Jamie Zorbo
Head Coach

Jamie Zorbo was named head football coach at Kalamazoo College on Dec. 4, 2007. He is the 25th head football coach in school history and a 2000 graduate of the College.

Zorbo earned his first win as a head coach in his second career game, winning 17-14 at Rockford (Ill.) College on Sept. 13, 2008. The Hornets connected on a 20-yard field goal with two seconds left to gain the victory.

The Hornets doubled their win totals in each of Zorbo's first two years as head coach. Zorbo inherited a team that finished 1-8 the year before and led them to a 2-8 record in his first season. In 2009, Zorbo's second season, the Hornets doubled their win total and finished 4-6.

Zorbo's 2009 team had four players earn All-MIAA honors and two players selected as Academic All-Americans. Two players were also selected to compete in the D3 Football Senior Classic. As a team, the 2009 Hornets led the nation (NCAA III) in passing offense with 382.3 yards per game. The Hornets also set four school records as a team while also breaking 19 individual school records.

In 2010, Kalamazoo players earned six All-MIAA honors and Cory McCain '11 was selected to the Tazón de Estrellas (Bowl of the Stars). The team ranked 25th in the country in passing offense and 43rd in total offense.

Seven Hornets earned All-MIAA honors in 2011 while the team played at Western Michigan University's Waldo Stadium during the Angell Field renovation project.

Zorbo first came to Kalamazoo College as a student in 1996 after graduating from Battle Creek Lakeview High School. He was a four-year letter winner for the Hornets as a defensive end, earning All-MIAA (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association) second team honors in 1999 with 24 tackles and three sacks. He graduated in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.

Following graduation, Zorbo remained at Kalamazoo College as an assistant coach for six seasons while working on a master’s in business administration degree at Western Michigan University, which he completed in 2004. The Hornets had an overall record of 26-32 over those six seasons, including four straight .500-plus seasons from 2000-03.

Zorbo coached the defensive line from 2000-03. He was promoted to defensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2004 and 2005. As defensive coordinator, Zorbo had six players named to All-MIAA first, second or coaches’ honorable mention teams, including NCAA Division III’s leading tackler and MIAA Defensive MVP in 2004 (Jeremy Vanisacker). As defensive line coach, Zorbo coached four players to All-MIAA second or coaches’ honorable mention teams.

Zorbo became an assistant coach at DePauw University (Greencastle, Ind.) in 2006. He coached the linebackers for two seasons, and most recently was the assistant defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, and strength and conditioning coach. In two seasons, Zorbo coached five linebackers who received All-SCAC (Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) second team or honorable mention honors. DePauw finished 6-4 in 2006 and 8-2 in 2007.

Jamie and his wife, Kristy, reside in Portage with their son, Dominick.

Van Nickert
Assistant Coach - Equipment Manager - Director of Intramurals

Van Nickert returned as an assistant coach on the Hornet football staff in 2005 after serving as head coach in 2004.

Nickert served the Hornets as an assistant coach for 21 seasons prior to taking over the helm in 2004. He has served in numerous roles, including defensive line coach, recruiting coordinator, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator. Nickert was defensive coordinator from 2000-2003.

As offensive coordinator in 2009, Nickert guided a Hornet offense that set three school records as a team and 19 individual offensive records. The Hornets led the nation (NCAA III) in passing offense with 382.3 yards per game, were ranked 14th in total offense (449.5 yards/game) and 74th in scoring offense (28.8 points/game). Kalamazoo also led the MIAA with 343.3 passing yards per league game. The offense produced some of the nation's top quarterbacks and receivers: Brandon Luczak '10 led the nation in passing yards per game (366.3) and total offense (381.8 yards/game). He also ranked second with 32.2 completions per game and fourth with 3,663 total passing yards. Jimmy Semelsberger '10 ranked fourth in the nation with 9.6 receptions per game and 14th with 111.6 receiving yards per game. Cory McCain '11 was 18th in the nation with 107.67 receiving yards per game and third in the nation with 12.67 points per game.

In 2010, the Hornets led the MIAA and ranked 25th in the country in passing offense while also ranking 43rd in total offense.

As defensive coordinator in 2003, Nickert led the league's top-ranked defense. The Hornets led the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) in scoring defense (18.5 points/game), rushing defense (120.5 yards/game), total defense (291.4 yards/game), fewest opponent first downs (16.1 per game), opponent’s fourth-down conversion success (26.9 percent), and opponent’s third-down conversion success (34.1 percent). The Hornets were second in pass defense (170.9 yards/game), pass defense efficiency (103.1), and sacks (2.3 per game). The Hornets were third in red zone defense. Out of 225 NCAA Division III schools, Kalamazoo ranked 43rd in total defense, 48th in rushing defense, 59th in pass efficiency defense, and 58th in scoring defense.

Nickert graduated from Western Michigan University in 1981 with a degree in education.

In addition to serving as an assistant football coach, Nickert is the College’s equipment manager and director of the intramural program.

Van and his wife, Lana, reside in Kalamazoo with their daughters, Allison and Haley.

John Krajacic
Assistant Coach

John Krajacic begins his fourth year on the Hornets' coaching staff in 2011. After serving as the defensive line coach in 2008, Krajacic moved to the offensive line in 2009 and also serves as the recruiting and video coordinator.

Krajacic played defensive end for the Hornets for four years (2000-03) and graduated from Kalamazoo College with a degree in economics and business in 2004. He was a starter on the league's top-ranked defense in 2003. After college, Krajacic played one season at defensive end for the semi-pro Detroit Downriver Diesels in 2006.

Krajacic served as the junior varsity defensive line coach at Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School in 2007.

John is currently pursuing a master's degree in education along with a teaching certificate through Western Michigan University.

Ty Lynk
Assistant Coach

Ty Lynk joined the Kalamazoo College coaching staff during the summer of 2009.

Lynk most recently served as the offensive coordinator at Portage West Middle School in 2005. He was an assistant coach at Kalamazoo Central High School in 1990-91 where he was in charge of the running backs, wide receivers and defensive backs.

Lynk graduated in 1985 from Muskegon Orchard View where he participated in football, basketball and baseball. Following his high school career, Ty pursued a playing career at the collegiate level and walked on as a wide receiver at Western Michigan University in 1989. Ty was also part of the 1990 Western Michigan University men's basketball team.

Ty is currently finishing up his bachelor's degree at Capella University in Business Administration. In addition to coaching, Lynk is the owner/president of Visual Resources, LLC, a third party sorting/inspection and warehouse company located in Battle Creek.

He resides with his wife (Kelly), son (Justin), and two daughters (Jessica and Jillian).

Ryan McElwain
Assistant Coach

Ryan McElwain enters his third season as the Hornets' defensive line coach in 2011.

McElwain graduated from DePauw University in 2008 with a degree in economics and management. He played linebacker for the Tigers from 2004 to 2007 where he was named a team captain. McElwain earned All-SCAC second team honors, SCAC Academic Honor Roll honors, and was named the 2007 Ken Holland Memorial Award Winner for exemplifying the qualities of the true student-athlete. In addition to football, McElwain competed in shot-put and discus for the track team and earned All-SCAC honors all four years as well as the SCAC shot-put championship in 2008.

McElwain served as the running backs coach at DePauw for the 2008 season, and most recently worked with the Franklin Central (Ind.) High School freshman football team.

In addition to coaching, McElwain is currently pursuing a master's degree in sports management at Western Michigan University.

Ryan Case
Assistant Coach

Ryan Case returns for his third season as an assistant coach in 2011. Case will continue to assist with the defensive line after serving as a student-assistant in 2009.

Case graduated from Kalamazoo College in 2009 with a degree in political science.

He was a four-year letter winner at defensive end and defensive tackle for the Hornets, recording 98 career tackles with five sacks. Case's most productive season statistically came in 2006 when he recorded 39 total tackles with 5.5 for lost yardage and four sacks. He had a career high eight tackles against Hope in 2006 and had two sacks in a game against Wisconsin Lutheran in 2006.

Ryan is single and resides in Kalamazoo.

Phil Harrington
Assistant Coach

Phil Harrington begins his first season as Kalamazoo College's defensive backs coach in 2011.

Harrington is a 2007 graduate of Adrian College, earning a bachelor's degree in exercise science. He earned a master's degree in exercise physiology at Eastern Michigan University in 2010.

Harrington was a defensive back for the Bulldogs from 2005-2007, and returned to his alma mater in 2009 as an assistant coach. He also has spent time coaching at Fremont (Ind.) High School. Most recently, Harrington has been working as strength and conditioning coordinator at No Limit Sports Performance in Mishawaka, Ind.

Cliff Price
Assistant Coach

Cliff Price begins his first season on the Hornets' coaching staff in 2011, working primarily with the linebackers.

Price graduated from Albion College in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in sports management and political science. He attended Thomas M. Cooley Law School for a year before completing a master's degree in sports management at Western Michigan University in 2010.

Price was a linebacker for the Britons in 2001 before an injury ended his career. He was part of a team that won an MIAA championship and was ranked in the top 10 in the country. A native of Portage, Mich., Price played for a Portage Central team that won two conference championships and was ranked as high as third in the state.

Price has worked with Western Michigan University's football program since 2009, starting out as a football operations intern, then working on defensive quality control, and finishing as assistant recruiting coordinator.

Cliff and his wife, Ashlee, reside in Kalamazoo.