Minor

Wilmington athletic director Terry Rupert has announced that football coach Ken Minor has resigned his post, effective immediately.

Minor, who took over for Barry Wulf less than two months before the 2010 season, leaves with a record of 0-23. The Quakers have lost their three games this season by an average of 40 points and are on a losing streak of 29 consecutive games.

“We are grateful for the time and effort that Ken has given to the Wilmington College football team, athletic department and community,” said Rupert.

The school will conduct a national search at the end of the season.

A contender for the conference championship as a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, Wilmington has struggled in football since moving to the Ohio Athletic Conference for the 2000 season. However, the past two years were the first winless seasons for the Quakers since the transition.

Niswonger

Offensive coordinator Jay Niswonger, new to the team this fall, will take over the reins as the interim head coach. Like Minor, Niswonger is a Wilmington alum, having graduated from the school in 1979 after a four-year career as a defensive standout for the Quakers. He was inducted into Wilmington College’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.

He coached at Watkins Memorial, Clinton-Massie and Carlisle high schools before coming to Valley View in 1984. He transformed a Valley View program that had won 70 games prior to his arrival into a state power.

Niswonger’s career record at Valley View was 243-78-1. His teams won 11 Southwestern Buckeye League titles, made 16 state playoff appearances, advanced to seven state semifinals and won state championships in 1994, ’96 and ’97.

Wilmington (0-3, 0-2 OAC) travels to Muskingum (0-3, 0-2) this upcoming weekend.