NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. Westminster College head football coach Jerry Schmitt has resigned his position at the College to become the head football coach at Division I-AA Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, effective immediately. He replaces Greg Gattuso as head coach of the Dukes, who left Duquesne to join the football staff at the University of Pittsburgh.
Schmitt, who served as an assistant at Duquesne from 1985-87 and 1992-99, returns to Duquesne after spending the last five seasons at the helm of the Titan program. He led Westminster to an overall record of 28-21 during that span, guiding the program's transition from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division III.
'I want to thank Jerry for his work at Westminster, especially for his role in leading our program during the transition to NCAA Division III,' said Westminster Director of Athletics Jim Dafler. 'We wish him well in his new position.'
Schmitt led Westminster to an 8-2 mark, including a perfect 5-0 record against teams from the Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC), in 2000. After a rebuilding campaign in 2001, Westminster continued to make strides under Schmitts leadership in 2002, as the Titans finished 6-4 overall (4-1 in league play) and placed second in their first season of eligibility for the PAC title. In 2003, Westminster overcame a challenging non-conference schedule against scholarship teams to contend for the conference title in the final week of the season. Last year, the Titans rallied from an 0-2 start to post wins in five of their last eight games.
Prior to his first stop at Duquesne, Schmitt established himself at the high school level in western Pennsylvania where he served as head coach at South Fayette High School (1990-91), offensive and defensive line coach at Bethel Park High School (1989), offensive and defensive line coach at Avonworth High School (1988), and offensive and defensive line coach and junior varsity head coach at West Allegheny High School (1983-84).
In addition to his football coaching background, Schmitt served as head girls basketball coach at Beaver Area High School from 1987-99 and has also served as head track & field coach at West Allegheny High School (1984) and Weirton (W.Va.) Madonna High School (1983). Prior to returning to Westminster, Schmitt worked full time as a teacher in the Beaver Area school district from 1987-99.
A 1983 Westminster graduate, Schmitt was a three-year letterman and two-year starter on the offensive line under head coach Joe Fusco, leading the Titans to an undefeated regular season as a senior in 1981.
Westminster will immediately begin a national search for a new head football coach.
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked among national leaders in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to Americas Best Colleges, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of 'The Best 357 Colleges' and 'Best 115 in the Mid-Atlantic' by The Princeton Review, and was recognized by the Templeton Guide as a 'Character Building College.'
Nearly 1,600 students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty, while choosing from 40 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa. campus.
