Hamline University athletic officials announced today that Chad Rogosheske will be stepping down from his position as Hamline's head football coach to accept the position of head coach of the football program at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. Rogosheske has been coach of the Hamline Pipers for the past three seasons.

"Words can't adequately describe Chad's hard work and dedication as the leader of our football program that ultimately has resulted in a remarkable culture shift and vaulted our program back to respectability. While we are happy that he's found a role that allows him the opportunity to be closer to family, he will be greatly missed. The silver lining is that he will remain involved as a strong alumnus of the university and supporter of Piper football," said Jason Verdugo, athletic director at Hamline University. "As we look to the immediate future of our football program, we are excited about the trajectory of the program and believe there is great promise."
 
Prior to Hamline, Rogosheske served three years as offensive line coach at Bucknell. Before that, he worked with special teams and the offensive line for Ohio State and held various positions, including offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and running backs coach at Hamline University. He has also served as a receivers coach at Wartburg College. Rogosheske is a '98 graduate of Hamline University.  Hamline's 2015 football team season ended 4-6.

"I'd like to sincerely thank the Hamline University administration and alumni, Jason Verdugo, the Athletics Department staff, the football coaching staff, the players, and many others who made the past three years at Hamline an extremely rewarding experience for me," Rogosheske said. "The decision to transition from Hamline was one that weighed heavily on my mind and heart. It is my hope that the past three seasons will serve as the initial steps toward the football program at Hamline realizing its full potential, and I wish all involved the best moving forward."   
 
In his three seasons at Hamline, Rogosheske saw the Piper roster expand from 39 to 80 last year. The team regained possession of the traveling Bucket Trophy from Macalester for the past two years and wrestled the Hammer away from Augsburg in 2015.
 
Capital is a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference. The school has a rich history in football, including a Stagg Bowl championship and three NCAA D-III playoff appearances in the past 10 seasons. From 2003-09, they were rated among the top 25 D-III teams in the country. Rogosheske replaces Craig Candeto, who left to become the Assistant Director of Football Operations at D-I Georgia Tech.
 
Hamline University belongs to the NCAA Division III Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, one of the most competitive conferences in the nation. Hamline supports 20 intercollegiate athletic teams for men and women.
 
The search for a new head football coach will begin immediately and will be determined by what's best to serve the immediate and future needs of the program.  

Creativity and innovation in teaching and learning are the hallmark of Hamline University—home to more than 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students. At Hamline, students collaborate with professors invested in their success. They are challenged in and out of the classroom to create and apply knowledge in local and global contexts, while cultivating an ethic of civic responsibility, social justice, and inclusive leadership and service. Hamline is the top-ranked university of its class in Minnesota, according to U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1854, Hamline also is Minnesota's first university and among the first coeducational institutions in the nation.