Jim Dennison/Coaching Staff

Athletics > Jim Dennison/Coaching Staff

Jim Dennison - Head Coach

Jim Dennison returns for his 15th season as Walsh’s head football coach and 28th at the collegiate level. The dynamic, energetic Dennison returns with one goal in mind for 2009, elevating Walsh back into the NAIA limelight. He has directed Walsh to 12 winning seasons and a Mid-States Football Mideast Championship in 2001. In 2006, after leading the Cavs to five straight 8-3 seasons, the Cavs finished 9-3 and made their first-ever NAIA Playoff appearance. Last season, Walsh suffered its second consecutive losing season, finishing 3-8. Dennison’s overall record at Walsh is an impressive 96-56, and ranks sixth in wins among all NAIA active coaches .

Dennison was named Director of Athletics at Walsh in June of 1993. The university announced on February 11, 1994, that it would institute football as a varsity sport in the fall of 1995 and named Dennison as head coach. Dennison stepped down from his role as athletic director in 2007 to devote all of his time to football.

Dennison retired from his post as Director of Athletics at the University of Akron in June of 1993. He served 28 years at Akron, including 13 years as the head football coach and seven as director of athletics.

Dennison graduated from Wadsworth High School where he earned All-Metro League honors in football, basketball and baseball. He continued his athletic prowess at the College of Wooster in football and baseball and was voted the school's Most Valuable Senior Athlete in 1960. That same year, Dennison graduated with honors with a B.A. degree.

Dennison's coaching career spans three sports and began in 1960 at his alma mater, Wadsworth High School. The following year he moved to Elyria High School as head baseball coach and an assistant in football. During his three-year stay at Elyria, his baseball teams compiled an excellent 54-16 record. Copley High School then found use for his talents by naming Jim its head football coach in 1964. He promptly guided the Indians to an undefeated 9-0 season.

His rapid climb through the coaching ranks was accelerated the following year when Akron Head Coach Gordon Larson picked him for the UA staff. Dennison served as an assistant coach and then associate head coach for eight years before being named the Zips' head coach on January 1, 1973.

As head coach of the Zips, Dennison established himself as the winningest coach in Akron football history, with a 13 year record of 80 wins, 62 losses and two ties. He was the first Zip gridiron coach to win ten games in a season, and the first to play for a national championship. He also became the first and only Zip Football Coach to be named Ohio Coach of the Year and Kodak National College Coach of the Year in 1976. In 1982, Dennison added the Ohio Valley Coach of the Year Award to his list of accomplishments.

During his tenure as the Zips Head Coach, he produced three of the six best records in Akron football history, 10-3 in 1976, 8-3 in 1983 and 8-4 in 1985. The ‘85 team, his last, finished ranked 10th nationally and earned an NCAA I-AA playoff berth. Dennison has recruited or coached countless All-Americans, and numerous all-conference players. He is also proud of his 82% graduation rate at Akron.

In 2002 and 2005, he was named NAIA Northeast Region Sports-Turf NACDA Athletic Director of the Year and was named NAIA Region IX Athletic Director of the Year in 2004 and 2005. In 2003 he became a charter member of the University of Akron Ring of Honor and in 2007 he received the University of Akron Alumni Honor Award.

A passionate believer in positive mental attitude (PMA), Dennison is called upon to deliver his message about motivation and goal setting. Jim and his wife Sue are parents of a daughter, Mrs. Denise Morrow, and three sons, Jim, Greg and Matt and have ten grandchildren. The Dennison’s reside in Norton.