After a half-century without a football team, New England College has named Kevin Kelly as its new head coach. Kelly will lead the program as the sport prepares to return to play for the 2024 season.

NEC President Dr. Wayne F. Lesperance Jr. on June 15 announced the return of the program after a 50-year hiatus.

Kelly comes to Henniker with a good deal of coaching experience. He was the head coach at Georgetown University from 2006-13, winning Patriot League Coach of the Year honors for the 2011 season. He also has a Granite State connection, having served two stints as an assistant at Dartmouth, winning an Ivy League championship with head coach Buddy Teevens in 1991.

Most recently, Kelly worked in the XFL as the linebackers coach for the New York Guardians during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

“We are thrilled to bring in Kevin as our head coach of the football program,” athletic director Dave DeCew said in a statement. “During the search process, it was clear that Kevin was ready to take on this major undertaking. He has the expertise, work ethic and character that New England College is looking for in a leader and a colleague.

“Having been a head coach and assistant at various college levels, he knows everything that will be essential to build this program successfully. We all look forward to seeing the recruiting, staffing and cultural development commence, knowing the excitement of game day is not too far away.”

NEC will play a shortened schedule in 2024 before embarking on a full slate of games in 2025.

“I am honored and thrilled to be named the head football coach at New England College,” Kelly said in a statement released by NEC. “Starting any endeavor from the ground up is an enormous challenge. But working within the visions of President Lesperance and athletic director DeCew makes this challenge a very exciting one — as we build a program that NEC, the NEC alumni and the Henniker community will be proud of. I can’t wait to get started.”

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