Wilmington names Phil Dorn as Head Football Coach

Former UC top assistant becomes 19th grid coach in the programs history

(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE) WILMINGTON, Ohio (May 5, 2004) -- Wilmington College has announced that Phil Dorn will be named the head football coach at a press conference at 2:00 pm. on Monday, May 10. Dorn becomes the 19th head coach in College's 134-year history, and just the third head coach in the past 32 years.

Dorn, former assistant head coach at the University of Cincinnati from 2002-2004, replaces Mike Wallace, who resigned this March to take the athletics director position at Wilmington High School. Wallace posted a 53-74 record in 13 years as the Quakers' head coach.

New Head Coach Phil Dorn

"I am very excited and I think this will be a great opportunity," commented Dorn. "I think that Wilmington has a lot to offer both athletically and academically. I am also very glad to have the opportunity to coach in the Ohio Athletic Conference, one of, if not the best conference in Division III."

While at Cincinnati, Dorn was the assistant to the head coach, the recruiting coordinator and running backs coach for the past season. He coordinated all areas of recruiting for Cincinnati, specializing in central and southwest Ohio.

"Phil is a great addition to the Wilmington College athletics staff," commented athletics director Terry Rupert. "We are excited at having a coach with the experiences that he brings to the table for us."

Dorn brings over 20 years of coaching experience to Wilmington. In addition to coaching at Cincinnati for two years, Dorn served as offensive coordinator for California University of Pennsylvania from 1997-2002, where the team finished sixth in NCAA Division II in rushing offense in 2001. He was the offensive coordinator at Butler University from 1993-1997.

He served as a graduate assistant coach for the University of Michigan in 1991 where he specialized in the middle guards and the defensive lines for the Big 10 Champion Wolverines. He worked the same capacity at Ball State University that he did for Michigan, helping the team defense that finished #1 in the M.A.C. and #2 in the NCAA in total defense in 1990. In 1985 he was an assistant coach for Capital University, where he was the offensive backfield and offense special teams coach.

He has also served as head football coach and teacher at Alliance High School, in Alliance, Ohio in 1992 and at Northland High School in Columbus, Ohio from 1986-1990.

The Wittenberg University graduate received his masters degree in strength and conditioning from The Ohio State University.

"I want to create an attitude for success," commented the new coach. "I want to bring success to this program as soon as possible."

Last season the Quakers ended the season with a 2-8 overall record, going 2-7 in the prestigious Ohio Athletic Conference, which includes seven-time NCAA Division III National Champion Mount Union.

Dorn, 44, currently resides in Mason, Ohio with his wife of 14 years Lee Ann and their two children, Chelsey (8) and Karl (4).

• Mike Wallace resigns as Head Football Coach
• Tisdale earns d3football.com All-America honor
• Tisdale earns CoSida All-America Third Team
• Tisdale named Third Team All-American from Don Hansen Football Gazette
• Tisdale named Second Team All-North Region
• Lawson named Academic All-OAC
• Tisdale leads four on All-OAC
• Lawson named Academic All-District First Team
• Howell named OAC Co-Player of the Week
• Tisdale named to the d3football Team of the Week.
• Trae Tate named OAC Player of the Week

2003 Football Media Guide (PDF)

Section 1 (1.2 MB) - Section 2 (504 KB) - Section 3 (1.1 MB)
Section 4 (1.1 MB) - Section 5 (1.8 MB)

Football Links

D3Football.com - The official Division III football website

The Helmet Project - The offical helmet site on the Internet

DIII Football Online - Division III Football site

NCAA Online - Official NCAA Web Site