The Catholic University of America has named alumnus Mike Gutelius, B.A. 1992, as the 30th head football coach in the history of the Department of Athletics program.
Gutelius has more than two decades of coaching experience, including 14 years as a coordinator. He most recently served as a defensive coordinator for a Lindsey Wilson College team in Columbia, Ky., that has made three-straight NAIA Football Championship Series appearances and the program’s first-ever No. 1 national ranking. He was selected as the 2015 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Assistant of the Year.
"I'm thrilled to have Mike return to Catholic University as our head football coach," said Sean Sullivan, associate vice president and athletics director. "I am extremely impressed with his insights on college sports, football and academic success, and his philosophy of developing student-athletes into the complete person. He clearly has a passion and respect for the game, and as an alum, knows the importance of the values associated with Catholic University.”
Gutelius comes to Catholic after seven seasons at Lindsey Wilson, where he helped to restart a program and built it back to prominence after a 75-year hiatus. Over the past four seasons, the Blue Raiders have gone 37-11 overall. This season, the team went 11-2, the most wins in program history, and added a No. 6 national ranking and a NAIA FCS Quarterfinals appearance.
Prior to his time at Lindsey Wilson, Gutelius spent six seasons at Concord University in Athens, W.Va., as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. He also developed, organized, and managed the team's academic success program.
Earlier in his career, Gutelius spent two seasons as defensive ends coach at Wingate University in Wingate, N.C. He has also coached at the University of La Verne in La Verne, Calif.; St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis.; and Catholic University, where he joined the athletics department immediately after graduation and spent one season as an assistant coach in 1992.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to be the head football coach at The Catholic University of America,” said Gutelius. “I would like to thank President John Garvey and Mr. Sean Sullivan for their confidence in my leadership of this program and I cannot wait to work.”
“To be able to go back to your alma mater and teach young men the enduring life lessons that I learned while I played here is humbling. I feel a huge sense of responsibility to help these guys grow through the sport of football and to be able to do that job at this unique place is a lifelong dream of mine.” Gutelius noted that he would strive to help the “student-athletes who play football at The Catholic University of America to grow into the men God wants them to be.
At Catholic University, Gutelius earned a bachelor’s degree in politics with a minor in philosophy. He earned a master’s degree in education with a special emphasis in athletic-educational issues from La Verne in 2001.
He and his wife, Kimberly, have three children, Michael, Sam, and Mary Katherine.