conclusion of the tournament. The school's stadium was built in the mid-'90s and named after former Hoover student, Cara McGrane, who was tragically murdered on November 29, 1992. In 2015, the field was dedicated and named after former athletic director, Dan McClanahan. McClanahan was also inducted into the Iowa Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998, and served as Hoover's AD from 1999-2010. Unlike the rest of the school's sports teams, the girls' swimming team is known as the Marlins; when the school opened in 1967, the team decided they wanted to be different, and the alternate name was born and used to this day. Successes Boys' Basketball - 2006 Class 4A State Champions Boys' Cross Country (2-time State Champions - 1970, 1977) Softball (2-time State Champions - 1982, 2018) Girls' Swimming (5-time State Champions - 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1983) Notable athletic alumnus Jeremy Hellickson, a starting pitcher for the Washington Nationals baseball team, attended the school from 2001-2005. In 2011, Hellickson won the American League Rookie of the Year Award with 117 strikeouts. Theater Hoover is also known for its theater program, which puts on three plays a year. Several students participate in large group and/or solo Iowa High School Speech Association (IHSSA) in different categories including musical theater, mime, and ensemble acting. Honor Cords and Silver Cord Students who graduate in the scholastic top 15 percent of their respective class are awarded a gold honor cord to wear at graduation. Additionally, those who have earned a 4.0 GPA or higher receive a gold honor stole to wear, along with a medallion. A student who completes the minimum set of volunteer hours will be recognized at graduation as well. Those who have volunteered over the course of their high school career are able to wear a silver cord to symbolize time given to their community and people in need. Visiting politicians Chet Culver kicked off his campaign for governor at Hoover in both 2006 and 2010. On January 2, 2008, the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama visited and gave a speech in Hoover's gymnasium while running for president. Wednesday, October 1, 2014, long-time governor Terry Branstad signed a proclamation in Hoover's library declaring the month of October as College Application Month in Iowa. The purpose of the proclamation was to make students and their families aware of the importance of completing and submitting college applications