Cornell College Men's Football

Iowa High School Hall of Famer Curt Ritchie was named Cornell's head football coach in March 2025.    Ritchie comes to the Hilltop with 32 years of head coaching experience, including an exceptional 24-year run at Williamsburg High School where he built the Raiders into a perennial state power.   “We are incredibly excited to have Curt Ritchie join our team,” Cornell Director of Athletics Jeff Meeker said. “Curt is a community builder and a coach who cares deeply about his student-athletes on and off the field. He is well connected and respected. Curt’s track record of success speaks for itself. I know he’s ready to get to work on building a championship program here at Cornell.”   Ritchie directed his prep teams to 23 playoff appearances in the past 25 years, capped by a Class 3A state championship with Williamsburg in 2023. Owner of 245 career wins while at English Valleys High School (1993-2000) and Williamsburg (2001-24), Ritchie was inducted into the Iowa Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame on March 1, 2025.   Ritchie is ready for a new challenge at Cornell. The Rams are coming off their first back-to-back .500 seasons since 2016. Last year’s team finished 5-5 overall, 5-4 in the Midwest Conference.   “To me, it’s always been about the people. From my initial connections on campus, Cornell felt like a perfect fit. I was really awed by the people and the vision," Ritchie said. "This is something I envisioned for a long time. The timing is definitely right."    Ritchie fashioned an impressive 204-62 record at Williamsburg. The Raiders qualified for the playoffs in each of his final 17 seasons there. Williamsburg advanced to the UNI-Dome (Final Four) seven years and played in the state championship game four times (2023, 2022, 2017, 2002).   Ritchie was named 2022 Class 3A State Coach of the Year. The following season, he guided Williamsburg to its first football state title.   “I think having success is a choice. You have to work for it,” Ritchie said. “At Cornell, people will see a confident bunch of guys who play fast and with great passion. We will be tough mentally and physically. We’ll try to get better every day and that’s what I’ll ask my staff to do. Be humble, be driven and love Cornell College. My goal is to make the team understand what Cornell football is going to be.”   Ritchie took English Valleys to the 2000 state quarterfinals in his eighth and final season there.   Several of Ritchie’s players have gone on to compete collegiately. Offensive lineman Austin Blythe (Iowa) played in Super Bowl LIII. Return specialist Kaden Wetjen (Iowa) earned 2024 all-America honors with the Hawkeyes.   “I want to build a football family where everybody has a love for it, so much that they want to see it continue and help it grow anyway they can,” Ritchie said. “It all comes down to the people and making connections. Make people want to be here, and that’s what we’re excited to build.”   Ritchie graduated from the University of Iowa in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. He earned a master’s in educational leadership/administration from Drake University in 2008.   While at Williamsburg, Ritchie also served as elementary teacher (2001-07), activities director (2007-18) and transportation director (2018-23). He was head softball coach for the Raiders for seven seasons, highlighted by a state tournament appearance in 1995.

Juscik joined Cornell’s football staff in April 2020 as defensive coordinator. He carries 30 years of experience in the coaching ranks.   A native of Hammond, Ind., Juscik spent four seasons (2014-17) as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Concordia University Chicago, and then was elevated to head coach for the 2018 campaign. Juscik’s staff brought in the largest incoming class in Concordia’s history with 73 freshmen in 2018. Juscik’s 2018 team featured the nation’s leading rushing in Division III (Lance Moise, 209 ypg). Concordia’s defenses ranked among the conference leaders under Juscik’s guidance and included a first team academic all-American. Juscik was special teams coordinator and linebackers coach in 2019 at Division II Gannon (Pa.) University. Juscik had a successful seven-year stint (2000-07) as an assistant at Division II Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) University, where he held roles as linebackers coach, special teams coordinator, academic coordinator, wide receivers coach, recruiting coordinator and strength & conditioning coordinator. SVSU qualified for the playoffs five times and claimed Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships in 2000 and 2003. Juscik was a member of the 2003 football team that was inducted in SVSU’s Athletics Hall of Fame, finishing 12-1 and No. 4 in the final AFCA Poll. SVSU posted an 11-2 overall record in 2001 and 2005. The 2005 squad finished No. 3 in the national poll. Juscik coached several players that went on to NFL careers, including John DiGiorgio (Bills), Todd Herremans (Eagles), Ruvell Martin (Packers) and Glenn Martinez (Lions, Broncos). Juscik was head high school coach for seven seasons at Bishop Noll Institute (2007-13) in Hammond, Ind. He was linebackers coach at Franklin (Ind.) College from 1996-2000. Juscik earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Ball State in 1994. He received a master’s in leadership and public administration from Saginaw Valley State in 2004, and a master’s in teaching from Calumet College in 2013. Juscik played wide receiver at Ball State. He was on the 1993 Mid-American Conference championship team that played in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Seasoned play caller Jake Olsen was named Cornell’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Curt Ritchie’s football staff in January 2026.    Olsen arrived on the Hilltop after 12 seasons at Loras College as associate head coach, offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator. The Osage, Iowa native helped the Duhawks establish more than 50 offensive school records, in addition to four American Rivers Conference marks while in Dubuque.   “I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the Ram family,” said Olsen, a 2003 Wartburg College graduate who brings 23 years of collegiate coaching experience. “The academics at Cornell combined with the athletic experience, and the family feel of the community to top it off – this place is the total package.   “I’m excited to get going on the football side of things. I have a lot of respect for Coach Ritchie, what he’s accomplished for so long, and look forward to working with him and the staff.”   Olsen quickly revived Loras’ offense into one of the nation’s best in Division III, after inheriting a unit that ranked last statistically the season before his arrival. He mentored 26 all-conference offensive performers, including five quarterbacks that appear in the school-record book.   In 2015, Loras’ offense ranked No. 2 nationally in passing yards (369.0 ypg) and No. 9 in total yards (507.0 ypg). The Duhawks finished in the top half of the A-R-C in scoring eight of the past 10 seasons.   Olsen was also instrumental in recruiting at Loras with an average class size of 50 football student-athletes over 11 years.   “As a high school coach, I saw Jake’s work in the state, the relationships he’s built and his great recruiting efforts,” Ritchie said. “Jake brings valuable experience in Iowa and has a lot of football left. We’re excited to get him here. This is perfect timing before spring ball begins.”   Olsen had a successful three-year coaching stint at the University of Dubuque, the final two as offensive coordinator. In his initial 2011 campaign, the Spartans won the Iowa Conference championship and fielded the NCAA Division III Player of the Year (Mike Zwiefel). In 2012, Dubuque landed the IIAC Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Dubuque broke 27 school records under Olsen’s guidance from 2011-13.   Olsen was assistant head coach, passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at NAIA’s Southern Oregon University from 2006-10. The program landed three all-Americans.   Olsen began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Rockford College, where he earned his master’s degree in arts of teaching in 2006.   Olsen was a standout student-athlete at Wartburg as a multiple-time all-conference performer in both football and basketball. He played on three conference championship teams for the Knights, two in football.   Olsen is a member of the University of Dubuque (2011 football team), Wartburg College and Osage High School Hall of Fame.  

Boland joined Cornell’s football staff in 2022 as tight ends and running backs coach.   The Springville, Iowa native served four seasons as a student assistant at Central College, coaching tight ends, outside linebackers, running backs and quarterbacks from 2016-19. The Dutch were crowned American Rivers Conference champions in 2019 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.   Boland helped the Dutch to a four-year record of 33-9. He received a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and biology from Central in 2020.   Boland earned a master’s in exercise physiology from the University of Northern Colorado in 2022.   Boland competed in football, basketball and track & field at Springville High School, graduating in 2016.

Womochil joined Cornell’s staff in 2024 as defensive line coach. A native of Vinton, Iowa, Womochil played collegiate football at the University of Northern Iowa where he was a three-year letterwinner, a member of two conference championship teams and competed in two national semifinal games.  While at Northern Iowa, Womochil was teammates with Kurt Warner, Hall of Fame quarterback, Bryce Paup, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and Chris Kleiman, head football coach at Kansas State University. After his playing days, Womochil served as a graduate assistant at Northern Iowa under head coach Terry Allen, coaching the defensive backs. Womochil spent 32 years as a head high school football coach at Williamsburg, Cedar Rapids Jefferson, and Vinton-Shellsburg. He led six teams to the playoffs, was nominated as District Coach of the Year twice, was selected to coach in the Iowa Shrine Bowl and selected to attend the Army All-American Bowl. Womochil coached two All-Big 12 athletes and a Division III All-American while as a high school coach.  Womochil served on the Iowa State University football staff as assistant defensive backs coach, working with several athletes that competed in the NFL.  Womochil has two children, Devin, who is the head volleyball coach at Vinton-Shellsburg High School, and Jordan, who is a police officer and member of the Black Hawk County S.W.A.T. team, and three grandchildren.

Trevino, a successful two-sport athlete at Wartburg College, joined Cornell’s football staff in 2025 as defensive line coach.   Trevino played defensive line and tight end for coach Curt Ritchie at Williamsburg High School (2014-17). The all-district performer was a member of four playoff teams, highlighted by a state runner-up finish in 2017.   A 2023 Wartburg graduate, Trevino played football four years and competed in track and field five years for the Knights. He was part of three conference championship football teams at Wartburg, which qualified for the NCAA playoffs three times. In track & field, Trevino helped the Knights claim five conference team titles. The 2021 team captured the NCAA outdoor team championship.   Trevino graduated from Wartburg with a double major in health & fitness studies and a business administration degree in sports management. He earned a master’s in exercise physiology from Midwestern State University.   Trevino spent one season as assistant defensive line coach at Wartburg, while also working with football’s strength and conditioning program. He served as a strength and conditioning intern at the University of Northern Iowa (2021) and the University of Nebraska (2022).   Prior to his arrival in Mount Vernon, Trevino worked two years as a graduate assistant in strength and conditioning at Midwestern State.   Trevino has a USAW Level 1 certification and is also CSCS certified.