Hanover College - Hanover, Indiana

Wayne Perry, Head Football Coach

Wayne Perry

The 2007 campaign marks Wayne Perry’s 26th as head coach of the Hanover College football team. Perry, the winningest coach in Indiana collegiate football history, has compiled a 174-89-2 record with the Panthers.

Perry became the winningest coach in Indiana football history with a 41-35 overtime victory against the College of Mount St. Joseph (OH), Oct. 1, 2005.

He became the winningest coach in Hanover history in fewer than seven seasons. Hanover hall-of-famer John Van Liew had posted 40 wins from 1932 to 1942. Perry surpassed Van Liew with a 49-12 win against Campbellsville in 1988.

A native of Madison, Ind., Perry played on both the offensive and defensive lines at DePauw University, where he earned his bachelor’s (1972) and master’s degrees (1974). Following two years as a graduate assistant coach at DePauw, he was head coach at East Central High School from 1974 to 1978.

He joined Hanover’s staff as Pete Compise’s offensive line coach in 1979 and replaced Compise as the head coach in 1982.

Since becoming head coach, he has not only maintained Hanover’s tradition as a quality program, he has raised the standard. Under his guidance, the Panthers have won eight conference titles (1989, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003), made nine trips to the national playoffs (1984, 1986, 1989, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003) and posted each of the school’s 10-win seasons (10-0 in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2002).

Perry’s early success signaled what was to come in the next few years. After his first season as Hanover’s head coach, he earned the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) District 21 coach of the year honor after leading Hanover to a 7-2 record. In the next 10 years, he was named the District 21 coach of the year seven times.

In addition to the NAIA honors, Perry was named the conference coach-of-the-year in 1989, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2003. In those seasons, the Panthers captured league championships and earned playoff berths five times.

Under Perry, Hanover has had 32 players named to 63 all-American teams, including a precedent-setting three first-team offensive selections in 1991. Hanover has dominated its conference’s player of the year award with 11 league most valuable players from 1989 to 2003.