Hall of Famer Mike Van Diest coming to Northern

There are few names in the world of Montana football, and none that are bigger in the realm of NAIA coaching than Mike Van Diest. That name, when it comes to success, knowledge and skill, reigns supreme after what was an incredible and historical career at Carroll College, where he led the Fighting Saints to six NAIA national championships.

Now, Mike Van Diest is bringing all of that history, all of that knowledge, all of that skill as a coach to Montana State University-Northern.

On Monday afternoon, Northern head coach Andrew Rolin announced that he has lured Van Diest out of retirement, and to Havre to become Northern's new defensive coordinator.

"This is a huge step for our program and what we're trying to build here," Rolin said. "Coach Van Diest is someone I admire and look up to. His credentials speak for themselves. In my opinion, he's the greatest coach in NAIA history. So this is huge, it's exciting. It's hard to put into words."

Van Diest will replace Rich Stubler, who left the Lights for a new job earlier this summer. And Rolin is absolutely correct - his credentials speak for themselves.

A member of the NAIA Hall of Fame, Van Diest coached the Saints from 1999 to 2018, with an overall record of 203-54, while going 144-41 in Frontier Conference games. He guided Carroll to an incredible 14 Frontier titles, as well as the six national championships, among his many, many more incredible accomplishments.

During his tenure at Carroll, Van Diest, who coached the likes of former Havre Blue Pony greats Gary Wagner and Jarrod Wirt among others, was also the Saints' defensive coordinator, while coaching linebackers as well.

So, when Rolin needed a new DC on short notice, he said, while maybe a long shot to bring him back to the Frontier, Van Diest was the one name he had to reach out to above all others.

"I thought, we're starting fall camp in four weeks, who can I call," Rolin said. "I had a list of names and Mike Van Diest was the one name I couldn't get out of my head. I had gotten the opportunity to get to know him some my first year here. He's somebody I admired so much, and I just couldn't get his name out of my head. I had to give him a call, so I did, and we had a really good conversation. And over the next couple of weeks, we kept talking and he decided to come do this with us. I'm. Just so grateful to him, and it's going to be incredible what he brings to our program, not only as a coach, and as a defensive mind, but he's so much more than that, brings so much to our university and this community.

"I received a call from Coach Rolin and he shared with me that his defensive coordinator, Rich Stubler, had taken another job back in the Canada Football League. He said he was looking for a good replacement and would I consider the job. On the way back from Billings my wife Heidi and I talked about the opportunity and I talked with a few more people including my sons, Shane and Clay, and the more I thought about it the more I was excited about the opportunity," said Van Diest. "I think the biggest thing is to give the players an opportunity to have success. I want to continue to do what Coach Rolin has set up to do, which is being successful on the field, being successful off the field on the campus, and in the Havre community. I love this age group; when I was a college football player, I remember the impact that my coaches had on me. Overall, for me I want to be someone the players have confidence in not just as football coach but I'm a dad, I'm a husband maybe there are some things I can help them with off the field as well."

Van Diest, a native of Helena, has always had a strong connection to Northern's program and to Havre. His career has included stops at his alma mater, the University of Wyoming (76-79, 91-98), the University of Montana (80-85), the University of Massachusetts-Amhurst (86), and the Big Ten representative, Northwestern University (87-91), as an assistant coach. Van Diest has won titles at Montana (Big Sky Champions, 1982), Wyoming (two Western Athletic Conference Championships and one Pacific Division Championship, 1986), and 14 Frontier Conference Championships at Carroll, as well as, the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2010 NAIA National Championships. Van Diest also recently had a stint after retiring with the University of Mary.

"I look forward to coming to Northern, I like the new stadium," said Van Diest. "I coached at the University of Montana when we played at the old Dornblaser Field. When they got Washington-Grizzly Stadium that was a game changer. I was very blessed to come to Carroll in 99 and in 2001 we opened Nelson Stadium, it was on campus and that was a game changer. You played all those years in Blue Pony stadium, it was a stadium, both teams came, both teams played. But to have your own facility on campus, I think is great for MSU-Northern, the students, the faculty, the administration, the city of Havre and the communities around Havre. As Chancellor Kegel has said, it's a great way to showcase the campus, not just the football team. I think the plans they have for future development are outstanding, so they have taken a step in the right direction that is for sure.

"He's the right guy to help us continue to build what we've been working towards here," Rolin said of Van Diest. "It's a no-brainer for us. I think he's always had a special place in his heart for Northern, Havre and the Hi-Line, and his being a part of our program is going to be so special for not just me, and our players who will benefit so much from being coached by him, but our entire campus and our community. I'm just so excited and can't wait to get started."

The Lights are set to start fall camp at the beginning of August and open the season Aug. 28 against College of Idaho at Lights Stadium.