Mike Conway ’83 has temporarily set aside his director of athletics responsibilities to become Olivet’s interim head football coach. It marks his second stint at that helm, having previously served as head coach from 1996 to 2000.
“The players and program have always been and continue to be a top priority,” Conway said. “I have coached college football for a long time and have been through many challenges, so stepping back into this role here at Olivet after 20-plus years is a blessing that I am fully embracing.”
Conway brings over 38 years of college football coaching experience at all levels of the profession. In four seasons as head coach at Olivet, he led the Tigers to a 31-14 record. His successes on the field include leading the program to an MSFA Co- Championship in 1999 and to the NAIA Playoff Championship game in 1998, when he was named the National Christian Colleges Athletic Association (NCCAA) Coach of the Year.
Over his illustrious coaching career, Conway coordinated the top-ranked defense in the country five times at three different collegiate levels while also coaching in four national championship games. Conway has also seen several of his student-athletes go on to play in the NFL and CFL. As a coach, Conway has cultivated a career record of 253-122-2.
Conway himself was an NAIA All-American player, twice earning first-team honors as an offensive lineman for the Tigers in 1982 and 1983. He then went on to play professionally, making stops in the CFL, USFL and NFL before getting his start in coaching.
“Mike Conway loves Olivet, ONU athletics and our student-athletes,” said Dr. Jason Stephens, vice president of student development. “Our goal through this football coach transition was to provide as much stability for the current coaching staff, returning student-athletes and incoming students as possible. Coach Conway is uniquely positioned to create stability for our program. Above all, his passion for developing disciples through athletics allows him to continue the athletic mission of developing champions and winning championships.”
From Olivet The Magazine, Strength & Hope – Autumn 2023. Read the full issue HERE.
