A former member of the top NCAA Division III football program in the past seven years, Mike DuFrane was named defensive coordinator and linebackers coach of the Lyon College football team in July 2014.
DuFrane's recruiting territories for the Scots football team includes Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and central Texas.
DuFrane, 28, was the starting nose tackle for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater championship team that claimed the Division III national title in 2007 and was the national runner-up in ‘08. He graduated from UW-W in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism and working on completing his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership at Carthage College. He will earn his Master's upon completion of his thesis.
A native of Hortonville, Wis., DuFrane was a member of the Warhawks’ football program that won five national titles in a seven-year span (2007-13), including the championship in ’07 when it posted a record of 14-1 and a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) mark of 7-0. The squad finished the year with a 13-game winning streak.
UW-W was national runner-up in 2008 with a 13-2 record, falling to Mount Union, 31-26, in the title game. It has also claimed national football championships in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013.
DuFrane was named Defensive Newcomer of the Year in the WIAC in 2007.
He began his coaching career at University of Minnesota-Morris (NCAA DIII) as a defensive line coach in 2009, before moving to Carthage College (NCAA DIII) in Knosha, Wisconsin, as a linebackers graduate assistant and JV defensive coordinator in 2010-11. He served as the defensive line and strengthening and conditioning coaching/head JV coach for the Red Men in 2011-12.
After a short stint at NCAA Division III Loras College, he spent his last two seasons before coming to Lyon as the defensive line/co-strength and conditioning coordinator and fundraising coordinator for at Carthage.
DuFrane is married. His wife’s name is Jillian, and they have a son, Jordy, age three, and a one-year old daughter, Reese.
