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| Benedictine athletics photo |
Jon Cooper, the winningest football coach in Benedictine history, has announced his retirement from the position following 11 seasons at the helm.
"The experience at Benedictine has been a rewarding journey," Cooper said. "Over the course of 11 years, Benedictine has become my school. Benedictine is a marvelous place and I love the school, the program, and the relationships that I have been able to build with the players and coaches over the years. There is never a good time to retire, but I want to be able to spend more time with my family. I will continue to be involved in the Benedictine University community."
Cooper retires following a 7-3 season that saw Benedictine finish as the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference runner-up. Cooper closed his career with a record of 62-51, the most wins in school history.
Under the direction of the Aurora, Ill. resident, Benedictine evolved into a top program in the conference, consistently placing teams in the conference title race. Benedictine won three conference titles (2010, 2011, 2014) over the past six seasons, representing the NACC in the playoffs on each occasion.
A three-time NACC Coach of the Year, Cooper guided Benedictine to the best won/loss record in the conference in the short eight-year history of the NACC. Benedictine is the only three-time champion with three playoff appearances in conference history. The 2011 conference title made Benedictine the first program to win consecutive titles. Benedictine boasted double-digit conference win streaks of 16 (2009-11) and 10 (2014-15).
The three conference titles marked the first for the institution since 1934, and the playoff appearances were the first in school history. Benedictine faced St. Thomas, Mount Union and Wheaton in the playoffs.
Cooper took over the reins at Benedictine in 2005 following 19 years as an assistant at Aurora. The North Park graduate inherited a 1-9 team with just 24 players and instantly began molding the program into a consistent winner by doubling the size of the roster. Benedictine won five or more games in eight seasons during Cooper's tenure, including each of the last seven.
Cooper brought continuity to the program, and is the longest tenured coach in school history. Cooper dedicated 45 years to coaching football at the high school and collegiate level.
"Coach Cooper has established a new standard for football at Benedictine that has laid the groundwork for consistent success," athletic director Mark McHorney said. "I am thankful for his leadership and dedication to the sport, the program, the department, and the university."
Benedictine will begin the process of selecting the next head football coach immediately.
| YEAR | OVERALL RECORD | NACC RECORD |
| 2015 | 7-3 (.700) | 5-1 (.833) |
| 2014 | 6-5 (.545) | 5-1 (.833) |
| 2013 | 7-3 (.700) | 4-2 (.667) |
| 2012 | 5-5 (.500) | 3-4 (.429) |
| 2011 | 7-4 (.636) | 6-1 (.857) |
| 2010 | 8-3 (.727) | 7-0 (1.000) |
| 2009 | 6-4 (.600) | 5-2 (.714) |
| 2008 | 4-6 (.400) | 4-3 (.571) |
| 2007 | 5-5 (.500) | |
| 2006 | 4-6 (.400) | |
| 2005 | 3-7 (.300) | |
| TOTAL | 62-51 (.554) | 39-14 (.736) |