Richard Tressler

Richard Tressler is the current president of the National Collegiate Sports Leauge (NCSL). He has served at that position since 2013. Richard is 71 years old. Before becoming the President of the NCSL, Richard served as the Athletic Director at Pontiac State.

## Personal Life

Richard Tressler was born on December 30th, 1948 in Cleveland, Ohio to Charles and Annita Tressler. His dad for the entirety of his childhood served as a High School football Coach, whitch sparked Richard's early interest in sports. He would go on to become a running back at James Ford Rhodes High School in Cleveland, were he would go on to set the record for most rushing touchdowns in a season his junior season, break the record for most touchdowns in a career in his senior season, and later in his senior season beating his own record for touchdowns in a season. He would go on to attend Syracuse, were he would share starting duties for his junior and senior seasons. He would be named to the 3rd team all America team in 1970. He would go undrafted in the NFL draft. Shortly after, he would pursue a coaching career, being hired as a GA assistant at Syracuse. He would soon after however, be offered the RBs coach position at Alleghany University in the NCSL, a job he accepted. He would serve as the RBs coach and offensive coordinator at Alleghany until 1986, when he would be hired as the RBs coach and Co-Offensive coordinator under legendary coach Josh Trenton, who had just came off of two consecutive national titles. Richard would hold this job until 1994, when he would accept the job as the head coach at Nashua University, where he would stay until 2006, when he would leave the coaching career behind, and would accept the Athletic Director job at Pontiac State. Pontiac State had been struggling in all sports the past years, especially football, compiling its first ever winless season in the teams history at 0-12, in Josh Trenton's 36th season as head coach. Under immense pressure to fire Josh, richrd refused, saying that he trusted that Coach Trenton could save the team. By 2009, the team was back bowling, and by 2013, Josh Trenton would take home his fourth national title. Under Richard's oversight, Pontiac State would improve in basketball, baseball, softball, and hockey, all sports that they were normally outstanding in before 2006. However, in 2013 the job for president of the NCSL would open, and Richard, although and underdog for the position, would end up getting the job. However, in 2016, Richard would return to coach in the NCSL Division 1 All-American Legends team, where he would coach them to a 21-20 win over the Leaders. He would return to coach the Legends in 2018, where he would lose 35-24. That same year, he would be chosen to coach the Division 3 All American game, coaching the East team past the west team with a score of 72-35. In the first game of the 2019 season for Nashua, he would be chosen as the teams honorary captain, and would get to flip the coing at the start of the game.

## Head Coaching Career

### 1994

Richard Tressler was hired after a dissapointing season by former head coach Henry Darling III, where the team finished 2-10. Richard was known for his explosive running offense at Pontiac State, whitch was one of the main reasons he was hired. Richard opened up the season with two straight wins, but it would quickly go downhill from their, as the teams offense completly fell apart after the injury of star RB Sa'Dakah Illmed. The season would end with record of 3-9. Although an improve, Richard would later say in a press conference that he would get this team to winning in the near future.

### 1995

Richard would start the season firing the entire Offensive coaching staff, bringing in new assistants from around the country, as well as several new defensive coaches. They would also bring in the 20th best recruiting class, with 5 star running back Steven Morant highlighting the class. The team would open up the season hot, wining their first 3. By their sixth game, they were 4-2, and had the 17th best rushing offense in the nation. They would finish 6-6, and would book a trip to the Astro Bowl, were they would lose 21-0. The team would finish the season much improved. True freshmen Steven Morant would be named Eastern Coast Conference Freshman of the year, and would be named to the National all Freshman team, destroying the schools freshman rushing yards and rushing touchdowns records.

### 1996

The 1996 season began with high expectations as star RB steven Morant returned for his second season. His Senior QB Lanny Mack returned after an average junior season. Along with that, his entire WR corereturned, and several key defensive members would come back for their senior seasons. The season began with huge upset over #3 ranked Cape Summer, 28-21, bringing Nashua to #20 in the rankings, the first time they had been ranked since 1989, and the highest since 1985. However, they would follow that up with a heartbreaking loss to Alaska State after QB Lanny Mack fumbled the ball on the ASU 20 yeard line with 1 minute remaining, leading to an ASU field goal, leading to an ASU win, 20-17, leading to Nashua dropping out of the rankings. Nashua would win their next five, before losing to top 10 ranked New Amsterdam, 42-21. They would then lose their next two games, eliminating them from conference championship contention. However, they would compete in the Tech Bowl, where Tressler would win his first bowl game as a HC. Nashua would finish the season ranked #18 in the Ap poll, and #19 in the coaches poll. RB Steven Morant would get second team all Eastern Athletic Conference, and Lanny Mack would get third team honors.

### 1997

Coach Tressler would open the season after losing a majority of their senior talent to graduation. However, they would end up winning all four of their first games. After this however, the teams defense would plummet in efficientcy, leading to them losing their next four, before getting their first win in four weeks against John Adams, in 3OT, 63-64. They would finish the season with a 6-6 rank, making them bowl eligible. They would be sent to the Boise Bowl, where they would destroy the opposition 63-17. garnering an unexpected final ranking in the coaches poll at #25, making them the first 7-6 team to be ranked in the major polls since the 60's. Steven Morant would garner first team all Eastern Athletic Conference honors, second team all America honors, offensive Eastern Athletic Conference honors, and would break the record for most rush yards in a single season at Nashua with 1651.

### 1998

The team had lost a majority of its producing talent from the previous year, with only Steven Morant and a majority of the defensive line returning. With a poor recruiting class on top of that, things were not looking good for the team. Nashua opened up with two wins on teh season over several easy opponents, before going on to lose their next six. This would be followed by two more wins, before the season would end. At 4-8, the team would finish not bowl eligible for the second time in coach Tressler's tenure. Shortly after the season ended, Coach Tressler would fire his Defensive and Special Teams coordinators.

### 1999

The season would begin with a little more hope than the previous year, but they were still projected to finish 4-8. During the off season, coach Tressler has fired his entire defensive and special teams staff, in hopes of bringing a new spark to that side of the ball. The season would start with a win again D-II opponent Truman Institute. However, they would lose their next by a combined score of 14-76. They would however pull off 3 straight wins, including a 4OT thriller against rival New Hampshire State. They would finsih the season off 1-5, just short of a bowl bid. The team would finish with a defense that was much improved from teh previous season (Other than the second and third games of the season). The offense was fairly lackluster, averaging the least points out of any team in their conference. However, despite the bad showing, Coach tressler would get an extension through 2002.

### 2000

The 2000 season would start with a recruiting class that surpassed that of the 1995 season. with two five stars (RB Damon Gagnon, and WR Joe Morant, brother of former RB Steven Morant), it would garner the fifth best class name. The season would start with four straight wins and a #18 ranking in the AP poll, however, in their fifth game of the season, starting QB J.B. Jackson would break his leg. This would lead to four straight losses. However, they would be able to rebound to two wins before the. season ended, leaving them bowl eligible. They would be sent to the Astro Bowl, where they would end up losing on a last second field goal.

### 2001

Expectations for the 2001 season would be high, as nearly all offensive starters would return, as well as many defensive players. However, the season would begin with a loss to non conference opponent Nebraska State, 24-22. But, the team would quickly bounce back going on to win their next five before losing to rival New Hampshire State and New Amsterdam. The regular season would end, and the team would be eligible for the conference championship, where they would go to meet New Amsterdam for the second time in a year. So, they would travel to play in East Hartford, Connecticut for their first conference championship game at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. At halftime, the score would be 21-14 in favor of the Nashua Woodchippers. Alas, it was not meant to be, as in the late fourth quarter, New Amsterdam would come back from a 35-21 score, to win 36-35. The team would, however, be sent to the Greek bowl, where they would win, giving coach Tressler his third bowl win at Nashua. The team would finish ranked 9th in the AP poll and 7th in the coaches poll; the highest the school had ever been ranked. Schools across the country would begin to offer coach Tressler jobs, but would instead sign an extension through 2006. Damon Gagnon would earn 2nd team all American honors along with J.B. Jackson and Joe Morant, as well as several other players on the team.

### 2002

Just a few days before the start of the season, the teams Defensive coordinator, Guy Roy, was hired as the head coach for another NCSL team. The team has brought once again a majority of its talent back, and expectations were high.

## Head Coaching Record

### Nashua University

1994 3-9

1995 6-6 Astro Bowl L

1996 8-4 Tech Bowl W AP: #18 Coaches: #19

1997 6-6 Boise Bowl W Coaches: #25

1998 4-8

1999 5-7

2000 6-6 Astro Bowl L

2001 9-3 Greek Bowl W AP: #9 Coaches: #7 Conference Runner-ups

2002 9-3 Archabeld Bowl W AP: #6 Coaches: #6 Conference Champs

2003 6-6 Astro Bowl L

2004 5-7

2005 5-7

2006 7-5 ABC Bowl W AP: #22 Coaches: #22

Record: 79-77