NSU’s Boden, Sweeney to leave program

ABERDEEN, S.D. –Northern State University head football coach Chris Boden and assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Richard Sweeney have been released from their coaching duties effective immediately at the end of the 2009 season.

A search for a new head coach will begin immediately.

“Coaches Boden and Sweeney are both very good people and have been extremely hard workers within this athletic department,” said NSU athletic director Bob Olson. “We appreciate all that they have done, not only for our football program but the university as a whole. We wish them and their families nothing but the best in the future.”

Olson added that Boden and Sweeney stressed the recruitment of quality young men, and that academic achievement in the classroom was as important as athletic achievement on the field.

Boden became the 26th head coach in the program’s history in 2005. In his first four years at the helm, he has worked to produce 21 All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference athletes, including five first team selections, and a pair of All-Northwest Region honorees. Under his tutelage, the program has also made significant improvements in the classroom. The Wolves have produced 23 Academic All-NSIC players, including ten in 2008, since 2005. The 2009 selections have not yet been released.

With one game left in the 2009 season, Boden has an 18-36 career record in five years at NSU, including a 6-5 mark in his debut 2005 season. The 18 career victories tie him for sixth most in NSU history.

Boden came to NSU after one year as the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M University-Commerce and eight seasons at Valdosta State University (Ga.). At TAMU-Commerce, Boden helped improve the Lions from one win in 2003 to four wins in 2004 with help from an offense that ranked 11th in the nation in passing offense. He also coached a pair of Gulf South Conference Offensive Players of the Year while at VSU.

Boden is a 1990 graduate of Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) and earned his master’s degree in 1994 from Central Michigan. He and his wife Jennifer, have three children, Lynn, Ty and Brett.

Sweeney is also completing his fifth season with the Wolves. The veteran coach spearheaded a Wolves defense that led the league in passing defense in each of his first two seasons. NSU also finished second in total defense in 2005 and third in 2006. The Wolves were also third in the conference in turnover margin in both the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Prior to arriving at NSU, Sweeney served as the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology defensive coordinator for two seasons. Previous stops include eight seasons at Western State College (Colo.), two stints at his alma mater Western Washington University (1987 & 2001) and most recently Southwest Texas State (2002).
*Courtesy: NSU Sports Information