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Austin Holter, a 2010 College of Wooster alumnus, has been hired as the 23rd head football coach. Holter will start his duties at the college as soon as possible.
Holter, a former Wooster quarterback, has been head coach at Wooster High School since 2021. Before that, he spent seven seasons as the offensive coordinator at Denison, including the year that the Big Red won the North Coast Athletic Conference title.
He replaces Frank Colaprete, who had been head coach since 2013. The Scots were 3-7 this past season.
“The College of Wooster is a special place to me, and one that has made a substantial impact on my life,” said Holter. “I am honored to have the opportunity to return and lead the program that helped shape my values. I want to thank President Anne McCall, Lynn Holleran, the search committee, and the many campus community members I had the privilege to meet during my time on campus for this opportunity. From the moment I met Lynn, I was inspired by her passion for athletics and the development of the student-athlete. Our program will strive to develop our student-athletes personally, academically, and athletically. We will have an unwavering commitment, passion, and pride for Fighting Scots football, and we will represent The College of Wooster proudly.”
“I am excited to welcome Austin home to the college,” shared Holleran, Wooster’s director of athletics and physical education. “Austin’s infectious enthusiasm for Fighting Scot football and his dedication to helping our student-athletes succeed both on the field and in the classroom is truly remarkable. His Wooster experience and close connections with our alumni makes him a great fit as our head football coach. In addition, Austin’s experiences building up Denison University’s program to a regular conference contender are an asset to the program, and his roots in Wooster add additional value as we continue to enhance our impact in the local community.”
Holter makes the crosstown move with his hiring, as the former standout Scots’ quarterback has served as head coach at Wooster High School since 2021. The Generals achieved immediate success under Holter, who took the program to the regional semifinal in his first season, marking the program’s longest playoff run since 1986. At Wooster, Holter mentored a pair of All-Ohio honorees, 13 all-district players, and 31 all-conference selections. Holter led partnerships with community businesses and worked to enhance opportunities for youth players in the community through several key initiatives at Wooster High School. Outside of football, Holter oversaw Wooster’s athletic performance center for all 27 General varsity sports and was a faculty manager for winter and spring teams.
Prior to taking over Wooster High School’s program, Holter was part of North Coast Athletic Conference rival Denison’s rise to a regular conference contender. Holter helped the Big Red to a 51-20 record and two NCAC titles as offensive coordinator from 2013-21. Denison’s 2018 NCAC title marked the program’s first since 1986, and the Big Red made their first NCAA appearance since 1985.
Under Holter’s guidance, two Denison players were semifinalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, given to Division III’s top overall student-athlete. Three Holter-coached players were named All-Americans at Denison, and his offense produced the NCAC Mike Gregory Offensive Player of the Year winner three times in his eight years as coordinator.
Denison’s offenses reached new heights under Holter, with multiple records in passing, rushing, and receiving. Denison was regularly among the NCAC leaders in key offensive categories multiple times during Holter’s Big Red tenure, including 2019 when the team led the NCAC with 437.8 yards per game and 385 points.
Prior to his elevation to offensive coordinator, Holter spent two years as the Big Red’s quarterback coach. He directed Denison’s prospect camp for a decade and coordinated the program’s annual in-school reading programs with Newark City School District. Holter instituted a program through A Call to College, which coordinated an initiative that provided a book to every second grade student within the Newark district.
As a Scot, Holter led the program to an 8-2 record as a junior and was a two-time All-NCAC selection. His 5,628 passing yards were the second-most in program history upon graduation, while his 43 passing touchdowns ranked third. Holter’s 2,106 passing yards as a senior were the most in program history, as were his 2,873 yards of total offense.
Holter graduated with a degree in communication studies and obtained a professional masters of sports administration degree from Ohio University in 2018.