Mike Woodley named football coach at Grand View College

[wolverine68]

I thought some of you might remember Mike from his time at Iowa State

Please join the Grand View community in welcoming Mike Woodley as head football coach effective July 2, 2007. Woodley is a familiar name in Iowa coaching circles. He was head football coach at Saint Ambrose University from 1991 to 1993 and assistant coach at Iowa State from 1994-2003. Mike has already begun his duties on campus, and we expect fairly good media coverage on his appointment over the next day or two.



Woodley has more than 30 years’ coaching experience. Most recently the head football coach at Sam Rayburn High School in Pasadena, TX, Woodley is a 1974 University of Northern Iowa graduate and four-year football letterman. He was a two-time team captain, a three-time first team all-conference choice and a second team all-American in 1973. He still holds the Panthers' school record for 20 career interceptions. He was a graduate assistant at the University of Iowa from 1975-76. Woodley coached at the high school level in Alamogordo, NM, at East High School in Waterloo (IA), at Osage (IA) High School, at Fort Dodge (IA) High School, and at Valley High School in West Des Moines (IA). He and his wife, Betsy, have four sons, Brian, Matthew, Andy, and Joe. All four of Woodley's sons are coaches as well.



“Anybody who’s been in this business long enough knows that the opportunity to start a program from scratch is very rare,†said Woodley. “There are so many exhilarating things happening on campus with the addition of athletic programs, new student housing, and new buildings. Grand View is headed in the right direction, and I want to be a part of it. The fact that my family lives here, and with all of the special people I have met at Grand View, I feel like I am coming back home. I’m ready to start recruiting and join the ranks of the other successful Grand View athletic programs.â€



President Henning comments: “Coach Woodley is an excellent fit for Grand View. In his interview as well as in his previous coaching experience, he has placed great emphasis on the academic success and character development of his student athletes. He intends to build our program with students from our traditional student markets and, like all of our athletic programs, with students who are serious about their academics.â€



The Grand View Vikings will belong to the Midwest League of the Mid-states Football Association, whose anticipated teams include Iowa Wesleyan, McKendree, Olivet Nazarene, Quincy, Saint Xavier, Saint Ambrose, Trinity International, Saint Francis (IL), and William Penn. Grand View will field the team beginning fall 2008. Woodley will spend the 2007/2008 academic year developing the program in preparation for competitive play the following year.



Beth Carlson

Manager of Events and Publicity

Grand View College

515.263.6024

 

[AirWalke]

So is this a new football program Grand View is starting? I've never heard of them having sports before. My dad now works there heading up the Christian Center for Renewal, maybe he can be the team chaplain. :wink0st:

 

[Knownothing]

Yeah it's a new football program.

 

[Cypwr]

So is this a new football program Grand View is starting? I've never heard of them having sports before. My dad now works there heading up the Christian Center for Renewal, maybe he can be the team chaplain. :wink0st:

I know they have had some sports for quite some time. ISU use to play them in baseball. I know they have Women's basketball and softball. Odds are they have several other sports too. Football will be quite interesting, I believe they are NAIA and can give some scholarship money.

 

[cybsball20]

This will be a great opportunity for more local kids to play beyond high school and get their school paid for… My cousin plays baseball at Grandview and it looks like they are putting a pretty strong commitment towards their sports having added golf and fielding ranked teams in several sports. I think there is even talk of trying to move to NCAA D-II… That would be a big move for local college sports.

 

[wolverine68]

Yeah, GVC has a lot of sports and they keep adding new ones all of the time, right now we have...

Baseball Basketball - Men's Basketball - Women's Cross Country - Competitive Dance (don't laugh please!)- Golf - Men's Golf - Women's Soccer - Men's Soccer - Women's Softball - Track and Field - Volleyball - and Football is supposed to start in 2008.

They have a pretty good athletics department (athletes are usually among my better students... I teach at Grand View) and the women's basketball team has played (and gotten thumped by) ISU a couple of times in the past few years.

 

[jparker22]

Is Lou Yacinich still the Baseball coach and AD over there? He was/is a great guy and has really upgraded their athletic department. The Wintersports complex is pretty nice for a school that size.

 

[wolverine68]

Yeah, Lou is still there (funny guy) and his son, Lou Jr. is also working at GVC. They are both great. I think that Lou is going to be stepping down as baseball coach, but will remain AD.

 

[cybsball20]

Lou actually stepped down as AD a couple of years ago and Troy Plummer is now AD...I don't see him remaining baseball coach much longer, he is probably retiring soon... Lou is a great guy, unfortunately a questionable baseball coach at best... In 2000 they had more talent than any team in the State (including D1) and couldn't cash in.

 

[ICCYFAN]

So is this a new football program Grand View is starting? I've never heard of them having sports before. My dad now works there heading up the Christian Center for Renewal, maybe he can be the team chaplain. :wink0st:

Was your father previously the Senior Pastor at a relatively large Lutheran church in Iowa City? If so, I know who you are....:wink0st:

 

[ICCYFAN]

I thought some of you might remember Mike from his time at Iowa State

Good for Mike Woodley! His son (Andy) is the basketball coach at City High and I've seen him around town with a grandson in tow quite frequently. I met him last fall when he was back in Iowa for DMac's final game. He noticed my ISU sweatshirt in the local convenience store and we struck up a conversation about ISU football. I didn't know who he was (just another middle-aged guy) and he asked my opinion about Mac. I honestly replied that I appreciated what he had done but felt it was past time for a change, so I was happy. Only then did he reveal his identity, indicate Mac was one of his best friends and share he'd been at the post-game party at Mac's house! :baffled5wh: Even so, he agreed that a change was needed at ISU.

Super nice guy and by all appearances, very family-oriented. I'm glad he got back to the state so he can be closer to his children and grandchildren. First Steve Loney at Drake and now Mike Woodley at Grandview; does the Upper Iowa campus in Des Moines field a team? Des Moines University? Ex-ISU assistants will rule non-scholarship college football....

 

[CY ST8T]

I've known the Woodley family for years and they know sports well and have a drive. When I was little Mike used to take Matt and I to softball games in Osage to watch him coach and play sometimes. I never did figure out why he was taking us to Osage from Fort Dodge, but that is how I remember it from being a little tike.