Glaser Named Blugold Head Football Coach

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Posted: Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Todd Glaser has returned to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire ... again. This time as the Blugolds' 15th head football coach.

Director of Athletics Scott Kilgallon announced today that Glaser has signed a contract to replace Todd Hoffner who resigned February 10 after seven years as head coach.

Glaser has been the head coach at Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio the past three seasons after serving as Hoffner's defensive coordinator the four seasons prior to that.

Glaser is a Blugold alum who played for current Seattle Seahawks' coach Jim Lind during the 1987, 88, 89 and 90 seasons. He was the first of three brothers to don a blue and gold jersey for their collegiate careers with Tyler and Chad following in his footsteps.

Once his collegiate eligibility was completed, Glaser served as a student assistant for Lind for one season and then assisted Greg Polnasek for three seasons before leaving to become the head coach at Neillsville High School during the 1995 and 1996 campaigns. He returned to UWEC during Bob Nielson's final two years as head coach to serve as linebacker coach and strength and conditioning coordinator. He was a staff member when the Blugolds advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals during the 1998 season.

During his final two years as the defensive coordinator in 2001 and 2002, the Blugolds produced 8-2 season records, shared the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship in 2001 and had the second-ranked defense in yardage allowed both years.

In the 10-team Ohio Athletic Conference, which produced this year's Division III national champion Mount Union College, Glaser guided Marietta to its first back-to-back non-losing seasons in 10 years. He was the OAC Coach of the Year in 2004 when Marietta finished with a 6-4 mark. He increased the Pioneers' squad size from 48 to 125 players during his three seasons there. He was also involved in a drive that raised $2 million for a new football field, new football locker room, new softball field and new soccer field. He was also the assistant director of the M-Team, which is the athletics' fund-raising arm of the college.

Several Blugold coaches followed Glaser to Marietta with Curt Wiese serving as his offensive coordinator and Tony Jennison as his defensive coordinator. In addition, during his three years, former Blugold players and coaches Steve Murray, Dan Larson and Nick Goeser helped coached the Pioneers.

While a Blugold player, Glaser served as a team co-captain during the 1990 season and accumulated 199 career tackles as a defensive lineman.

Glaser described becoming the Blugold head coach as his ultimate career objective and said he was "honored to be back," citing the outstanding reputation of the university and the community.

During both of his forays away from UWEC, Glaser said he learned all aspects of the game and directing a football program. He is excited to hit the ground running because of the number of faculty, staff, alumni and community members that he knows from his previous stints at Eau Claire.

He said his leadership style focuses around "hard work, mutual respect and fairness, appropriate delegation and a positive attitude."

In his new position, Glaser will also be involved with Kilgallon in fund-raising for the entire athletics program.

Glaser and his wife Michelle, who is also a UWEC alum, have three children: Sam, age 10, Ella, who will be nine on March 28, and Greta, age five.

Kilgallon credited the search and screen committee for doing a great job. "We knew this position would be very attractive and would be very competitive given the outstanding ranking of the institution, the facilities and the community," said Kilgallon. He said he was impressed with Glaser's foot