Mike Whalen
Encyclopedia
Mike Whalen is an American
athlete and coach. He was a collegiate wrestler and football player at Wesleyan University
. He spent six years as the head football coach at Williams College
, where he won four consecutive Little Three
football championships. He was hired as the head football coach at Wesleyan in March 2010.
, Whalen attended Enrico Fermi High School
. As a senior, he was the State Class "LL" Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and placed 3rd at the State Open Championships. For football Whalen was All-CCIL on both offense and defense and an All-State honorable mention. He took a postgraduate year at Loomis-Chaffee, where he was the CT Prep Champion and 3rd in the National Prep Wrestling Championships while being named 1st team All-Prep and All-State in football. Whalen would go on to attend Wesleyan University
in Middletown, Connecticut
. He was a four-year starter as an offensive lineman for the Wesleyan Cardinals football team before receiving his degree in 1983. Whalen was also the captain of the wrestling team at Wesleyan, earning All-New England and All-American honors three times. He was the first New England wrestler to win four consecutive New England championships.
as a graduate assistant in football and wrestling. After receiving a master's degree from Springfield in Physical Education, Whalen was hired as an assistant football coach at the University of Pennsylvania
and was on the coaching staff of the undefeated 1986 Penn team. He next worked as an assistant coach at Lafayette and Colgate University
, holding the position of associate head coach at Colgate.
from 1996 to 2003, including three years as the team's offensive coordinator. While working as an assistant football coach, Whalen also served as the school's head wrestling coach from 1996 to 2004. In February 2004, he was hired as head football coach of the Williams College Ephs, succeeding College Football Hall of Fame
inductee, Dick Farley
. Whalen served six years as Williams' head coach (2004–2009) during which he compiled a record of 38–10 (.792 winning percentage). In 2006, he led Williams to an undefeated, untied 8–0 record and the New England Small College Athletic Conference
championship. He also led Williams to four consecutive Little Three
championships from 2005 through 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete and coach. He was a collegiate wrestler and football player at Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
. He spent six years as the head football coach at Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, where he won four consecutive Little Three
Little Three
The "Little Three" is an unofficial athletic conference of three elite liberal arts colleges in New England, United States. The "Little Three" are:* Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts* Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut...
football championships. He was hired as the head football coach at Wesleyan in March 2010.
Athlete
A native of Enfield, ConnecticutEnfield, Connecticut
Enfield is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 45,212 at the 2000 census. It sits on the border with Longmeadow, Massachusetts and East Longmeadow, Massachusetts to the north, Somers to the east, East Windsor and Ellington to the south, and the...
, Whalen attended Enrico Fermi High School
Enrico Fermi High School
Enrico Fermi High School is a high school located in Enfield, Connecticut. Enrico Fermi High School was established in 1971 and serves the Enfield community along with the previously-built Enfield High School...
. As a senior, he was the State Class "LL" Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and placed 3rd at the State Open Championships. For football Whalen was All-CCIL on both offense and defense and an All-State honorable mention. He took a postgraduate year at Loomis-Chaffee, where he was the CT Prep Champion and 3rd in the National Prep Wrestling Championships while being named 1st team All-Prep and All-State in football. Whalen would go on to attend Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
in Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
. He was a four-year starter as an offensive lineman for the Wesleyan Cardinals football team before receiving his degree in 1983. Whalen was also the captain of the wrestling team at Wesleyan, earning All-New England and All-American honors three times. He was the first New England wrestler to win four consecutive New England championships.
Early coaching career
Whalen began his coaching career at Springfield CollegeSpringfield College
Springfield College is a private, coeducational university located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield College is most famous as the site where the sport of basketball was invented...
as a graduate assistant in football and wrestling. After receiving a master's degree from Springfield in Physical Education, Whalen was hired as an assistant football coach at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and was on the coaching staff of the undefeated 1986 Penn team. He next worked as an assistant coach at Lafayette and Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
, holding the position of associate head coach at Colgate.
Williams College
He was an assistant football coach at Williams CollegeWilliams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
from 1996 to 2003, including three years as the team's offensive coordinator. While working as an assistant football coach, Whalen also served as the school's head wrestling coach from 1996 to 2004. In February 2004, he was hired as head football coach of the Williams College Ephs, succeeding College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
inductee, Dick Farley
Dick Farley
Richard Joseph Farley is a former American football player and coach and active track and field coach. He served as the head football coach at Williams College from 1987 to 2003, compiling a record of 114–19–3...
. Whalen served six years as Williams' head coach (2004–2009) during which he compiled a record of 38–10 (.792 winning percentage). In 2006, he led Williams to an undefeated, untied 8–0 record and the New England Small College Athletic Conference
New England Small College Athletic Conference
The New England Small College Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division III athletic conference, consisting of eleven highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities located in New England and New York...
championship. He also led Williams to four consecutive Little Three
Little Three
The "Little Three" is an unofficial athletic conference of three elite liberal arts colleges in New England, United States. The "Little Three" are:* Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts* Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut...
championships from 2005 through 2008.