The Southwestern College Moundbuilders program is a college football team that represents Southwestern College in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, a part of the NAIA. The team has had 28 head coaches since its first recorded football game in 1895. The current coach is Brad Griffin, who was announced on January 21, 2015 as the new head coach. Griffin replaces Ken Crandall who resigned at the conclusion of the 2014 season.
Key
Coaches No.NameTermGCOWOLOTO%CWCLCTC%PWPLCCsAwards0Unknown1895, 1901–19026330 — — — — — — — —1J. J. Thiel 1903–190413931 — — — — — — — —2Harry Huston19057340 — — — — — — — —3Jay Mack Love1906–190717862 — — — — — — — —4Frank Armin19087340 — — — — — — — —5Fred Clapp1909–19134224126 — — — — — — — —6Willis Bates1914–192510252419 — — — — — — — —7William Monypenny1926–19369533539 — — — — — — — —8Don Copper1937–1939275211 — — — — — — — —9Richard C. Nolan1940–1941201082 — — — — — — — —10Henry Brock19429432 — — — — — — — —XNo team1943–1945————— — — — — — — — —11Art Kahler1946–1947191441 — — — — — — — —12Fred Dittman194810730 — — — — — — — —13Harold Hunt1949–1951276183 — — — — — — — —14Bill Carroll1952–1953182151 — — — — — — — —15Robert Hower1954–19584611314 — — — — — — — —16Bob Dvorak1959–1961271962 — — — — — — — —17Ray Morrison1962–1963201190 — — — — — — — —18Harold Elliott1964–1968473773 — — — — — — — —19Wes Buller1969–19712715111 — — — — — — — —20Jim Paramore1972–19764519260 — — — — — — — —21Phil Hower1977–19803622140 — — — — — — — —22Dennis Franchione1981–1982201442 — — — — — — — —23Charlie Cowdrey1983–19919464291 — — — — — — — —24Jake Cabell19929540 — — — — — — — —25Monty Lewis1993–20019259330 — — — — — — — —26Chris Douglas2002–20064920290 — — — — — — — —27Ken Crandall2007–201474215301944 — — — — —28Brad Griffin2015–present120734705237 — — — — —
Details The following are details on coaches that do not have articles on Wikipedia. For coaches with articles on Wikipedia, see links in the table above.
John Jacob Thiel Although Southwestern competed in football as far back as 1895, John Jacob Thiel was the first official head football coach at Southwestern, and he held that position for two seasons, from 1903 until 1904.College Football Data Warehouse Southwestern College Records His coaching record at Southwestern was 9–5–1.Southwestern College Football Records
After his work at the collegiate level as a professor and coach, he moved to Ritzville, Washington near his family and took up farming.The Journal-Times "John Thiel, Sr. Dies Suddenly" February 24, 1921 He died in Spokane at the age of 69.Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Blog "EWGS Presidents: Leora Cookingham Thiel" November 4, 2009
Frank Armin Frank Armin was the fourth coach for the Moundbuilders and held that position for the 1908 season. Armin was also the basketball coach at Southwestern for the 1908–1909 season. He was the first basketball coach on record for the school, and the team produced six wins and three losses.Hovpen Sports Southwestern College Basketball
Fred Dittman The 12th head coach was Fred Dittman, who also served in World War II with General Patton's Army and rose to the rank of captain. In 1946, Dittmann was assistant football coach to Art Kahler at Southwestern and then served as head football coach for the 1948 season while he pursued a master's degree in chemistry from the University of Kansas.Southwestern College in Winfield, KS
Robert Hower Hower was the 15th coach for Southwestern and held the position from 1954 to 1958.Kiowa News "Father-Son Banquet" April 12, 1961
Hower also coached men's basketball at Southwestern and was the 13th person on record to hold that post.Hovpen Sports Southwestern College Basketball He coached for thirteen seasons, from 1955 until 1967 and then again for the 1970–71 season. His record was 32–37 and the team secured two Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference championships, in 1961 and again in 1963.
Hower served as the athletic director at Southwestern until his sudden death from complications from an automobile accident in 1972.El Dorado Times, "Obituaries" April 22, 1972 His son, Phil Hower, coached the Moundbuilders from 1977 until the conclusion of the 1980 season.
Phil Hower Hower was the 21st football coach for program and he held that position four seasons, from 1977 to 1980. He was mentor to future Minnesota coach Jerry Kill and son of former Moundbulder athletic director and coach Robert Hower.
Hower's love and passion to play the game of football continued after he graduated and was coaching high school football. He remained active and an avid supporter of the program, playing in an alumni game and receiving a shoulder injury.Kiowa News "Injured in Alumni Game" September 19, 1968
Hower continually worked in coaching, including working as the linebackers coach at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas under head coach Monty Lewis.Crimson Chronicle Meet the coaches Hower died in Winfield on April 19, 2014 at the age of 72.
See also
List of people from Cowley County, Kansas
Notes
References