More than 15 years ago, Mike McElroy was a Lowell Red Arrow, playing on the varsity football team under Coach Noel Dean – “a guy you’d run through a wall for,” he says.
Now, McElroy is hoping he’ll be the guy players will want to run through a wall for as he takes over the head coaching position at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota.
“It was a bit of a process,” he says. The university went through a national search for a head coach to replace Steve Johnson, a Bethel legend who guided the team through 35 seasons. However, after looking at other candidates, the institution decided to hire from within and went with McElroy who served for seven years as the team’s defensive coordinator.
From Red Arrows to Royals
As a high school player, McElroy was a wide receiver and defensive back. He graduated in 2007 and was part of the 2004 state championship team.
“It was amazing getting to play for Coach Dean,” he says, noting he was “a guy who was true to himself.”
After high school, McElroy went to Southern Illinois University where he played safety as part of the Salukis football team. Upon graduation, the football player turned into a football coach. He spent a few years at the high school level before joining the coaching staff at the University of Minnesota and later Concordia-St. Paul.
McElroy became a coach at Bethel about seven years ago, and the university’s Director of Athletics Greg Peterson credits him as helping the Royals football team make three NCAA playoff appearances as well as earn a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship.
In 2023, under McElroy’s leadership as defensive coordinator, the team ranked second nationally in red zone defense and also ranked high in terms of interceptions and turnovers gained.
Molding Together Two Passions
For McElroy, football is a perfect way to prepare for the challenges that life will inevitably bring.
“I love the fact that (football) takes time. It’s tough,” he says. The sport requires players to work together with everyone doing their part. “It’s good instruction for life,” he notes.
Bethel University is a Christian institution which allows McElroy to combine two of his passions. “We get to blend growing in your faith with football,” he says.
That means being able to discuss more than just what happens on the field with players. “We get to talk about things like what it means to be a man,” he shares as an example. McElroy knows that college students are at a tender age, and while he wants to win games, he is more focused on being a positive influence for players than on the season-end record.
Looking forward, he doesn’t anticipate making any significant changes to the Royals program. “The previous coach laid an incredible foundation,” he says. His hope is to build on that and create an atmosphere that will have a positive impact on players.
At Home in Minnesota, Roots in Lowell
McElroy and his wife Austyn – whom he met at Lowell High School – are happily settled in Minnesota now. They love the St. Paul area and currently have two children with a third on the way. Still, their roots in Lowell are deep.
“I’m grateful for the community of Lowell,” McElroy says. Both his and his wife’s families live here, and McElroy looks back on his time as a Lowell Red Arrow as a catalyst to helping him forge a successful career coaching in the sport he loves.
To follow McElroy and his team during the next season, you can visit the Bethel Royals website or Facebook page.
Congratulations to you and I wish you very good luck.