Western Michigan’s Tim Lester Named To The AFCA Board of Trustees
June 2, 2021
Western Michigan University head coach Tim Lester has been named to the Board of Trustees of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Lester is the Mid-American Conference (MAC) representative on the Board and replaces Lance Leipold, who left the University at Buffalo to become the head coach at the University of Kansas.
“I’m excited to serve as a new member on the AFCA Board of Trustees,” Lester said. “It was an honor to be nominated and I look forward to working alongside the many great members on this Board.”
Lester will join a group of distinguished head coaches who guide the organization. The Board formulates policy and provides direction for the AFCA, which was founded in 1922 by Amos Alonzo Stagg, John Heisman and others. Returning members of the AFCA Board of Trustees include president Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern University, first vice-president Craig Bohl of the University of Wyoming, second vice-president Todd Knight of Ouachita Baptist University and third vice-president David Cutcliffe of Duke University.
RELATED ARTICLE: Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald Named 2021 AFCA President
Also serving on the Board in 2021 are: Jeff McMartin, Central College (Iowa); Bronco Mendenhall, University of Virginia; Danny Rocco, University of Delaware; Paul Winters, Wayne State University (Mich.); Ken Niumatalolo, U.S. Naval Academy; David Shaw, Stanford University; Jim Catanzaro, Lake Forest College; Steve Ryan, Morningside College; Bobby Hauck, University of Montana; Skip Holtz, Louisiana Tech University; Bobby Kennedy, Stanford University, ex officio member and chairman of the Assistant Coaches Committee; Van Malone, Kansas State University, ex officio member and chairman of the Minority Issues Committee; Michael Christensen, Lakewood (Calif.) High School, ex officio member and chairman of the High School Committee; and Mark McElroy, Saddleback College, ex officio member and Junior College representative. AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry serves as secretary-treasurer of the organization.
Lester completed his fourth season at Western Michigan in 2020, guiding the Broncos to four straight victories to start the season before finishing 4-2. He has a record of 24-20 at WMU, and an overall record of 64-43 when you include his stops at Division III Elmhurst College and Division II Saint Joseph’s College. Western Michigan has appeared in two bowl games (2018, 2019) and recorded 45 All-MAC honorees and 69 Academic All-MAC selections under Lester.
Lester began his coaching career after a Hall of Fame career at WMU as a quarterback. He finished his Bronco career ranked fourth in FBS history in passing yards (11,299) and sixth in touchdown passes (87) and set 17 school passing records and eight MAC records. Lester was an assistant coach at Elmhurst from 2002-03 before being named head coach at Saint Joseph’s in 2004, where he led the Pumas to a 7-4 record. He returned to WMU as an assistant in 2005 and 2006, then spent one season at North Central College before being named head coach at Elmhurst in 2008. In his five seasons, Lester led the Bluejays to a 33-19 record, including going 10-2 in his final season in 2012. That year Elmhurst won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin title and appeared in the Division III playoffs for the first time in school history.
Lester became the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse in 2013, doubling as offensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015. He then spent one season as quarterbacks coach at Purdue in 2016 before returning to his alma mater in 2017 as head coach. He has earned two conference coach of the year awards, one at Saint Joseph’s and one at Elmhurst, and was inducted into the WMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
« « Previous PostNext Post » »
Western Michigan University head coach Tim Lester has been named to the Board of Trustees of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Lester is the Mid-American Conference (MAC) representative on the Board and replaces Lance Leipold, who left the University at Buffalo to become the head coach at the University of Kansas.
“I’m excited to serve as a new member on the AFCA Board of Trustees,” Lester said. “It was an honor to be nominated and I look forward to working alongside the many great members on this Board.”
Lester will join a group of distinguished head coaches who guide the organization. The Board formulates policy and provides direction for the AFCA, which was founded in 1922 by Amos Alonzo Stagg, John Heisman and others. Returning members of the AFCA Board of Trustees include president Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern University, first vice-president Craig Bohl of the University of Wyoming, second vice-president Todd Knight of Ouachita Baptist University and third vice-president David Cutcliffe of Duke University.
RELATED ARTICLE: Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald Named 2021 AFCA President
Also serving on the Board in 2021 are: Jeff McMartin, Central College (Iowa); Bronco Mendenhall, University of Virginia; Danny Rocco, University of Delaware; Paul Winters, Wayne State University (Mich.); Ken Niumatalolo, U.S. Naval Academy; David Shaw, Stanford University; Jim Catanzaro, Lake Forest College; Steve Ryan, Morningside College; Bobby Hauck, University of Montana; Skip Holtz, Louisiana Tech University; Bobby Kennedy, Stanford University, ex officio member and chairman of the Assistant Coaches Committee; Van Malone, Kansas State University, ex officio member and chairman of the Minority Issues Committee; Michael Christensen, Lakewood (Calif.) High School, ex officio member and chairman of the High School Committee; and Mark McElroy, Saddleback College, ex officio member and Junior College representative. AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry serves as secretary-treasurer of the organization.
Lester completed his fourth season at Western Michigan in 2020, guiding the Broncos to four straight victories to start the season before finishing 4-2. He has a record of 24-20 at WMU, and an overall record of 64-43 when you include his stops at Division III Elmhurst College and Division II Saint Joseph’s College. Western Michigan has appeared in two bowl games (2018, 2019) and recorded 45 All-MAC honorees and 69 Academic All-MAC selections under Lester.
Lester began his coaching career after a Hall of Fame career at WMU as a quarterback. He finished his Bronco career ranked fourth in FBS history in passing yards (11,299) and sixth in touchdown passes (87) and set 17 school passing records and eight MAC records. Lester was an assistant coach at Elmhurst from 2002-03 before being named head coach at Saint Joseph’s in 2004, where he led the Pumas to a 7-4 record. He returned to WMU as an assistant in 2005 and 2006, then spent one season at North Central College before being named head coach at Elmhurst in 2008. In his five seasons, Lester led the Bluejays to a 33-19 record, including going 10-2 in his final season in 2012. That year Elmhurst won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin title and appeared in the Division III playoffs for the first time in school history.
Lester became the quarterbacks coach at Syracuse in 2013, doubling as offensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015. He then spent one season as quarterbacks coach at Purdue in 2016 before returning to his alma mater in 2017 as head coach. He has earned two conference coach of the year awards, one at Saint Joseph’s and one at Elmhurst, and was inducted into the WMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
