Ed Diller ’69 was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020 for his achievements in football. A letterman on Bluffton’s team for four years, Ed played a variety of positions; however, his primary role was middle linebacker. As a senior he was tri-captain of the team, defensive captain and most valuable player. He also earned the CL Spade Award for the conference athlete with the highest grade point average and received all conference honors several years during his playing career.

In addition to his defensive efforts, Ed had six receptions for 55 yards, with an average of 9.2 yards per reception during his junior year. Ed also carried the ball 97 times, gaining 323 total yards, with an average of 35.9 yards per game. He scored two touchdowns along with a two-point conversion, helping his team go 5-3-1 and outscore their opponents 177-114 throughout the season. As a sophomore, he scored two touchdowns and had 178 receiving yards on the season, the second highest on the team.

Ed graduated from Bluffton in 1969 with a mathematics degree. He served on the Bluffton University Board of Trustees for 20 years, including 10 as chair and was awarded an honorary degree for his service. Ed, who graduated from Harvard Law School in 1976, is married to Karen (Esmonde ’69) Diller. They have two children: Jason (Rachel Helmink ’98) Diller ’95 and Anna (Tim Stried ’98) Diller- Stried ’01 and five grandchildren.