Caldwell University Head Sprint Football Coach Jim Kelly announced his retirement Friday after leading the Cougars for six years. Kelly, whose tenure included back-to-back 5-2 seasons and Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) North Division second place finishes, coached numerous All-League honorees, All-Academic Team members and National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society recipients. He also served as an athletic department administrator during his time at Caldwell.
"Coach Kelly has meant everything to the sprint football program after taking it over in just its second year in 2018,"Mark A. Corino said, Caldwell University Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics, in a statement. "He has had much success on the field, helping establish Caldwell as one of the CSFL's top programs, but more importantly Coach Kelly has been a great leader of student-athletes. We are greatly appreciative of all he and his staff have done for the Department and the University and wish him, his wife Mary Ann and their children the best."
Kelly had a record of 14-20 overall and 8-11 in North Division contests while at the helm. In the last three years, CU has gone 12-8 (.600).
Prior to joining Caldwell before the program's second year, Kelly had over 30 years of coaching experience, including eight seasons as an assistant coach at Montclair State University. Kelly served as the head varsity coach at Queen of Peace High School in 2015, and earlier was part of the coaching staff at Montclair State from 2005-12. His role as an assistant coach at MSU included two New Jersey Athletic Conference titles as well as two trips to the NCAA Division III playoffs.
A thorough national search for his replacement will begin immediately. The Cougars compete in the CSFL, which began play in 1934. Caldwell completed its seventh year of sprint football in 2023.
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