At Mount Lebanon High School Hank Knoche played basketball and tennis, and with his partner was a Western Pennsylvania Athletic League doubles champion. In 1942 he entered Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, PA and played freshman basketball. After entering the U.S. Navy in 1943, Hank had the opportunity to play basketball at Bethany, in West Virginia, and was the team’s leading scorer. Later he was to play at the University of Colorado, leading his team to the NCAA championship in 1946. He was the leading scorer in the Rocky Mountain Conference that year and a member of the All-conference team. At Colorado and W & J, Knoche was a starting pitcher and was undefeated in collegiate baseball play.
Hank returned to W & J after his discharge from the Navy, and captained the basketball team in 1947, his senior year. He was again the leading scorer and was named to the Pennsylvania All-State Team. After graduating, Knoche moved on to the Industrial Basketball League as an employee of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. He played two years, leading the team in scoring both years.
After a second tour with the Navy during the Korean War, Knoche joined the Central Intelligence Agency. In 1976 he was appointed Deputy Director of Central Intelligence by President Gerald Ford, serving under Director George Bush. He retired from federal service in 1977, winning the President’s Award for distinguished federal service that year.
Knoche was named a W & J Distinguished Alumni in 1976, and has a similar award from Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He met his wife of 54 years, Angie, at theUniversity of Colorado. They have five sons. Now settled in Denver, Hank is an active volunteer assisting non-proit organizations involved in public issues.