Mount Marty University Head Football Coach Mike Woodley Retires; John Michaletti Named New Lancer Football Coach

7-21-21

YANKTON, S.D. (MountMartryAthletics.com) — Mount Marty University has named John Michaletti as head football coach upon the retirement of coach Mike Woodley, who cited personal reasons for his departure. Michaletti previously served as the associate head football coach of the Lancers.

Coach Michaletti joined the Mount Marty staff in early 2020. The Rock Island, Ill., native played college football at St. Ambrose University in Iowa, earning the first-ever Bob Jurevitz Award as a two-time all-conference safety with the Fighting Bees. After graduating, Michaletti became the defensive backs coach and strength and conditioning coach for St. Ambrose before following Coach Matt Drinkall to Kansas Wesleyan University where Michaletti helped build the Coyotes into an NAIA national power as defensive coordinator. During Michaletti’s last season as KWU, the Coyotes went 12-1 and won a Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. Michaletti was named the conference assistant coach of the year in both 2017 and 2019. When he joined the MMU staff in 2020, Michaletti also took on responsibilities as the recruiting coordinator, helping lift the projected 2021 roster to 100 athletes and developing deeper interpersonal connections with the players.

The Lancers will be preparing for their first-ever season when they start practices next month. They begin play against Dakota Wesleyan University on September 4 at 1:00 p.m. at historic Crane Youngworth Field in Yankton.