December 17, 2007
(release courtesy of Dave Blanchard, Luther College sports information director)

DECORAH, IOWA . . . Joe Thompson, Luther College director of intercollegiate athletics, has named Mike Durnin the college’s new head football coach.

Durnin succeeds Paul Hefty, who served as head football coach for six years and resigned in November to pursue interests outside of football.

Durnin will assume his duties at Luther immediately. He joins the Luther athletic department from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where he has served as the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the past seven years. During this time, the Eagles produced an overall record of 48-26, capturing three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and making four NCAA Division III National Championship appearances.

Durnin began his coaching career at Minnesota State University-Mankato (1981-83) as a graduate assistant, coaching both wide receivers and defensive backs. He then served as defensive coordinator at Yankton College until the school closed in 1984. Durnin next spent seven years at the University of Puget Sound (1985-92), where he served as the offensive coordinator for three years and the defensive coordinator for his final four years. Prior to his stint at UW-La Crosse, he was the recruiting coordinator at Illinois State University (1992-94) and also coached running backs, quarterbacks, and kickers. From 1994 until he joined the Eagles football staff in 2001, he was in private business.

Durnin is a 1981 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where he played quarterback and still holds the school record for touchdown passes in a single game with six. He also holds a bachelor of science degree from La Crosse and a master of arts degree from Minnesota State University-Mankato, both in physical education, “I am truly excited to serve Luther College as head football coach,” commented Durnin. “The sky's the limit for this program. There is an excellent nucleus of players committed to winning, along with great support starting with President Rick Torgerson and Joe Thompson, athletic director. I am excited about meeting individually with the team, and I will be starting my recruiting for Luther College immediately.”

Durnin and his wife of 26 years, Karen, are the parents of Jena Oeltjen (23)—married to Josh Oeltjen—Krista (20), and Caitlin (17).

“We are proud to have Mike serve as our head football coach at Luther College,” stated Thompson. “He has accumulated a wealth of successful coaching experience, has been a wonderful mentor to student-athletes, and embraces the NCAA III philosophy. Mike has tremendous ability, integrity, and experience, and we are excited that he has elected to become a part of the Luther College community.”

Luther College, a four-year liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is located in Decorah, Iowa. The Norse compete in 10 men's and nine women's intercollegiate sports.

As a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) since 1922, the men have won 141 conference championships. In 1982 the IIAC expanded its championship sponsorship to include women's sports. During this time span, the women have won 55 team titles. Combined, the Norse have captured an unmatched 196 IIAC titles.

More information on Luther athletics can be located on the World Wide Web at http://sports.luther.edu.

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