COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University associate head coach and offensive coordinator Kurt Ramler '97 was named head football coach at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., on Monday, March 31.
Ramler completed his first season in the role in 2013 as SJU posted a 7-3 record (5-3 MIAC), good for fourth in the MIAC, under the direction of first-year head coach Gary Fasching. He replaces Greg Carlson, St. Scholastica's first head football coach, who retired Jan. 30 after compiling a 39-22 record with three Upper Midwest Athletic Conference regular-season championships and three NCAA Division III Playoff appearances in six seasons.
The process to replace Ramler begins immediately.
"I am incredibly grateful to Gary Fasching, athletic director Tom Stock and the Saint John's community for allowing me to serve at Saint John's University," Ramler said. "When I joined the staff, I told myself that it would have to be a tremendous opportunity for me to leave this unrivaled football program and amazing athletic department. I could not have foreseen that an opportunity of this nature would present itself so quickly.
"I hope that I helped in some small way in the transition from John (Gagliardi) to Gary. I enjoyed last season tremendously and I will miss the Saint John's and Saint Benedict community, particularly the players, alumni and coaches. I will always be proud to be a Johnnie."
Ramler compiled a 22-38 record as head coach at Carleton for six seasons from 2006-11 and was named the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Coach of the Year in 2008 after leading the Knights to a 7-3 record, its best season since 1992.
Prior to Carleton, Ramler served as an offensive assistant at four institutions, including a one-year stint at SJU (2002). He was the offensive coordinator at Heidelberg (Ohio) from 2003-05, coached wide receivers at Division I-FCS Wagner (N.Y.) in 2001, and coached quarterbacks and wide receivers at Hamilton (N.Y.) for two seasons from 1999-2000. Ramler served as a head coach in Europe during the summers of 1999 and 2000 with the Graz Giants (Austrian League) and the Prague Panthers (Czech League), respectively.
Following three seasons as the Johnnies' starting quarterback, Ramler ended his career as the school's all-time leader in pass attempts (927), pass completions (525), passing yards (8,134), 300-yard passing games (8), passing touchdowns (87) and wins as a starter (27-3-1 record) before Alex Kofoed (2004-07) surpassed each mark. He was named the MIAC's Most Valuable Player, a Gagliardi Trophy finalist and an Academic All-District selection as a senior in 1996.
