North Central College Men's Football

Colin Wood '19/M '22 joined the North Central College football coaching staff in fall 2020 as a defensive graduate assistant for the Cardinals. Prior to the 2022 season, Wood was named a full-time member of the staff and promoted to the positions of special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Wood also serves as the program's academic coordinator. During its undefeated run to the 2022 NCAA Division III national championship, the Cardinals ranked first among all 240 teams in points scored by kicking (123), while ranking 17th nationwide in net punting (37.17 yards per punt) and 18th in kickoff coverage (14.62 yards per return).  A native of Elgin, Illinois, Wood was a four-year member of the Cardinals' program and served as a student assistant coach as a senior, serving on the staff of the Cardinals' first national championship team in 2019. He graduated from North Central with a bachelor's degree in physical education and secondary education and has since received a master's degree in sports leadership, also from North Central.

Ethan Vashel joined the North Central College football coaching staff prior to the 2025 season as a graduate assistant coach working with the defense backs. Vashel played wide receiver, quarterback and running back at Middlebury College (Vermont) from 2021–2024, starting at wide receiver and contributing on special teams. He helped the Panthers capture the 2023 NESCAC championship and was a two-time NESCAC All-Academic honoree. Vashel graduated magna cum laude from Middlebury in 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in political science. Before arriving at North Central, Vashel gained experience at multiple Division I programs. He served as an operations intern at the University of Connecticut in 2024, supporting student-athlete services, practice operations, office logistics and on-campus recruiting efforts. He also worked as a recruiting intern at Yale University (Connecticut) from 2022–2024, assisting with film evaluation, data management, social media correspondence and prospect camp operations. A native of Guilford, Connecticut, Vashel is pursuing a master’s degree in sports leadership at North Central.

Kyle Lane joined the North Central College football coaching staff in fall 2024 as a graduate assistant for the Cardinals' defensive linemen.  Lane comes to Naperville from Illinois College, where he played linebacker from 2018-2022 before graduating with a bachelor's degree in business administration with concentrations in agriculture, management and marketing. Lane was the Blueboys' leading tackler in 2021, earning Second Team All-Midwest Conference (MWC) honors. A native of Highland, Illinois, Lane is pursuing a master of business administration (MBA) degree at North Central.

Jonas Waskosky joined the North Central College football coaching staff in fall 2024 as a graduate assistant coach, working with the Cardinals' running backs. A native of Plymouth, Minnesota, Waskosky graduated from the University of Minnesota in spring 2024 with a bachelor's degree in sports management. Waskosky was a student assistant coach for the Golden Gophers for four years. Waskosky is pursuing a master's degree in sports leadership at North Central.

Luke Foster joined the North Central College coaching staff prior to the 2023 season as a graduate assistant coach working with the Cardinals' offensive unit.  Foster comes to North Central from the University of Iowa, where he served as a player personnel assistant for the Hawkeyes from 2018-2020 and as an offensive assistant with quarterbacks and running backs from 2020-2022. Foster's responsibilities included practice preparation, video review, scouting/personnel reports, signal calling and on-field coaching.  Foster graduated from Iowa in December 2022 with a bachelor's degree in sports and recreation management and is pursuing an MBA degree in financial management at North Central.

Joe Fehrle '18 joined the North Central College coaching staff prior to the 2018-2019 academic year as a graduate assistant coach for the Cardinals' football team, serving as a coach of the team's offensive linemen. In 2022, he was hired as the program's first full-time tight ends coach, and he ascended to the role of strength coordinator in 2023. Since joining the staff, North Central has had an All-CCIW tight end selection each year, including an All-Region choice in 2024. Fehrle played in all 44 of North Central's games from 2014-2017 on the offensive line, starting 42. He was the Cardinals' starting left tackle for every game of his final three seasons in uniform, earning Second Team All-College Conference of Illinois & WIsconsin (CCIW) honors as a sophomore and claiming First Team All-CCIW accolades as a junior. As a senior, Fehrle repeated as a First Team All-CCIW honoree while also receiving a First Team All-North Region by D3football.com. Fehrle was named a First Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and a Second Team All-American by D3football.com and the Associated Press. A native of Rockford, Illinois, Fehrle graduated from North Central with a bachelor's degree in accounting and an MBA degree with an emphasis in accounting.

DJ Warkenthien '19/M '22 joined the North Central College football coaching staff in fall 2020 as a defensive graduate assistant. After spending the 2022 season as a graduate assistant at the University of Nevada, Warkenthien returns to the Cardinals' staff as defensive line coach and assistant strength coordinator in 2023. Since joining as a full-time coach, Warkenthien has seen eight players earn First Team All-CCIW, five earn All-Region with eight All-America awards for Cardinal defensive lineman. John Sullivan was named the Cliff Harris Award winner and AP/D3football.com national Defensive Player of the Year. A four-year letter winner for the Cardinals from 2015-2018, Warkenthien was a part of three College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) championship teams. He earned Second Team All-CCIW honors at linebacker as a junior before receiving First Team All-CCIW and Second Team All-North Region accolades as a senior. Warkenthien is the Cardinals' all-time leader in tackles for loss (59) while ranking fourth in total tackles (264). Warkenthien assisted with the coaching of Nevada's linebackers in 2022, assisting with game planning, video operations and recruiting while also directing the Wolfpack's offensive scout team. Warkenhien was instrumental in the development of Nevada linebacker Drue Watts, who was named to the College Football News (CFN) Freshman All-America Third Team. A native of Naperville, Warkenthien graduated from North Central with a bachelor's degree in marketing and an MBA degree. He is completing requirements for a master's in justice management from Nevada.

Kalus Murphy joined the North Central College football coaching staff prior to the 2022 season as the safeties coach. Prior to his time on campus, Murphy played collegiately at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in New York where he spent three seasons as a quarterback. Murphy served as a defensive intern at the University of Albany, coaching safeties, before becoming the quarterbacks coach at RPI in the fall of 2021. In the summer of 2022, Murphy was the National Football League Bill Walsh Fellowship Quarterback Intern with the Baltimore Ravens. Shortly after his arrival at North Central, Murphy assumed the position of recruitment coordinator for the Cardinals ahead of the 2024 campaign. During his time with the Cardinals, Murphy has coached several talented safeties including Julian Bell, Zach Orr, Will Vernon, Eddie Schmid and Brayden Garrigan. Bell and Garrigan earned D3football.com All-Region accolades with Bell being named a D3football.com and Associated Press All-American. A native of Silver Spring, Maryland, Murphy earned his bachelors of science degree in psychological science from RPI.

Shane Dierking '14/M '16 returned to the North Central College coaching staff prior to the 2018 season as the Cardinals' defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. Dierking was promoted to the position of assistant head coach in 2022 and shifted focus to the Cardinals' linebackers the same season. The 2022 season saw the Cardinals lead all NCAA Division III teams in scoring defense (6.7 points allowed per game) while leading the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) in total defense (209.4 yards allowed per game), rushing defense (52.7 ypg), passing defense (156.7 ypg), defensive passing efficiency (93.0), quarterback sacks (50) and interceptions (25). The Cardinals' efforts in scoring defense, rushing defense and passing defense all set new North Central single-season records, and they twice broke the single-game program record for fewest yards allowed against Elmhurst University (81) and in a first-round playoff win over Lake Forest College (66). In 2024, Dierking's defensive unit led the nation in third-down defense (25.0%) and red-zone defense (52.6%) as the Cardinals went 15-0 en route to a third national championship in four seasons. North Central led the CCIW in total defense (265.0 ypg), scoring defense (11.8 ppg), rushing defense (87.5 ypg), passing defense (177.5 ypg), defensive passing efficiency (102.29), quarterback sacks (29) and interceptions (19).  The 2025 season saw the Cardinals lead NCAA Division III in defensive touchdowns (7) and red zone defense (54.5%) while ranking second in scoring defense (11.0 points allowed per game). North Central led the CCIW in all major defensive categories, including total defense (195.3 yards allowed per game), scoring defense (5.8 points allowed per game), rushing defense (53.4 yards allowed per game), passing defense (141.9 yards allowed per game) and sacks (28) in CCIW contests. He helped coach John Sullivan to the program's first Cliff Harris Award winner and four All-American honors in 2025.  Dierking coached at nearby Benedictine University during the 2016 and 2017 campaigns, starting as the Eagles' defensive backs coach before being promoted to the position of defensive coordinator. He also assisted with special-teams coaching and led weekly character development and leadership training sessions. Dierking began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at North Central from 2014-2016. North Central College 2018-present    95-6 overall record in six seasons 28 All-America awards for North Central defensive players 25 D3football.com All-Region awards for North Central defensive players 49 All-CCIW selections (32 First Team All-CCIW selections, 17 Second Team All-CCIW selections) 2022 CCIW Co-Defensive Player of the Year Dan Lester '23 2023 CCIW Defensive Player of the Year Martin Egbo M '25 2024 CCIW Co-Defensive Player of the Year and D3football.com Region 5 Defensive Player of the Year John Sullivan '26 2025 CCIW Defensive Player of the Year, Cliff Harris Award Winner, Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year and D3football.com Defensive Player of the Year John Sullivan '26 2022 - Division III national leader in scoring defense (6.7 ppg) 2022 single-season program records for scoring defense, rushing defense (52.7 ypg) and total defense (209.4 ypg) 2024- Division III national leader in third-down defense (25.0%) and red-zone defense (52.0%) 2025 - Division III national leader in red zone defense (24.5%) and defensive touchdowns (7) 2022, 2025 Footballscoop.com Division III Coordinator of the Year Benedictine University 2016-2017 13-7 overall record in two seasons 9-3 in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play Seven All-NACC selections Native of Wheaton, Illinois Son of eight-year NFL veteran running back Scott Dierking Played in school-record 51 games at North Central from 2010-2013 44-7 overall record Four College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Championships 2013 national semifinalists 2013 CCIW and D3football.com North Region Defensive Player of the Year 2013 D3football.com First Team All-American North Central's all-time leader in interceptions (16) Tied single-season record for interceptions (8) in 2013 Graduated from North Central with bachelor's degree in management and entrepreneurship (2014) and MBA with emphasis in management (2016)

A standout player at tight end for North Central College from 2003-2006, Eric Stuedemann '07 returned to Naperville prior to the 2019 season as the Cardinals' offensive line coach. He was named the Cardinals' offensive coordinator prior to the 2022 campaign. North Central College, Offensive Line Coach, 2019-present; Offensive Coordinator, 2022-present 2019 - NCAA Division III national leaders in red-zone offense (92.7%) and first downs (388) and ranked second nationally in total offense (551.3 ypg) 2021 - ranked second nationally in scoring offense (52.6 ppg) and third in total offense (539.7 ypg) and first downs (355) 2022 - Division III national leaders in total offense (541.5 ypg), scoring offense (52.4 ppg) and rushing offense (355.3 ypg) 2023 - Division III single-season records for points scored (879), passing efficiency (249.0), yards per play (9.5) and yards per pass (13.6); national leaders in scoring offense (58.6 ppg) and total offense (567.5 ypg) 2024 - Division III national leaders in first downs (374) and passing efficiency (200.9); ranked second in scoring offense (52.5 ppg) and total offense (536.9 ypg) and third in rushing offense (297.9 ypg) 2025 - Division III national leaders in passing efficiency (Garret Wilson, 197.8) and touchdown receptions Thomas Skokna, 23) 26 All-America awards and 12 First Team All-CCIW honorees among offensive linemen 2022, 2023, 2024 D3football.com National Offensive Player of the Year Awards 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 CCIW Offensive Lineman of the Year awards Aurora University, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers Coach, 2014-2018 Responsible for game planning, play calling, and hiring of offensive staff Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Champions, 2016 Coached 18 All-Conference players and three All-Region selections University of Tennessee-Martin, Quarterbacks and Running Backs Coach, 2012-2013 Developed pass scripts and situational scripts for daily offensive practice Overall record of 8-3 in 2012 (second-most wins in program history) Mississippi State University, Graduate Assistant-Quarterbacks and Offensive Line, 2009-2011 Served as assistant to offensive coordinator and run game coordinator Communicated defensive pressures and coverages to offensive staff during games Maintained game plans, playbooks, offensive quality control and scouting reports Coached 2010 Gator Bowl Champions and 2011 Music City Bowl Champions Mississippi State University, Strength & Conditioning Assistant, 2008-2009 Assisted in the development and implementation of football workouts and post-workout position-specific drills North Central College, defensive backs coach, 2007-2008 Set and designed practice scripts and scout cards assistant director of football strength program Managed budget and equipment Coordinated summer camps North Central College, 2003-2006 Four-year starter at tight end Team captain and First Team All-CCIW and D3football.com All-North Region selection, 2006 Graduated as program's all-time leader in receptions (175) and ranked second in receiving yards (2,099) Graduated from North Central (2007) with bachelor's degree - double major in finance and economics Earned MBA from North Central in 2008 and Master of Arts Teaching degree from Mississippi State in 2011 Resides in Naperville with wife Kristina Schiefelbein '07 Stuedemann, sons Eli, Easton, Everett, Ellis and daughter Ensley