Hanover president Sue DeWine has announced that Joe Austin,
offensive coordinator at Dubuque, has been selected as the school's
25th head football coach. Austin succeeds longtime coach Wayne
Perry, who retired after the 2007 season.
"We are extremely pleased to have Joe join the Hanover family,"
said DeWine. "He has a great deal of enthusiasm and energy for the
game and we believe he will continue our tradition of excellence.
His plan is to make our Panthers a team for the community and we'll
support his efforts to do so."
Austin, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, helped guide Dubuque's squad
to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in 28 seasons.
The Spartans finished 7-3 in 2007 and 6-4 in 2006. During his three
seasons at Dubuque, Austin's offensive unit set 33 school records.
In 2007, the Spartans averaged 35.2 points and 433.4 offensive
yards per game.
"I feel extremely blessed to be the man charged with the duty of
restoring the roar to Panther football," Austin said. "Wayne Perry
has established a tremendous tradition and legacy at this
institution. Our staff and players will do everything we can to
carry on the tradition of excellence."
Prior to his stint at Dubuque, Austin was offensive coordinator at
Augsburg for one season and was an offensive assistant coach at
Concordia-St. Paul for four seasons.
During his season at Augsburg, Austin's offense set five school
records and increased its scoring by more than one touchdown per
game. While at Concordia, the Golden Bears finished in the Top 25
nationally in NCAA Division II in total offense. Austin's unit was
sixth nationally in 2003 with 474.6 yards per game and ranked
seventh in 2002 with 447.8 yards per outing. Concordia averaged
more than 35 points per game and set virtually every school
passing, receiving and rushing record during Austin's tenure.
"Joe has worked hard in the past to not only recruit great athletes
nationwide, but also retain them," said Lynn Hall, Hanover's
director of athletics. "It is this determination to see that his
athletes are successful on and off the field that made him our
choice to lead the Panthers."
Austin played quarterback at NAIA St. Ambrose for two seasons. He
earned All-Mid-States Athletic Association honors as a sophomore
after setting school records with 2,197 passing yards and 17
touchdowns, despite playing just six games due to broken vertebrae
in his back. The injury eventually ended his playing career after
reconstructive surgery at the end of that season.
Austin earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies from
Concordia in 2001. He received a master's degree in organizational
management from Concordia in 2004.
Perry had guided Hanover's football program since 1982. He tallied
the most wins of any coach in Indiana collegiate football history,
posting a 174-89-2 record through 26 seasons at Hanover. His teams
earned eight conference championships and made nine appearances in
the national playoffs. He will lead the College's athletic
fund-raising initiatives and coach men's and women's golf.
Dubuque coordinator replaces Perry at Hanover
Jan 07, 2008