University of Wisconsin, River Falls Men's Football

Walker enters his sixth season as head football coach at UW-River Falls in 2016. Walker has coached 30 Falcons to All-WIAC honors. In three of the five seasons as the head coach, one of his players earned the sport's WIAC Scholar-Athlete award. Greg Klingelhutz won the award in 2011, John Schimenz claimed the honor in 2012 and Ryan Kusilek received the award in 2015.  In 2013, four of the team's losses were by a total of eight points, including one in overtime.  Walker, 37, was the head football coach at DePauw University from 2006-09 and compiled a 22-8 overall record. His teams finished 13-7 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and placed second in the final conference standings in 2007 and 2008. From 2000-05 he was an assistant coach with the Tigers and coached running backs and wide receivers. During the 2010 season he was an offensive assistant coach at Butler University and coached tight ends. Walker was also the head baseball coach at DePauw from 2001-09 and led the Tigers to five conference divisional championships and to a NCAA regional berth in 2001. He was named the conference Coach of the Year in 2001. Three times he led the Tigers to the most wins in a single season (2004, 2005, 2008). In 2011 he played on the town baseball team, the Fighting Fish, and helped the club win the St. Croix Valley championship and the Wisconsin Baseball Association State Championship. From 1997-2005 he was the head baseball coach and general manager of a semi-professional baseball team in Crawfordsville, Ind. He earned a sports science undergraduate degree from DePauw in 1999. He went on to earn his masters degree in physical education from Indiana State in 2001. At DePauw he played football from 1997-99 as a quarterback. He also earned three letters in baseball. He was a pitcher and was named to the 1999 All-SCAC team. Walker was an instructor of kinesiology at DePauw and has teaching responsibilities in the UWRF health & human performance department. Walkers wifes name is Jana and they have two daughters; Kraly, 11, and Hudson, 6, and one son, Townsend, 4. Matt Walker Head Football Coach Matt Walker enters his sixth season as head football coach at UW-River Falls in 2016. Walker has coached 30 Falcons to All-WIAC honors. In three of the five seasons as the head coach, one of his players earned the sport's WIAC Scholar-Athlete award. Greg Klingelhutz won the award in 2011, John Schimenz claimed the honor in 2012 and Ryan Kusilek received the award in 2015.  In 2013, four of the team's losses were by a total of eight points, including one in overtime.  Walker, 37, was the head football coach at DePauw University from 2006-09 and compiled a 22-8 overall record. His teams finished 13-7 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and placed second in the final conference standings in 2007 and 2008. From 2000-05 he was an assistant coach with the Tigers and coached running backs and wide receivers. During the 2010 season he was an offensive assistant coach at Butler University and coached tight ends. Walker was also the head baseball coach at DePauw from 2001-09 and led the Tigers to five conference divisional championships and to a NCAA regional berth in 2001. He was named the conference Coach of the Year in 2001. Three times he led the Tigers to the most wins in a single season (2004, 2005, 2008). In 2011 he played on the town baseball team, the Fighting Fish, and helped the club win the St. Croix Valley championship and the Wisconsin Baseball Association State Championship. From 1997-2005 he was the head baseball coach and general manager of a semi-professional baseball team in Crawfordsville, Ind. He earned a sports science undergraduate degree from DePauw in 1999. He went on to earn his masters degree in physical education from Indiana State in 2001. At DePauw he played football from 1997-99 as a quarterback. He also earned three letters in baseball. He was a pitcher and was named to the 1999 All-SCAC team. Walker was an instructor of kinesiology at DePauw and has teaching responsibilities in the UWRF health & human performance department. Walkers wifes name is Jana and they have two daughters; Kraly, 11, and Hudson, 6, and one son, Townsend, 4.

Jake Wissing completed his 15th season with UW-River Falls football in 2025 and his fifth as defensive coordinator, playing a key role in one of the most successful eras in program history. Since 2021, the Falcons have compiled a 44-13 overall record, captured back-to-back Isthmus Bowl titles (2021, 2022), and won the WIAC Championship and NCAA Division III National Championship in 2025. Following a 9-2 season in 2021, Wissing was named the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) Assistant Coach of the Year. Wissing’s defense reached historic heights in 2025. The Falcons led the nation with 40 turnovers gained, including 29 interceptions. During WIAC play, UWRF topped the conference in total defense (281.1 yards allowed per game), rushing defense (58.9), and scoring defense (15.7). He mentored D3 Football Huddle and WIAC Player of the Year Gage Timm, a First Team All-American linebacker, as well as WIAC Newcomer of the Year Taylor Sussner. Five defensive players earned All-WIAC honors and three were named All-Region. Prior to his transition to defensive coordinator, Wissing spent nine seasons (2011-19) as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach while also serving as assistant head coach. During that span, the Falcons averaged nearly 330 yards of total offense per game. The 2019 offense rewrote the program record book, setting single-season marks for total offense (4,407 yards), passing offense (3,252 yards), and first downs (227) while leading the WIAC in total offense. Quarterback Ben Beckman delivered the most prolific passing season in school history, becoming the program’s first 3,000-yard passer. Under Wissing’s guidance, Taylor Edwards rushed for 1,109 yards in 2011, adding to the program’s strong tradition of elite running backs. Across his career at UWRF, Wissing has coached 46 All-WIAC selections (15 on offense and 31 on defense) along with 11 All-Region honorees and two All-Americans - Gage Timm in 2025 and Michael Brown in 2022. Before arriving at UWRF, Wissing served as offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at the University of the South (Sewanee) in 2010, where the Tigers doubled their rushing output to 131 yards per game. He previously coached at DePauw University (2007-09) as offensive line coach and co-recruiting coordinator under current UWRF head coach Matt Walker. The Tigers posted a 23-7 record during his tenure, highlighted by a 2009 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship and the program’s first NCAA Division III playoff appearance. Wissing also held coaching positions at Saint Joseph’s College (2006), Norwich University (2005), and Alfred University (2003-04). A 2003 graduate of DePauw, Wissing earned his master’s degree from Alfred University in 2005. He resides in River Falls with his wife, Kelsea, and their three daughters, Tennyson, Emerson, and Eleanor.

Alex Wood joined the UWRF football coaching staff in the spring of 2021 following a distinguished playing career with the Falcons from 2015-18. A native of Middleton, Wis., Wood appeared in 33 career games as a defensive back, totaling six interceptions along with his 27 pass breakups ranking third in program history. In 2018, he led the WIAC and established a UWRF single-season record with 16 pass breakups. Wood completed his fifth season on staff in 2025, playing an integral role in one of the most successful stretches in program history. He assumed the role of defensive coordinator after serving as the Falcons' defensive backs coach since 2021. During his tenure, the Falcons captured the 2025 NCAA Division III National Championship and a WIAC Championship, while also securing back-to-back Isthmus Bowl titles in 2021 and 2022. Since his arrival, UWRF has compiled an impressive 44–13 overall record, establishing itself as a consistent national contender. As the team’s defensive backs coach, Wood has developed one of the premier secondaries in Division III football. In 2025, the Falcon defense led the nation with 40 turnovers gained, including 29 interceptions. During conference play, UWRF topped the WIAC in total defense (281.1 yards allowed per game), rushing defense (58.9 yards per game), and scoring defense (15.7 points per game). Under Wood’s guidance, Falcon defensive backs have earned widespread recognition. He has coached All-American cornerback Michael Brown and All-Region cornerback Dylan Brown, who became the program’s all-time leader in pass breakups. Since 2021, 14 Falcon defensive backs have garnered All-WIAC honors. Wood graduated from UWRF with a degreen in Business Administration with a minor in Economics, and is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Sport Adiministration from UW-Platteville.  

Craig Miles is an assistant coach on the UWRF football staff, and has over 40 years of experience in football coaching and officiating.    After receiving his bachelor degree at UWRF in 1980 and a Masters degree at Saint Mary’s, Craig taught and coached for a total of 31 years at Independence (WI) and Unity School District in Balsam Lake (WI).    Miles spent the majority of his teaching career at the middle school level and served as a head coach in a variety of sports including, baseball, girls track, girls softball, boys basketball, girls basketball and football.   Craig served as a leaders in the community and in the school districts he was a part of.  He spent time as the chairperson of the District mentor committee, Co-chair of the Math department committee, and Coaches Faith group leader.   Craig received a District Coach of the Year Award in 1998, Unity School District Outstanding Educator award in 2009, Wisconsin State Superintendent of Education -Friends of Education Award in 2010, Wisconsin Athletic Directors Association Distinguished Service Award for District One in 2018 and was inducted into the Unity School District Wall of Honor in 2014.   Craig and his wife Cathy are co-founders of the W.I.N.G.S. Foundation that was started after they lost their son. This foundation was established to help out students, families and communities in need and emphasize kindness and a pay-it-forward attitude. Craig and Cathy have lived in River Falls, WI since 2016.  

Ryley Bailey arrived at UW-River Falls in the spring of 2026. Before UWRF, Bailey coached four seasons at UW-Platteville as passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He helped guide the Pioneers to the 2024 WIAC Championship and the program's first NCAA playoff appearance since 2016. Platteville led the WIAC in passing offense in both 2019 and 2021, with four receivers earning All-WIAC honors during that span. A 2014 graduate of UW-Platteville, Bailey was a wide receiver for the Pioneers and totaled more than 1,000 career receiving yards. He also served as head coach at Platteville High School, compiling a 15-5 record over two seasons and earning Southwest Wisconsin Coach of the Year honors after a conference championship season in 2017.

Scott Imrie is entering his 7th year coaching football for the Falcons, the last 5 as Defensive Backs Coach. Coach Imrie is a UWRF Alumni who was a starting defensive back on the 1995 and 1996 NCAA Playoff teams. After graduating in 1997 with a degree in Agricultural Education, he got a teaching job at Delavan-Darien High School where he was also named the Defensive Coordinator for the football team. Within three years the Comets were conference champions and had a defense that allowed 47 points in 9 games. In 2001, Imrie became the Head Football Coach at Delavan-Darien. During that six year run, the program made it to the playoffs 3 times and also won the conference championship in 2004. I n 2007 Imrie returned to UWRF as a full-time defensive coach. In 2008 he got a Science Teaching position at Hudson High School and was the Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach. The Raiders made the playoffs in 2008 and 2009 and were Big Rivers Conference Champions in 2009. In 2012 Imrie started a 3 year run coaching defense at River Falls High School, 1 year as Outside Linebackers Coach and 2 years as Defensive Backs Coach. Imrie returned to the Falcons in 2015 as Inside Linebackers Coach and in 2016 he returned to the Defensive Backs where he has been ever since. Coach Imrie has coached 5 All-WIAC Defensive Backs and Kick Returners. Scott is a Science Teacher at River Falls High School and Owner/Instructor of Kinni Driving School. His wife Kirsten is a nurse at River Falls Area Hospital. The Imrie’s are very proud of their three children Nathan, Meredyth and William.