Joel A. Swisher (October 29, 1943 – February 17, 2000) was an American college football coach and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Dakota State University (1973–1976), Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1977–1980), Adams State College (1982–1983), and Jamestown College (1992–1994), compiling a career college football head coaching record of 65–55–4. Swisher was also the athletic director at Dakota State from 1974 to 1977.
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 29, 1943 Hopkinsville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | February 17, 2000 (aged 56) Rochester, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1964–1967 | Northern State |
| Football | |
| c. 1965 | Northern State |
| Position(s) | Halfback (football) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| c. 1970 | South Dakota State (GA) |
| 1972 | Doane (DC) |
| 1973–1976 | Dakota State |
| 1977–1980 | Augustana (SD) |
| 1982–1983 | Adams State |
| 1984–1986 | Eastern Illinois (assistant) |
| 1987–1988 | Western Michigan (assistant) |
| 1990–1991 | New Mexico (RB) |
| 1992–1994 | Jamestown |
| 1995–1999 | Rochester (MN) |
| Track | |
| 1972–1973 | Doane (assistant) |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1974–1977 | Dakota State |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 65–55–4 (college football) 44–9 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| Football 3 SDIC (1973, 1975–1976) | |
Early life, playing career, and education
editSwisher was born on October 29, 1943, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.[1] He was the son of Clark Swisher, who was a longtime coach and athletic director at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The younger Swisher attended Northern State, where lettered for four years in both football and basketball before graduating graduating with a Bachelor of Science in secondary education. Swisher later earned a master's degree physical education from South Dakota State University, and, in 1972, a doctorate in health and physical education form the University of Utah.[2]
Coaching career
editSwisher was hired in 1972 at Doane College—now known as Doane University—Crete, Nebraska, as an assistant coach in football and track and assistant professor of physical education.[3] In 1973, he was hired as the head football coach at Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota. The following year, he succeeded Neil Hattlestad at the school's athletic director.[4]
Swisher was the 16th head football coach at Adams State College—now known as Adams State University—in Alamosa, Colorado, serving for two seasons, from 1982 to 1983, and compiling a record of 7–10–2[5]
He was the head football coach at Jamestown College—now known as the University of Jamestown–in Jamestown, North Dakota for three seasons, from 1992 to 1994, tallying a mark of 15–12.[6]
Death
editSwisher died on February 17, 2000, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, after suffering a heart attack.[7]
Head coaching record
editCollege football
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota State Trojans (South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference) (1973–1976) | |||||||||
| 1973 | Dakota State | 6–3 | 5–0 | 1st | |||||
| 1974 | Dakota State | 6–4 | 3–2 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1975 | Dakota State | 6–3–1 | 4–1 | T–1st | |||||
| 1976 | Dakota State | 8–2 | 4–1 | T–1st | |||||
| Dakota State: | 26–12–1 | 16–4 | |||||||
| Augustana (South Dakota) Vikings (North Central Conference) (1977–1980) | |||||||||
| 1977 | Augustana | 7–4 | 4–3 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1978 | Augustana | 4–5 | 2–4 | 6th | |||||
| 1979 | Augustana | 4–5 | 2–4 | 6th | |||||
| 1980 | Augustana | 2–7–1 | 2–5 | 6th | |||||
| Augustana: | 17–21–1 | 10–16 | |||||||
| Adams State Indians (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) (1982–1983) | |||||||||
| 1982 | Adams State | 3–4–2 | 3–3–2 | 4th | |||||
| 1983 | Adams State | 4–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | |||||
| Adams State: | 7–10–2 | 7–7–2 | |||||||
| Jamestown Jimmies (North Dakota College Athletic Conference) (1992–1994) | |||||||||
| 1992 | Jamestown | 5–4 | 2–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1993 | Jamestown | 4–5 | 1–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1994 | Jamestown | 6–3 | 3–2 | T–3rd | |||||
| Jamestown: | 15–12 | 6–9 | |||||||
| Total: | 65–55–4 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Joel Swisher". Columbia Daily Tribune. Columbia, Missouri. February 19, 2000. p. 2A. Retrieved February 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com
.
- ^ "Augustana selects Swisher as coach". Sioux Falls Argus-Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. August 20, 1977. p. 12A. Retrieved February 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Swisher Joins Doane Staff". Lincoln Journal Star. Lincoln, Nebraska. August 9, 1972. p. 12A. Retrieved February 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Swisher Named Athletic Director". Sioux Falls Argus-Leader. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. June 21, 1974. p. 17. Retrieved February 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ College Football Data Warehouse Archived January 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Adams State Grizzlies all-time coaching records
- ^ DeLassus, David. "Jamestown College Coaching Records". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
- ^ "RCTC coach dies of a heart attack". Winona Daily News. Winona, Minnesota. February 19, 2000. p. 15. Retrieved February 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
