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On Jan. 8, Tom Gilmore was formally introduced
as the 22nd head football coach in Holy Cross history. Gilmore
was chosen after an extensive nationwide search and an intense
interview process.
“I am very appreciative of everyone that
helped in selecting our new football coach,” says the College’s athletic
director, Dick Regan ’76. “Everyone who spoke
with Tom during the interview process was very impressed,
and we are all extremely excited that he has decided to join
us at Holy Cross. We feel very good about our football program
with the high number of outstanding candidates that applied
for the job, and we believe that we made the best choice
possible. Tom’s enthusiasm, energy and intelligence
were evident throughout the interview process, and we feel
that he is the right man to bring football back to the top.”
Gilmore comes to Holy Cross after spending the last four
seasons as the defensive coordinator at Lehigh University.
Last season, his defense ranked first in the conference
in points allowed (16.8) and second in total defense (304.9).
Under his tutelage the last four seasons, the Mountain
Hawks
have ranked in the top three in scoring defense. In 2001,
Gilmore was named the American Football Coaches Association
Assistant Coach of the Year for molding an inexperienced
unit into one of the top defenses in the league.
Gilmore came to Lehigh after spending eight years at Dartmouth
College. While at Dartmouth, he served as defensive coordinator,
offensive line coach and linebacker coach—helping lead
the Big Green to two Ivy League Championships (1992 and 1996).
An Academic All-American at Pennsylvania, Gilmore was the
Ivy League Player of the Year as a senior defensive tackle.
He helped lead Penn to four consecutive Ivy League Championships
while earning his degree in computer mathematics in 1986.
“I am very excited to become part of
the Holy Cross family,” Gilmore
says. “I appreciate the faith that Father McFarland
and Dick have shown in me being able to lead the Crusader
football program. I am looking forward to moving Holy Cross
football back to the top of the Patriot League.”
Gilmore replaces Dan Allen, who was relieved of his duties
on Nov. 24. Allen had posted a record of 26-63 in his
eight seasons at the helm of the Crusaders.
“We are all very excited about Tom Gilmore
agreeing to be our next football coach,” says Holy Cross president
Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. “Tom is an Ivy League
graduate and coached at both Ivy League and Patriot League
schools. He understands Holy Cross, and we feel that he will
be a tremendous asset to our institution and the Holy Cross
football team.”
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