Matt Land begins his third season as head coach of the Thunder football program. Coach Land and his staff have turned the Thunder program into contenders in the MIAA after a 2-8 season their first year. Under Land's leadership, Trine improved to a 6-4 record last season and a fourth place finish in the MIAA.
In 2005, Coach Land was named Coach of the Year twice. He led perennial powerhouse South Side High School (Fort Wayne, Ind. to an 11-3 record, a berth in the state's final four, and was recognized as the Summit Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. During his four years at South Side, Coach Land compiled a 29-19 record, leading his team twice into the Indiana 4A sweet 16 and once to the state semifinals.
Coach Land earned his second Coach of the Year award at the helm of the United Indoor Football (UIF) League's Fort Wayne Freedom. In his first year with the Freedom, the team averaged 267 yards per game, third best in the league, and finished with a franchise-best 14-3 record to go along with a playoff berth. The UIF rewarded him with the honor of Coach of the Year.
Coach Land received his undergraduate degree in physical education from Ball State University and his master's degree in education, curriculum, and assessment at Walden University.
Dan Pifer enters his third season as the Thunder offensive coordinator. Coach Pifer received his undergraduate degree in political science from California University of Pennsylvania where he was a four year letter winner in football. In his junior season, he was selected as the MVP in the NCAA Division II Chamber of Commerce Bowl.
In Feb. of 2006, Pifer was named the head coach for the Fort Wayne Freedom of the United Indoor Football Association. Pifer most recently served as the offensive coordinator at Bellmont High School in Decatur, Ind. and as an assistant coach with the Freedom. Prior to Bellmont, Pifer had served as the offensive coordinator at Hillsdale College from 2001-2002 and the University of Saint Francis from 1997-1998. At Saint Francis, Pifer’s offense was ranked nationally in the top 10 in passing offense and total offense while qualifying for the 1999 NAIA playoffs in the team’s second year of existence.
Troy Abbs begins his third season with the Thunder coaching staff and his second season as the defensive coordinator. Before joining the Thunder, Coach Abbs worked with the Fort Wayne Freedom as the defensive line coach. Prior to his time with the Freedom, Abbs coached for eight years at Fort Wayne Carroll High School and one year at East Noble High School. Abbs is also a sixth grade teacher at Maple Creek Middle School in Fort Wayne.
Coach Abbs was a member of both the baseball and football teams while working on his bachelor degree at Hanover College and earned a Scholar Athlete Award in 1998. In 2006, Abbs earned his Masters of Science in educational leadership from Indiana University.
Jacob Kinsey returns for his fourth season as an assistant coach to both the baseball and football programs. Coach Kinsey will be in charge of the inside linebackers.
Kinsey earned his undergraduate degree from MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill. He received a Bachelor of Arts in sport management with minors in business administration and psychology in 2004. While at MacMurray, Kinsey lettered in football receiving First Team All-Conference. He was also a member of two conference championship teams.
After graduation from MacMurray, Kinsey was a graduate assistant at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn. His primary duty was coaching the linebackers. Kinsey received his master’s degree in sports administration in July of 2005.
Dan Musielewicz enters his second season as a member of the Thunder football coaching staff. Musielewicz received his bachelor degree in physical education and integrated science from Hillsdale College, where he was a four year member of the football team. Coach Musielewicz will be coaching the wide receivers and tight ends.
Coach Musielewicz currently teams with fellow assistant David Gater on the Kalamazoo Xplosion of the Continental Indoor Football League. He has also played professionally for the Peoria Rough Riders and the Fort Wayne Freedom of the United Indoor Football League.
David Gater begins his third season as a member of the Thunder football coaching staff, in charge of the defensive backs. Coach Gater will bring the experience he gained while being a four-year letter winner at Ball State University as a defensive back. Gater graduated in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in general studies and a minor in criminal justice and physical education.
Coach Gater continues his professional career as a member of the Kalamazoo Xplosion of the Continental Indoor Football League.
Mike Lazusky returned to the Thunder program in 2007 for his third stint as a member of the football staff. Lazusky previously served as an assistant football coach at TSU in 1996-1997 and 2002.
From 2004-2006, he served as the head football coach at Hiram College. He made other stops in his coaching career at Hillsdale College, Defiance College, Shippensburg University, and Bremen (Ind.) High School.
Lazusky is a professor and academic advisor at Trine in the Department of Sport and Hospitality Management. He and his wife, Kellie, reside in Angola, with their son Dylan. Lazusky received his bachelor’s degree in business education and his master’s degree in education from Shippensburg University.
Assistant Coach Dan Simrell
The Trine University football staff brings collegiate and professional coaching experience to the team with quarterback coach Dan Simrell. Coach Simrell begins his second season as a member of the Thunder football staff.
Over the summer, Coach Simrell served as head coach of the Bologna Warriors of the National Football League of Italy. He led the team to a 10-1 record and to an appearance in the Italian SuperBowl XXVIII.
Coach Simrell arrived at Trine after serving as head football coach at NCAA Division II University of Findlay from 2000-2006. In 2002 he was named the Region 3 Division II Coach of the Year.
Prior to coaching at Findlay, Simrell served as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at West Virginia. In his eight seasons at West Virginia, the Mountaineers made it to five bowl games and were the 1993 Big East Champions.
Coach Simrell spent seven seasons as the head coach at NCAA Division I University of Toledo. The team earned a Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship under his leadership, and he was once named Ohio Coach of the Year and MAC Coach of the Year. In 1996, Toledo honored Simrell with an induction into the University of Toledo Hall of Fame.
As a football player at Toledo, Simrell was named team captain and most valuable player in his senior season. After college he was taken in the National Football League draft by the Cleveland Browns.
He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Toledo.
Assistant Coach Rick Kirkton
The Trine University football staff adds experience with the hiring of Rick Kirkton for the 2008 season. Coach Kirkton has spent over 30 years as a football coach at the high school and college levels, with stints as head coach for Garrett, Roseville, and Angola high schools.
Kirkton is familiar with the Thunder football program, as he spent 1996-1998 as the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator and 1999 as the defensive coordinator. The 1998 Thunder team was an NAIA national semi-finalist with a school-best record of 11-2. He also spent one season as the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator at Hillsdale College.
Coach Kirkton received his bachelor’s degree in business from Bluffton College, where he was a three-year member of the football team and a two-year member of the baseball team. He received his master’s degree in education from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.
Assistant Coach Kadir MuQit
Kadir MuQit returns to Trine University for his first season as a member of the Thunder coaching staff. MuQit played at Trine University from 1998-2002. He was a three year starter and in 2002 he was named to the Second Team All-Mid States Football Association. Coach MuQit will primarily assist with the outside backs.
MuQit spent last season as an assistant coach at Wayne State University where he worked with the secondary. In 2006, he served as the defensive coordinator for the Bronson High School junior varsity team.
He and his wife Majida, have a daughter, Nissa and they reside in Coldwater, Michigan.
Dave Wagner returns for his second stint as a member of the Thunder football coaching staff. Coach Wagner served as an assistant coach from 2001-2003. His primary duties this season will be with the offensive line.
Coach Wagner brings an array of coaching experience with him. He was the head baseball coach for the Thunder from 1999-2001 after serving as an assistant from 1997-1999. Prior to Trine, Wagner started the baseball program at Owens Community College in 1994, where he served as head coach until 1997. He received District Baseball Coach of the year in 1995 and 1996 after leading his team to two consecutive appearances in the NJCAA Division III World Series.
Coach Wagner is also the campus director of the Trine North Campus, an associate professor for the Engineering Technology Department, and the Faculty Vice President. He has taught and developed a number of courses at Trine, along with being honored for his classroom teaching.
Wagner received his bachelor's degree from the University of Toledo and his master's degree from Eastern Michigan. He resides in Angola with his wife Marilyn. They have two sons, Josh and Ryan, both Trine University graduates.
