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.

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 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.

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 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 (15) and Haley (13).

John Krajacic
Assistant Coach

John Krajacic begins his second year on the Hornets' coaching staff in 2009. After serving as the defensive line coach in 2008, Krajacic moves to the offensive line in 2009 and will serve as the recruiting 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.

Matt Rix
Assistant Coach

Matt Rix begins his second season on the Hornet football coaching staff in 2009. He assists with the offense and coaches the running backs.

Rix, a 2000 graduate of Kalamazoo College, returned to his alma mater in 2005 as assistant baseball coach, helping lead the Hornets to a school-record 20 wins in just his second season (2006). He was promoted to head baseball coach that summer and completed his third season as head coach this past spring. The Hornets have set numerous individual and team records during his five seasons on staff.

Rix was a four-year letter winner on the mound as a player for the Hornets and was team captain in 2000. In 1998 he earned team most valuable player and team most improved player honors. He also earned coaches honorable mention honors in 1998. Rix was on the Dean's List and the MIAA Academic Honor Roll all four years.

As a student at Kalamazoo College, Rix studied abroad in Bonn, Germany during the fall of his junior year. He holds a degree in philosophy from Kalamazoo and earned a law degree from Michigan State University in May of 2004. He passed the Michigan Bar exam and is currently an associate at Peter F. Davis & Associates, PC in Mattawan, Mich.

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).

Steve Charon
Assistant Coach

Steve Charon begins his first season as the Hornets' defensive backs coach in 2009.

Charon graduated from Kalamazoo College in 2009 with a degree in health sciences and an economics minor.

Charon played defensive back for the Hornets for four years and accumulated 208 total tackles and four interceptions. He was second on the team in tackles during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. Charon earned All-MIAA First Team honors while playing with an injured shoulder during his senior season.

Charon also played baseball at Kalamazoo College, starting at shortstop and pitcher during his four-year career. With an injury-shortened senior season, Charon played in 63 career games and posted a 4-6 record on the mound.

Ryan McElwain
Assistant Coach

Ryan McElwain begins his first season as the Hornets' defensive line coach in 2009.

McElwain graduated from DePauw University in 2008 with a degree in economics and management. He played linebacker for the Tigers from 2004 to 2007 and was named a team captain, earned 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.

Dustin Neill
Student Coach

Dustin Neill completed his second season as a student coach in 2008.

Neill is a senior at Kalamazoo College double majoring in math and physics.

Neill worked with the football team as a manager in 2006. He worked in the sports information office during the winter and spring quarters of 2007, and served as the official scorer at Kalamazoo College baseball and softball games.

Neill is a 2006 graduate of Berkley High School.

Scott Michel enters his sixth year at Kalamazoo College in 2008-09.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, he received his Bachelor of Science degree from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa.. From there he went on to receive his Master of Arts degree from Western Michigan University, while doing his graduate assistant rotation at Kalamazoo College. Prior to re-joining the 'K' community, Scott worked at Mercyhurst as an athletic trainer for men’s and women’s soccer, women’s basketball, and men’s lacrosse.

Scott oversees the daily operations of two athletic training facilities and the medical coverage of all athletic events. He currently teaches a Care and Treatment of Injuries course at Kalamazoo College.

Scott and his wife, Heather, reside in Kalamazoo.

Greg Brown serves as Kalamazoo College's assistant equipment manager, a position he has held since 1974.

Also known as "Hammer," Greg works with most of the athletic teams, taking care of laundry and locker room facilities. A Kalamazoo resident, Brown graduated from Loy Norrix High School and earned an associates degree in general building maintenance from State Tech in 1973.