Southwestern College will recognize Jerry Kill, class of 1984, on Saturday, Nov. 12, at halftime of the Southwestern-Sterling football game, which kicks off at 1:30 p.m.  The community is invited to attend a meet-and-greet with Kill from 12:15 to 1 p.m. at the southeast end of Jantz Stadium. 

A Cheney native, Kill was a linebacker for the Moundbuilder football team and served as captain his senior year. He graduated with a degree in health, physical education and recreation, and was a member of the Beta Rho Mu fraternity. Kill is married to his college sweetheart, Rebecca (Smith) Kill ’87. They have two daughters, Krystal and Tasha.  

After serving as a high school football coach in Oklahoma and then as an assistant at Pittsburg State University, Kill accepted his first head coaching position at Saginaw Valley State University. He was head coach for Emporia State University, Southern Illinois University, and Northern Illinois University before moving to the University of Minnesota where he was named Big 10 Coach of the Year in 2014. Kill guided the Gophers to three straight bowl games from 2012 to14. In 2016, Kill joined Kansas State University as associate athletic director. 

Kill was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2005. After beating cancer he was able to manage lingering health issues and return to coaching, but he ultimately stepped down from his coaching position at Minnesota in October of 2015 due to epileptic episodes. In addition to his current work at Kansas State University, Kill has worked to bring awareness to cancer and epilepsy through the Coach Kill Cancer Fund, the Chasing Dreams Epilepsy Fund, and his new biography, “Chasing Dreams: Living My Life One Yard at a Time.” Copies of Kill’s biography will be available for purchase at the Nov. 12 meet-and-greet.

Kill, a member of the Southwestern College Athletic Hall of Fame, was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in October.

“Coach Kill is a wonderful example of the Moundbuilder spirit at work in the world – we are excited to honor and recognize his achievements,” said Brad Andrews, president of Southwestern College.