Bruce Wasem will guide the University of Virginia's College at Wise football program for the eighth year and looks to continue the momentum the team has built over the past three seasons. 

 The Highland Cavaliers have posted a 25-8 record under Wasem over the combined 2007-09 campaigns, finishing ranked in the final NAIA Poll each season.

The veteran coach guided the team to an 8-3 mark for 2008, the third-straight campaign of at least eight victories.

 The Cavs had their best year of 9-2 under the veteran coach and claimed the program's first Mid-South East Division title in 2007.  UVa-Wise finished the year 14th in the NAIA's final ratings with a high mark of seventh.

  Wasem earned his first Mid-South East Coach of the Year honors in 2006 when UVa-Wise posted an 8-3 mark.  The squad was rated 24th in the final national rankings and made it as high as 16th.

 The longtime Highland Cavaliers' coach has been one of the architects of the football program.  The head coach is in his 19th-year with the program and is the only person to have seen all 184 games the team has played.  Wasem has seen UVa-Wise go from not owning a single football in March of 1991 to today when its facilities are arguably the best of any small college in the nation.

  Wasem has helped see the program from its inception, through two NAIA playoff runs and the building of Beaty-Richmond Field at Carl Smith Stadium complex.

Wasem joined his long-time mentor Bill Ramseyer, the founding head coach of Highland Cavalier football, in the early spring of 1991 to start the program.  He was the team's Defensive Coordinator for the first 11 years where he helped UVa-Wise reach the national playoffs in 1995 and achieve an undefeated season and another playoff berth in 1996.

 Upon Ramseyer's retirement in 2002, Wasem assumed the head coaching duties and helped initiate the Cavs' transition into the nationally-recognized Mid-South Conference.

 Before coming to the Cavs, Wasem coached under Ramseyer at Wilmington College of Ohio for 17 years, serving as the Defensive Coordinator as well as the Head Baseball Coach for six years and Director of Intramurals.

  The head coach has served as American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) chair of the NAIA Assistant Coaches Committee for two different terms as well as working on the AFCA's football rules committee. Recently, Wasem was selected as the second ever Vice President of the NAIA Football Coaches Association.

    On the UVa-Wise campus, Wasem is a teacher and advisor in the physical education major.  He also chairs the Student Publication Committee.

    The Ohio native played college football for Bluffton College and later obtained his M.A. from Ohio State University.

 

Dewey Lusk begins his fifth season leading what has become one of the top offensive units in the NAIA.  Lusk has instilled an exciting brand of offense and play-calling to the Cavs' attack. 

The UVa-Wise offense finished fourth in the NAIA in scoring offense (41.4 ppg) while finishing second in the nation in pass efficiency (174.9) and total offense (477.5 yds./gm).  The Cavs led the Mid-South East in scoring offense, pass efficiency and total offense.

Along with having the top total offense unit, Lusk saw quarter back Randy Hippeard lead the nation in total offense (339.9 yds./gm) and passing yards per game (330.6 yds./gm).

The offensive coordinator came to UVa-Wise after serving 14 years as an assistant coach to the now retired Emory & Henry College head coach Lou Wacker.  He was Coach Wacker's offensive coordinator and also served as the head baseball coach, where he produced more wins than any coach in school history. 

Lusk earned his bachelor's degree from Emory & Henry and master's degree from Gardner-Webb University, where he also served as an assistant coach.  The Christiansburg (VA) High School product graduated in 1981 and played under current Powell Valley head coach Phil Robbins.

Coach Lusk is married to Mily Dover of Shelby, NC and they have two children, Gil, 17, and Landi, 15.

In Coach Kuczko's first year as defensive coordinator the Cavs' improved from a national ranking of 90th in total defense to a ranking of 42nd in 2008.  The defense improved in points allowed, rushing yardage per game and pass yardage per game.

The 2008 Cavs' were ranked 18th in the nation in sacks with 30 and 20th in the nation in opponents third down conversions, holding opponents to a 31% success rate.  The unit tied for sixth in the nation with 18 pass interceptions to go along with 13 forced fumbles.

James Haley was selected Mid-South first team as a defensive back along with honorable Mention selections Keith McBride, Danny Hinkle and Amondre Johnson. 

The coach and his wife, Donna, who live in Abingdon, Va., have two daughters, Kelly and Shea. Kelly and her husband Shawn Good live in Christiansburg and they have two daughters, Hayse and Rena. Shea is married to Zach Tritt and they have a daughter, Tallian, and live in Abingdon. 

As a senior, Justin Qualls will be a student assistant coach helping direct the running back and the video coordinator for the Cavs.

Qualls is a graduate of Powell Valley High School where he started for three years in the defensive secondary and helped the team to a state final appearance and regional championship.

The assistant from Big Stone Gap, Va. is a double major in health and physical education and sport management at UVa-Wise.

For the second year, Randy Ramseyer will direct the linebackers and be part of the defensive coaches for the Highland Cavaliers staff.

He was an assistant for UVa-Wise for each of the program's first 14 seasons under his father, Bill Ramseyer and then under current head coach Bruce Wasem.

Shawn Austin begins his fourth season on coach Wasem's staff.  He directs the Cavs' defensive secondary and adds special teams coordinator this season.  

In 2008 the Cavs' set a team record for interceptions in a season by picking off 18 opponent passes.   More recently, Austin's secondary has produced two Mid-South East All Conference performers.  Last season, James Haley was a first team selection while Keith McBride garnered honorable mention status.  Both Haley and McBride return to the Cavs' secondary this season. 

Coach Austin is in his 20th year of coaching including 10 years at Moreno Valley (Ca.) High School and five years at Victor Valley College in Victorville, Ca.

Austin played college football for Cal State Fullerton.  He and his wife, Roseanne, live in Big Stone Gap, Va. and have three children, Shaniece, 18, Samantha, 10, and Shane, 8.

Mike Owens will return to the collegiate coaching ranks in 2009.  The former UVa-Wise wide receiver will direct the wide receivers and kickers this season. 

Owens was a star on the gridiron for the Cavs' during his playing days and still holds two school records for the longest receiving touchdown and yards per catch average for a career.  The former wide out was elected into the UVa-Wise Hall of Fame in 2005 for his on field accolades.

The Clincho, Virginia native is no stranger to the coaching ranks as well.  He served as an assistant to long time Haysi coach James Colly for the past nine seasons where Haysi posted a 70-24 record.  Previous to being an assistant at the high school level Owens was an assistant coach at UVa-Wise from 1997-1999.

Ownens earned a bachelor of science in Accounting and business administration from UVa-Wise and a degree in bank management from the University of Virginia.

Cindi Smoot will be the full time equipment manager for the 2009 season. 

Previously, Cindi worked as the student equipment manager over the 2007 and 2008 seasons.  Her duties also include overseeing a student work staff of three in gameday video filming.  Over her tenure Cindi has been known for her tireless work ethic and devotion to the Highland Cavalier Football Team. 

She is a graduate of Strasburg High School and recently earned a business degree from UVa-Wise. 

After completing a stellar collegiate career, Randy Hippeard will step into the coaching ranks for the 2009 season. 

Hippeard was a four year starter at quarter back for the Cavs' and holds numerous school records.  Upon the conlcusion of his college career, Hippeard played professionally in Sweeden where he was named offensive league MVP in his first season.

Hippeard will work with the offense, specifically the quarterbacks in 2009.  He is working on finishing his degree in sport management.