PC Concludes Search for New Football Coach
January 4, 2022
Presbyterian College and the Blue Hose athletics department announce that Steve Englehart, who has been a head coach for 13 years at Florida Institute of Technology and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, has been named the Blue Hose’s next head football coach. Englehart becomes the 17th head coach in PC football’s 109-year history.
“We set out to find an experienced and principled leader who will elevate PC football in a manner consistent with the College’s mission and purpose,” Presbyterian Director of Athletics Rob Acunto said. “Steve’s head coaching experience, consummate professionalism, vision for the program, and proven ability to connect with players, alumni, and members of the community are just some of the many attributes that will allow him to elevate the football program.”
“Steve is a developer of talent and an experienced recruiter who will help our football student-athletes reach their full potential on the field, in the classroom, and as people. We are honored to welcome Steve and his family to PC.”
PC president Dr. Matthew vandenBerg said Englehart is a proven winner.
“I am confident in Coach Englehart’s ability to lead our football team and to embrace PC’s rich culture, storied traditions, and championship spirit,” he said. “I look forward to the 2022 season and am excited to partner with Coach Englehart and our faculty and staff to help ensure the academic and athletic success of our students.”
Englehart’s hiring came after a national search conducted by the Parker Executive Search firm, working with a search committee including Presbyterian College faculty, staff, coaches, and members of the College’s Board of Trustees. The search committee decided unanimously to hire Englehart as PC’s next football coach following an extensive review of a strong candidate pool. A majority of the 120 candidates had significant college coaching experience.
Former Presbyterian football players and members of the Board of Trustees Tom Free (Class of 1991), Ted Pitts (Class of 1994), and Brad Spearman (Class of 1985) played key roles on the search committee, and all three share the sentiments expressed by Pitts.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Englehart to the PC Family,” Pitts said. “The Search Committee talked to a lot of strong candidates, but Coach Englehart stood out with his proven track record of success as a college head coach. He shares PC’s values and comes prepared knowing what it takes to recruit, develop, and win at an institution like PC.”
Englehart, a two-time Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year recipient, has compiled a record of 70-49 during his 13-year head coaching career and has coached two teams to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
“I am extremely excited to become the next head coach at PC,” Englehart said. “My family and I would like to thank President vandenBerg, athletic director Rob Acunto, and the search committee for this great opportunity. I look forward to building relationships with our players and helping them develop in all aspects of their life.”
In his last head coaching position, Englehart assisted in starting and guiding the Florida Tech Panthers football program from 2011-20, compiling a 44-35 record. In 2014, in the Panthers’ second season as a football program, he guided the team to a 6-5 record garnering Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year honors. In 2015, he guided the Panthers to a 7-4 record with wins over two teams ranked in the Top Five of the Division II national rankings. He was named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
In 2016 and 2018, he led the Panthers to the NCAA Division II playoffs. Due to financial implications from the pandemic, Florida Tech disbanded its program in the spring of 2020.
Prior to his head coaching career at Florida Tech, Englehart served one season as offensive coordinator for his alma mater, Indiana State. In 2010, Englehart coached a Sycamores’ offense that finished 14th in the nation in scoring after tallying a school-record 351 points.
In 2006, Englehart was hired as the youngest head coach in the NCAA and spent four seasons as head coach at Rose-Hulman in Terre Haute, Ind., where he led the football program for the first time in school history to four consecutive seasons with at least six wins. In 2007, he guided the Fightin’ Engineers to a 7-3 record, the program’s best record since 1994. Prior to becoming head coach in 2006, he spent four seasons as Rose-Hulman’s offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator.
The Terre Haute native graduated from Indiana State with a degree in Health Education in 2000. During his playing career at Indiana State from 1996-99, Englehart played quarterback and was a three-time GTE Scholar-Athlete award winner and also was a two-time Academic All-Gateway Conference selection.
“We will have young men that compete to win in the classroom and on the football field,” the new coach said. “Our staff will provide stability and will be committed to providing a product that the alumni of PC and the Clinton community will be proud of. I can’t wait to get started.”
