Ohio Wesleyan University Athletics Director Roger Ingles announced today that head football coach Mike Hollway will retire at year's end.
During his 25 seasons at the helm, Hollway led the Battling Bishops to a North Coast Athletic Conference championship and six runner-up finishes. Ohio Wesleyan was rated in the NCAA Division III Top 25 seven times under Hollway's leadership. He retires as Ohio Wesleyan's winningest football coach, compiling a career record of 139-110-1.
"Mike has been more than a coach," Ingles said. "He has been a role model and mentor to his team members since joining Ohio Wesleyan in 1987. He has been committed to helping players succeed athletically and academically."
Throughout his career, Hollway's commitment to college football has extended beyond the field. He has served as chair of the NCAC football coaches committee, as a member of the NCAA rules committee, and has been honored as NCAC Coach of the Year.
He also is a previous recipient of Ohio Wesleyan's Bishop Francis Emner Kearns Award, recognizing faculty who best exemplify the University's ethical, moral, and missional values.
Hollway holds a doctorate in higher education policy and leadership, with an emphasis on humanitarian student value development, from The Ohio State University.
He came to Ohio Wesleyan from Marietta College, where he served as head coach for four years, taking the team into league championship contention. Prior to coaching at Marietta, he was defensive coordinator at Augustana (Ill.) College for seven seasons, helping the Vikings earn three playoff bids and an appearance in the Division III title game.
Ingles said Ohio Wesleyan will begin an aggressive national search to find the next Battling Bishop head football coach.
Current defensive coordinator Pat Delaney will serve as interim head coach. Delaney has been with the Bishops for 17 seasons. As a free safety at the University of Toledo, Delaney was a four-year letterman, served as a team captain in his junior and senior years, and was named to the Academic All-Mid-American Conference team three times.
