CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Coe College is proud to celebrate NCAA Division III Week, a national event held April 7–13 that recognizes the powerful impact of DIII athletics on student-athletes and campus communities. During this week long celebration, we will feature a handful of Kohawk Athletic alumni who reflect on their time at Coe. Our next alumni spotlight is 1979 graduate Rick Coles, a member of the Football and Track & Field teams. Coles was a first-team All-Midwest Conference offensive linemen during his time at Coe, earning the honor in 1977. He later joined Coe's football coaching staff as an assistant for five years, helping the Kohawks to an MWC championship and an NCAA playoff appearance. He also served as head wrestling coach from 1985-90, winning the MWC championship in 1989. Coles has since gone on to coach at a number of Midwest Conference Institutions, with stints at Ripon, Lawrence and Cornell. In December, Coles was awarded the MWC's Meritous Service Award, honoring an individual for significant contributions and outstanding service to the Midwest Conference and its member institutions.

Before he ever suited up for the Kohawks, Rick Coles '79 was already a Coe fan. Growing up in nearby Marion, Iowa, and attending Linn-Mar High School, Coles found himself in the stands at Coe football games, inspired by the energy on the field and the pride of a small college with big-time heart. "I used to go to a couple Coe football games each year," he recalls. "I was a Coe fan before I became a Kohawk."

That early connection became something more when he was recruited by Coach Wayne Phillips and Coach Roger Schlegel to play football and throw shot put for the track team. Coe's recent dominance in the Midwest Conference—football championships in '73 and '74, and four straight titles in track—didn't hurt either. "I was very aware of Coe's success and its strong academic reputation," Coles says. "I wanted a degree from a college where the degree meant something."

A double major in History and Physical Education, Coles found that his identity as a student-athlete defined much of his college experience. "In many ways, it was my experience," he says. "My best friends were football and track athletes. Athletics taught me time management, discipline, and the importance of putting the team above myself."

His memories of Coe are peppered with moments of camaraderie and the kind of mischief that's become legend among alumni. "Flunk Day was a classic," he says with a grin. "Some stories I won't tell you—think Maid Rite." But at the heart of his reflections is a deep appreciation for the relationships forged through competition and shared purpose.

After Coe, Coles went on to spend 40 years coaching Division III sports—a career inspired and shaped by his own DIII experience. "It helped me appreciate the purity that should exist in sports," he explains. "I loved that I wasn't playing because my scholarship depended on it. I was playing because I loved to play."

That passion drove a major life decision early on: turning down full-tuition football scholarships from other schools to attend Coe. "I have never regretted it," he says.

For prospective or current students considering Division III athletics, Coles has a message rooted in wisdom and authenticity. "Play because you love to play, and cherish every moment," he advises. "Leave it all on the field. Don't look back and say 'if only I'd have…'"

Rick Coles came to Coe as a fan. He left with lifelong friendships, an enduring philosophy, and a legacy built on love for the game—exactly the kind of story only Division III can write.

#KohawkNation #TalonsOut
Visit https://kohawkathletics.com/ for complete coverage of Coe College Athletics
Like Coe College Athletics on Facebook
Follow @CoeAthletics on Twitter
Follow @CoeAthletics on Instagram
Coe Athletics Mobile App - Android | iPhone