.3 yards per return was ninth in school history, as he has had returns of 99, 93, 90 and 80 yards in his career (two of them for touchdowns). His 5,234 all-purpose yards were the third-most in school history. Hill had 10 performances in his career with at least 100 receiving yards. He had 20 plays of at least 40 yards in his career, including kickoff returns of 99, 93, 90, 80, 53, 43 and 41 yards. He was also involved in long pass plays of 86, 84, 76, 68, 58, 56, 55, 54, 47, 45, 44, 42 and 40 yards. He played in 11 FCS Playoff games and had 24 catches for 294 yards and three touchdowns, in addition to six rushes for 39 yards two more scores. He also had 24 kickoff returns for 596 yards (24.8 average) and a long of 93, giving him 929 all-purpose yards (84.5 per game).
 
2016: Earned second team All-America honors from Hero Sports and third team from College Sports Madness. Was also selected to the All-Big Sky Conference first team – the fourth time in his career he was honored by the league. In addition, he served as one of the team’s co-captains. Hill had 17 touchdown catches to lead FCS, to go along with 77 receptions for 1,157 yards. Hill was 37th nationally in average receptions (5.5) and 32nd in average yards (82.6). Hill sparked the Eagles with an 84-yard touchdown against Portland State (11/18/16), helping the third-ranked Eagles wrap up their ninth Big Sky Conference title and extend their winning streak to nine games with a 35-28 victory. Hill finished with seven catches for 124 yards versus the Vikings, going over the 1,000-yard mark for the season and moving into third in school history for all-purpose yards. Hill had seven catches for 153 yards and four touchdowns against Northern Colorado (10/8/16), tying a school record in the process. He also rushed four times for 41 yards, finishing with 194 all-purpose yards to earn Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors from College Sports Madness. Hill tied the record of four touchdowns originally set by Jamie Buenzli in 1987 against Nevada and equaled by Joe Pierce in 2003 versus Central Washington. Hill also had three TD receptions at Cal Poly (11/5/16). He missed most of spring practice after re-injuring meniscus in his knee during winter conditioning, an injury which kept him out of all but EWU’s opener in 2015. He had surgery after both injuries.
 
2015: He caught four passes for 49 yards and a 12-yard touchdown pass for EWU’s first score of the season in its opener against Oregon (9/5/15). But later in the game he suffered a knee injury and eventually had season-ending surgery.
 
2014: Earned third team All-Big Sky honors as a wide receiver. Was Eastern’s third-leading receiver with 52 catches for 706 yards and five touchdowns, and also returned 21 kickoffs for a 27.1 average and a touchdown. He played in 12 games, including nine as a starter. He was the team’s offensive player of the week after catching four passes for 88 yards and a 40-yard touchdown pass from Jordan West in a 26-18 win over Northern Colorado (10/18/14). He had a career-high eight catches in EWU’s 36-26 win over Montana (11/8/14), good for 114 yards and a 31-yard TD catch. Earlier in the season he had six catches for 116 yards and a 55-yard TD catch versus Montana Western (8/30/14). Hill received Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors after having a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in EWU’s 56-34 title-clinching win at Portland State (11/21/14). He was also honored by College Performance Awards as the kickoff returner performer of the week and earned EWU’s special teams player of the week honors as well. The return helped turn an eight-point lead into a 49-34 advantage with 6:22 left in the game. His return for a TD was the first for EWU since he had a 99-yard return as a freshman versus North Dakota on Oct. 5, 2012. He finished the season averaging 27.1 yards on 21 kickoff returns to rank 13th in FCS. Hill missed the Washington (9/6/14) game with a hamstring injury. He was one of 40 kickoff returners in FCS on the 2014 College Football Performance Awards Watch List. College Sports Madness named him as a second team preseason All-Big Sky pick.
 
2013: Earned honorable mention All-Big Sky honors as a wide receiver. Started four games as a wide receiver and 10 others in Eastern’s regular rotation. He finished with 38 grabs for 790 yards and nine scores, with an average of 20.8 yards per catch. He finished 69th in FCS in all-purpose yards per game (106.2, with totals of 790 receiving, 634 on kickoff returns and 2 rushing). Among his big plays in 2013 were touchdown receptions of 68 and 76 yards against Montana State (11/9/13), and an 86-yard TD catch versus Montana (10/26/13). All three rank in the top 50 in school history, including the 86-yarder in eighth. He had a non-scoring kickoff return of 80 yards against Idaho State (11/2/13) and later scored on a 44-yard pass as he finished the game with 144 all-purpose yards on just three touches (two kickoff returns and one reception) for an average of nearly 50 yards per touch. He made the first start of his career against Western Oregon (9/7/13) and missed the Southern Utah game (10/19/13) with a knee sprain. He had a career-high 172 yards with three touchdowns on just four catches in the win over Montana State to earn team offensive player of the week honors. He had 117 yards versus Western Oregon to earn team offensive player of the week honors and another 112 against Montana. He was EWU’s regular kickoff returner, and had a 21.1 average on 30 returns (fourth-most in school history) for 633 yards (10th). Prior to the season, the College Football Performance Awards named him to Watch Lists for its Kickoff Returner Award and All-Purpose Performer of the Year Award.
 
2012: Hill was a member of the College Sports Journal Freshman All-America team and earned honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2012. Hill, who had a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against North Dakota (10/6/12), finished ranked 17th in FCS and third in the Big Sky with an average of 26.8 yards per kickoff return. On EWU’s single season leaders lists, he finished the 2012 season ranked in the top 10 in kickoff returns (third, 34), kickoff return yards (second, 912) and kickoff return average (10th, 26.8). As a backup wide receiver, he caught seven passes for 66 yards. Hill would have had another TD in the FCS Playoffs against Illinois State (12/8/12), but the video replay official determined he dropped the ball a yard shy of the end zone and it became a non-scoring 93-yard return (16th-longest in school history). As a team, Eastern was 14th in FCS with a 23.5 average per kickoff return, as Cory Mitchell added a non-scoring 67-yard return in the Illinois State (12/8/12) game. Hill had kickoff returns of 99 (eighth-best in school history) and 41 yards against North Dakota (10/6/12) to help earn him ROOT Sports Special Teams Player of the Week as selected by the Big Sky Conference. He was also the National Kickoff Returner of the Week in the FCS by College Football Performance Awards as he sparked EWU to a 34-point first-half outburst in a 55-17 Big Sky win. Hill’s touchdown return – Eastern’s first since 2010 – gave EWU a 20-10 lead and also helped him earn team special teams player of the week honors. After a North Dakota TD with 1:29 left in the first half cut the lead to 27-17, Hill struck again with a 41-yard kickoff return to set-up a Vernon Adams-to-Greg Herd TD pass with 13 ticks of the clock left. It was the second week in a row that Hill was nominated for player of the week honors after he recovered an onside kick with 2:19 left to play, which led to the winning score for Eastern in its 32-26 come-from-behind win over Montana (9/29/12). After that touchdown with 53 seconds to play, Hill had the tackle on the ensuing kickoff return at the Montana 18-yard line. That became a key stop, as the Grizzlies drove 62 yards on five plays, but ran out of time to complete its own rally. Hill also had the first kickoff returns of his Eastern career in that game, returning four for 84 yards and a touchdown to earn team special teams player of the week honors. Eastern’s normal kickoff returner entering the season was All-America wide receiver Greg Herd. But with a knee injury keeping fellow All-America wide receiver Nicholas Edwards out of action, the Eagles elected to have Hill return kickoffs, instead of risking injury to Herd, who already suffered a concussion versus Washington State (9/8/12).
 
2011: Redshirted.
 
HS: Graduated from Brookside Christian HS in Stockton, Calif., in 2011. Selected as a first team selection on the 2010 Cal-Hi Sports All-State Small Schools football team as a wide receiver. He was named the Central California Athletic Association’s Offensive MVP. Selected by the Stockton Record to its All-Area first team as a utility player. As a senior in 2010, he rushed for 658 yards and seven touchdowns and had 41 receptions for 1,188 yards (29.0 average per catch) and 17 touchdowns. He helped lead Brookside Christian to a Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI championship, its first in football in school history. Brookside Christian finished 12-1 and advanced to the California Interscholastic Federation Division IV Championship Bowl Game. As a junior running back in 2009, he had 1,390 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. He ran for at least 200 yards in four games, including 334 yards and five TDs in the section semifinals.
 
Personal: Interdisciplinary studies major. Born 5/12/93 in Fremont, Calif. His parents are Parris and Tish Hill.
 
Honors Won by Kendrick Bourne
2016 Second Team All-America as WR (Hero Sports)
2016 Third Team All-America as WR (College Sports Madness)
2016 First Team All-Big Sky Conference as WR (selected by league’s head coaches)
2016 Team Co-Captain
2016 Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week (College Sports Madness)
2014 Third Team All-Big Sky Conference as WR (selected by league’s head coaches)
2014 Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week
2014 College Football Performance Awards Watch List (for return specialist of the year)
2013 Honorable Mention All-Big Sky Conference as WR (selected by league’s head coaches)
2013 College Football Performance Awards Watch List (for return specialist of the year)
2013 College Football Performance Awards Watch List (for all-purpose performer of the year)
2012 Freshman All-America as return specialist (College Sports Journal)
2012 Honorable Mention All-Big Sky Conference as return specialist (selected by league’s head coaches)
2012 National Kickoff Returner of the Week (College Football Performance Awards)
2012 Big Sky Conference Special Teams Player of the Week
 
 
Year     GP       PC       Hi         Yds      Apr       Apg      TD        Lg
2012     14         7          2          66         9.4        0.5        0          21
2013     14         38         8          790       20.8      2.7        9          86t
2014     12         52         8          756       14.5      4.3        5          56
2015     1          4          4          49         12.2      4.0        1          23
2016     14         77         7          1,157    15.0      5.5        17         84t
Totals   55         178       8          1,818    15.8      3.2        32         86t
 
Kickoff Returns: 2012/34-912-26.8-1 (long of 99t), 2013/30-634-21.1-0 (long of 80); 2014/21-569-27.1-1 (long of 90t); 2015/1-22; 2016/8-143-17.9-0 (long of 43); Totals 94-2280-24.3-2 (long of 99).
 
Rushing: 2013/1-2; 2014/4-35 (long of 11); 2016/10-99 (long of 30); Totals/15-136 (long of 30).
 
 
SHAQ HILL Records Broken (4 EWU)
EWU – Career Games Played – 55 (2012-16)
EWU – Game Touchdown Receptions – 4 (vs. Northern Colo. 10/8/16)
EWU – Career Kickoff Returns – 94 (2012-16)
EWU – Career Kickoff Return Yards – 2,280 (2012-16)
 
 
Top Receiving Performances (10 with 100+)
4 catches, 172 yards (#34 in EWU history), 3 TD – Montana State – 11/9/13
7 catches, 153 yards, 4 TD (school record) – Northern Colo. 10/8/16
7 catches, 147 yards, 1 TD – Montana State – 10/22/16
7 catches, 124 yards, 1 TD – Portland State – 11/18/16
7 catches, 119 yards, 0 TD – Wash. State – 9/3/16
8 catches, 117 yards, 2 TD –  Western Oregon – 9/7/13
6 catches, 116 yards, 1 TD – Montana Western – 8/30/14
8 catches, 114 yards, 1 TD – Montana – 11/8/14
3 catches, 112 yards, 1 TD –  Montana – 10/26/13
7 catches, 103 yards, 1 TD – Idaho State – 11/12/16
 
 
Shaq Hill Long Plays of 40+ Yards (total of 20)
99 yard KO return (TD) – North Dakota – 10/6/12
93 yard KO return – Illinois State – 12/8/12
90 yard KO return (TD) – Portland State – 11/21/14
86 yard reception (TD from Vernon Adams) – Montana – 10/26/13
84 yard reception (TD from Gage Gubrud) – Portland State – 11/18/16
80 yard KO return – Idaho State – 11/2/13
76 yard reception (TD from Vernon Adams) – Montana State – 11/9/13
68 yard reception (TD from Vernon Adams) – Montana State – 11/9/13
58 yard reception (TD from Vernon Adams) – Western Oregon – 9/7/13
56 yard reception (from Vernon Adams) – Sam Houston St. – 8/23/14
55 yard reception (from Vernon Adams) – UM Western – 8/30/14
54 yard reception (TD from Anthony Vitto) – Cal Poly – 11/16/13
53 yard KO return – Sam Houston State – 12/15/12
47 yard reception (TD from Vernon Adams) – Illinois State – 12/13/14
45 yard reception (TD from Gage Gubrud) – Northern Colorado – 10/8/16
44 yard reception (TD from Vernon Adams) – Idaho State – 11/2/13
43-yard KO return – Montana – 10/29/16
42 yard reception (TD from Gage Gubrud) – Northern Colorado – 10/8/16
41 yard KO return – North Dakota – 10/6/12
40 yard reception (from Jordan West) – 10/18/14 – Northern Colorado
 
 
Big Sky & EWU Career Touchdown Receptions Leaders
 1.              73         Cooper Kupp (#1 BSC/#1 FCS)                       2013-16 (52)
 2.              46         Eric Kimble (#2 BSC/#7 FCS)                           2002-05 (46)
 3               33         Nicholas Edwards                                               2009-12
                  33         Brandon Kaufman                                               2009-12
 5.              32         Shaq Hill                                                               2012-16 (55)
 
EWU Career Pass Receptions Leaders
 1.              418       Cooper Kupp (#1 BSC/#1 FCS)                       2013-16
 2.              253       Eric Kimble (#3 BSC/#18 FCS)                        2002-05
 3.              222       Aaron Boyce (#8 BSC)                                       2006-09
 4.              221       Brandon Kaufman (#9 BSC)                             2009-12
 5.              215       Nicholas Edwards (#11 BSC)                           2009-12
 6.              213       Tony Davis                                                           2006-09
 7.              211       Kendrick Bourne                                                  2013-16
8.               178       Shaq Hill                                                               2012-16
 
EWU Career Pass Reception Yards Leaders
 1.              6,464    Cooper Kupp (#1 BSC/#1 FCS)                       2013-16
 2.              4,140    Eric Kimble (#2 BSC/#10 FCS)                        2002-05
 3.              3,731    Brandon Kaufman (#25 FCS)                           2009-12
 4.              3,330    Aaron Boyce                                                         2006-07
 5.              3,130    Kendrick Bourne                                                  2013-16
 6.              3,013    Tony Brooks                                                         1990-93
 7.              2,818    Shaq Hill                                                               2012-16
 
EWU Single Season Pass Receptions Leaders
 1.              117       Cooper Kupp                                                        2016
 2.              114       Cooper Kupp                                                        2015
 3.              104       Cooper Kupp                                                        2013
 4.              95         Nicholas Edwards                                               2011
 5.              93         Cooper Kupp                                                        2013
                  93         Brandon Kaufman                                               2012
 7.              87         Eric Kimble                                                           2005
 8.              85         Aaron Boyce                                                         2007
 9.              83         Ashton Clark                                                         2013
                  83         Eric Kimble                                                           2004
11.            79         Kendrick Bourne                                                  2016
12.            77         Shaq Hill                                                               2016
                  77         Tony Davis                                                           2009
 
EWU Single Season Receiving Yards Leaders
 1.              1850     Brandon Kaufman                                               2012
 2.              1700     Cooper Kupp                                                        2016
 3.              1691     Cooper Kupp                                                        2013
 4.              1642     Cooper Kupp                                                        2015
 5.              1453     Eric Kimble                                                           2004
 6.              1431     Cooper Kupp                                                        2014
 7.              1419     Eric Kimble                                                           2005
 8.              1376     Jeff Ogden                                                            1997
 9.              1308     Aaron Boyce                                                         2007
10.            1250     Nicholas Edwards                                               2011
11.            1233     Ashton Clark                                                         2013
12.            1214     Brandon Kaufman                                               2010
13.            1201     Kendrick Bourne                                                  2016
14.            1157     Shaq Hill                                                               2016
 
EWU Single Season Touchdown Receptions
 1.              21         Cooper Kupp                                                        2013
 2.              19         Cooper Kupp                                                        2015
                  19         Nicholas Edwards                                               2011
                  19         Eric Kimble                                                           2004
 5.              17         Cooper Kupp                                                        2016
                  17         Shaq Hill                                                               2016