Joel Swisher

Joel Swisher

Biographical details
Born	(1943-10-29)October 29, 1943 Hopkinsville, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	February 17, 2000(2000-02-17) (aged 56) Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1964–1967	Northern State
Football
c. 1965	Northern State
Position(s)	Halfback (football)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
c. 1970	South Dakota State (GA)
1972	Doane (DC)
1973–1976	Dakota State
1977–1980	Augustana (SD)
1982–1983	Adams State
1984–1986	Eastern Illinois (assistant)
1987–1988	Western Michigan (assistant)
1990–1991	New Mexico (RB)
1992–1994	Jamestown
1995–1999	Rochester (MN)
Track
1972–1973	Doane (assistant)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1974–1977	Dakota State
Head coaching record
Overall	65–55–4 (college football) 44–9
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football 3 SDIC (1973, 1975–1976)

Joel A. Swisher (October 29, 1943 – February 17, 2000) was an American college football coach and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Dakota State University (1973–1976), Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1977–1980), Adams State College (1982–1983), and Jamestown College (1992–1994), compiling a career college football head coaching record of 65–55–4. Swisher was also the athletic director at Dakota State from 1974 to 1977.

Early life, playing career, and education

Swisher was born on October 29, 1943, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. He was the son of Clark Swisher, who was a longtime coach and athletic director at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The younger Swisher attended Northern State, where lettered for four years in both football and basketball before graduating graduating with a Bachelor of Science in secondary education. Swisher later earned a master's degree physical education from South Dakota State University, and, in 1972, a doctorate in health and physical education form the University of Utah.

Coaching career

Swisher was hired in 1972 at Doane College—now known as Doane University—Crete, Nebraska, as an assistant coach in football and track and assistant professor of physical education. In 1973, he was hired as the head football coach at Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota. The following year, he succeeded Neil Hattlestad at the school's athletic director.

Swisher was the 16th head football coach at Adams State College—now known as Adams State University—in Alamosa, Colorado, serving for two seasons, from 1982 to 1983, and compiling a record of 7–10–2

He was the head football coach at Jamestown College—now known as the University of Jamestown–in Jamestown, North Dakota for three seasons, from 1992 to 1994, tallying a mark of 15–12.

Death

Swisher died on February 17, 2000, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, after suffering a heart attack.

Head coaching record

College football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Dakota State Trojans (South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference) (1973–1976)
1973	Dakota State	6–3	5–0	1st
1974	Dakota State	6–4	3–2	T–3rd
1975	Dakota State	6–3–1	4–1	T–1st
1976	Dakota State	8–2	4–1	T–1st
Dakota State:		26–12–1	16–4
Augustana (South Dakota) Vikings (North Central Conference) (1977–1980)
1977	Augustana	7–4	4–3	T–2nd
1978	Augustana	4–5	2–4	6th
1979	Augustana	4–5	2–4	6th
1980	Augustana	2–7–1	2–5	6th
Augustana:		17–21–1	10–16
Adams State Indians (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) (1982–1983)
1982	Adams State	3–4–2	3–3–2	4th
1983	Adams State	4–6	4–4	T–4th
Adams State:		7–10–2	7–7–2
Jamestown Jimmies (North Dakota College Athletic Conference) (1992–1994)
1992	Jamestown	5–4	2–3	4th
1993	Jamestown	4–5	1–4	5th
1994	Jamestown	6–3	3–2	T–3rd
Jamestown:		15–12	6–9
Total:		65–55–4
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

External links

• Joel Swisher at Find a Grave