HEAD COACH: TOM JOURNELL
A long-time assistant coach in Wisconsin, Tom Journell will guide the Bluejays in his first season as head coach.

Journell, the 16th head football coach in Elmhurst College history, has spent the past 15 seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Journell's UW-River Falls teams experienced a great deal of success, earning a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship in 1998 and earning NCAA playoff invitations in 1995 and 1996. The 1995 squad advanced to the quarterfinals of the national playoffs. His teams led the WIAC in scoring defense four times and total defense three times. In 15 seasons, UW-River Falls compiled an 86-60-3 record (.587) with Journell as an assistant.

Journell joined the River Falls coaching staff in 1989 as the team's secondary coach. He was quickly promoted to the role of defensive coordinator just a year later. He was promoted again in 1995, this time to assistant head coach, a position he held for eight years.

Journell is also certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and has served as UW-River Falls' strength and conditioning coach for the past eight seasons. He also coached UW-River Fall's only national champion in the discus and coached three All-American throwers while serving as the track and field team's throws coach during the 1996 season.

Prior to joining the UW-River Falls staff, Journell served as a graduate assistant coach at Miami University (Ohio) where he assisted in coaching the defensive secondary and linebackers. Journell attended NCAA Division III Wittenberg University where he was a four-year participant on the football and baseball teams. He earned his bachelor's degree from Wittenberg in 1987 and a master's degree from Miami University (Ohio) in 1989.

A native of Eaton, Ohio, Journell and his wife, Betsy, have two sons, Mack and Tate.

(630) 617-3146
tjournell@elmhurst.edu

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: HENRY STANFORD


Henry Stanford joins the Bluejay coaching staff in his first season as the team's offensive coordinator.

Stanford spent three seasons at Tiffin University (Ohio) serving as an assistant football coach from 1999-2000 and rejoining the team before the 2003 season. At Tiffin, he was charged with coaching the running backs and the kick-off return game while also assisting with the team's strength and conditioning program.

Sandwiched between his two stints at Tiffin, Stanford spent a season at Kenyon College (2002) and two seasons at Otterbein College.

An all-area tight end at Muskegon (Mich.) High School, Stanford's college playing days were cut short by a knee injury. While at the Ohio State University he served as a student assistant coach working with the running backs. Stanford assisted Tim Spencer, who now serves as the running backs coach of the Chicago Bears. In his four years as a student assistant coach, the Buckeyes won a pair of Big Ten titles (1996 and 1998) while also winning the Rose Bowl (1997) and the Nokia Sugar Bowl (1999).

Stanford earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the Ohio State University and a master of business administration degree from Tiffin University.

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: TODD NICHOLS


Todd Nichols returns for his third season as defensive coordinator. He has previously coached the defensive backs and has also served as Elmhurst's strength and conditioning coach for the past seven seasons.

Prior to his arrival at Elmhurst, Nichols served as an assistant coach at Northern Illinois University and at Hutchinson Junior College in Hutchinson, Kansas.

Nichols earned a bachelor of science degree (1995) in physical education from William Jewell College, an NAIA Division II school, where he lettered four years in football and captained the team his senior year. He later earned a master's degree in sports administration from NIU.

A three-sport athlete in his home town of Albany, Mo., Nichols and his wife, Sarah, now reside in Glen Ellyn.

(630) 617-3249
toddn@elmhurst.edu

ASSISTANT COACH: MARK KRZYKOWSKI
Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator

Mark Krzykowski, a former two-sport athlete at Carroll (Wis.) College, enters his fourth year at Elmhurst College. After serving as defensive line coach in 2001, he is entering his third season of the dual role of linebacker coach and football recruiting coordinator.

Kryzkowski came to Elmhurst from Mount Horeb (Wis.) High School, where he served as head football and strength and conditioning coach for three successful seasons. Krzykowski quickly turned around the Mount Horeb team, which had not had a winning season in the 10 years prior to Krzykowski's arrival. The team finished with winning records in all three seasons he served as head coach.

Krzykowski earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education and health education (1993) from Carroll, where he was a three-year member of the football team after transferring from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1999, he added a master's degree in sport coaching and sport management from the United States Sports Academy in Alabama.

He resides in Bourbonnais with his wife, Jamie, and daughter, Savannah. nah

(630) 617-3346
markk@elmhurst.edu

ASSISTANT COACH: GARY STEARNS
Wide Receivers

Gary Stearns is in his 11th year on the Bluejays' coaching staff. He heads the Bluejays' wide receiver corps, and has previously coached the quarterbacks and running backs and also served as offensive coordinator.

Stearns was head coach at Elmwood Park High School from 1970-88, where he earned Pioneer Press Coach of the Year honors in both 1983 and 1985. In 1991, he was inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches Hall of Fame. Prior to his position at Elmwood Park, he served as an assistant coach at West Leyden High School in Northlake (1965-70).

A 1964 graduate of Northern Illinois University, Stearns was a four-year letter winner who earned All-America honors in 1963 after leading the nation in pass receiving at 117 yards per game. He was inducted into NIU's Hall of Fame in 1992, and his 1963 team received the same honor in 1984.

Stearns signed a National Football League free-agent contract with the Washington Redskins after college.

A native of Freeport, Stearns resides in Elmhurst with his wife, Toni.

(630) 617-3473

ASSISTANT COACH JOHN LIZAK
Offensive Line

John Lizak, a 1995 graduate of North Central College, returns for his fourth season as the Bluejays' offensive line coach.

During the preceding five years, Lizak had served as the head coach at Chicago's St. Bartholomew School. Prior to that position, he was an assistant coach at Holy Cross High School in River Grove. He has also been involved with Parish Youth Football Programs.

A former offensive lineman himself, Lizak was a college letterman for all four of his years with the Cardinals. As a senior, he earned all-conference honors.

Coach Lizak lives in Chicago with his wife, Katie, and their young son, Eddie.

ASSISTANT COACH JUSTIN TELIGA
Tight Ends

After completing a stellar career for the Bluejays in 2003, Justin Teliga joins the Bluejay coaching staff as tight ends coach.

In his four years at Elmhurst, Teliga caught 77 passes for 770 yards and seven touchdowns. He was a dangerous receiving threat for the Bluejays in 2003 when he finished second on the team with 39 receptions for 374 yards and three touchdowns, earning second-team All-CCIW honors in the process.

ASSISTANT COACH: CHRIS PULEO
Defensive Tackles

Chris Puleo joins the Bluejay coaching staff for his first season as defensive tackles coach. Puleo was a four-year letter winner and starter at defensive tackle for the Bluejays.

In his senior season, he shared in the Pete Langhorst Coaches Award along with defensive backs coach Tony Minestra. He also holds multiple football weight lifting records at Elmhurst.

Puleo earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Elmhurst in 2001 and is currently pursuing a master's degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix.

He currently resides in Addison and is a senior loan consultant for 1st Mortgage of Illinois, Inc. in Bloomingdale.

ASSISTANT COACH: MIKE GARRETT
Defensive Ends

Mike Garrett is entering his first season with the Bluejays, working with the defensive ends.

Prior to joining the Bluejays, Garrett spent 11 seasons on the sidelines coaching at the high school level. He served as the sophomore team football coach at Harlan High School and at Hyde Park Academy. He's also served as the head coach at Brooks College Preparatory Academy in Chicago.

Garrett earned his bachelor's degree from Mississippi Valley State University where he was a three-year letter winner, playing over two seasons on the defensive line. He also worked with the defensive lineman as a student assistant coach. He earned his master's degree from Delta State University where he also served as a graduate assistant coach.

Garrett and his wife, Derease, have three children; Meghan, Emynee, and Michael II.

ASSISTANT COACH: TONY MINESTA
Defensive Backs

A 2001 Elmhurst College graduate, Tony Minestra rejoins the Bluejays to coach the defensive backs.

A four-year letter winner at Elmhurst, Minestra played defensive back and quarterback while also playing on the special teams unit. During his senior season, he shared in the Pete Langhorst Coaches Award along with fellow coach Chris Puleo.

Originally from St. Joseph, Mich.. Minestra currently resides in Elmhurst and is seeking his teaching certification in secondary education.

ASSISTANT COACH: TAJ ENGLISH
Defensive Backs

After completing a successful four-year career at Elmhurst College in 2003, Taj English joins the coaching ranks this season as he will assist with the defensive backs.

English was a four-year letter winner and starter in the defensive backfield for the Bluejays, having played both cornerback and safety. English led the CCIW in interceptions in 2002 and 2003 and finished his career with 118 tackles, 28 pass break-ups, eight interceptions and one touchdown on an interception return.

English will be graduating in February of 2005 with his bachelor's degree.

ASSISTANT COACH: PHIL EASTON
Defensive Quality Control

Phil Easton joins the Bluejay coaching staff, serving as a graduate assistant coach on the defensive side of the ball. He'll work primarily with the special teams unit and assist Todd Nichols on defense.

Easton earned his bachelor's degree from Elmhurst this past spring. He was a four-year letter winner in football who saw action on offense (fullback), defense (middle linebacker), and special teams. He was also a two-time letter winner in track and field. He was the recipient of the team's 12th Man award during his senior season.

Easton is currently employed as an operations and quality control supervisor for an international steel company.

BARRY BRENNAN (Class of 1969)
Athletic Recruiter

After a stellar career as a basketball coach at Wheaton-Warrenville South High School, Barry Brennan returned to his Alma Mater last spring.

The personable Brennan will recruit for the Bluejays in several sports, including football. With his unmatched knowledge of local high school athletes and prep coaches, Brennan adds an extra dimension to Elmhurst recruiting efforts.

Elmhurst is delighted to welcome him back to campus.