Dane Damron will begin his eighth season guiding the football program at UVA Wise in the fall of 2023. In Damron's first seven seasons, the Cavaliers have compiled 25 victories, including the program's only winning season as an NCAA Division II member when his squad posted a 6-5 mark in 2016.
A year ago, Damron’s squad claimed victories over Ferrum and South Atlantic Conference foe Erskine while three Cavaliers earned all-conference recognition.
In 2022, UVA Wise scored its biggest win to date as an NCAA Division II member when Damron’s squad scored a 35-28 win over Lenoir-Rhyne. The win highlighted a 3-2 start to the season which also featured the program’s first-ever victory over Carson-Newman.
In the spring of 2021, UVA Wise played an abbreviated schedule due to COVID-19 and the program posted a 1-2 record with the win coming in a 40-28 triumph at Mars Hill. The Cavs dropped two games by a combined nine points, including a three-point quadruple overtime defeat to perennial power Carson-Newman.
In 2019, UVA Wise played its first season as a member of the SAC where the team claimed its first-ever SAC win with a 21-14 victory over Catawba College. At the conclusion of the season, return specialist Demetrius Mann earned First-Team All-America status by the College Football Network as he led the league and finished second in NCAA Division II with 20.9 yards per kick return. In addition to Mann, three other Cavs earned All-SAC accolades.
The 2018 season saw the Cavs overcome numerous injuries to play their best ball at the end of the season. After falling 27-15 to eventual national semifinalist Notre Dame College in the team’s final home game of the season, Damron's team claimed its first victory over regional power Shepherd University, 21-16, in the season finale. The win allowed the Cavs to finish the season with wins in three of the team’s final five games after beginning the year 1-4.
In 2016, the team was fifth nationally in red zone defense as opponents scored on just 61.7 percent of their trips while ranking 14th in tackles for loss as the unit averaged 8.9 per contest.
A year later, the Cavs ranked 13th nationally in third-down conversion defense by holding opponents to a 30.1 percent conversion percentage while finishing 22nd nationally with 15 intercepted passes. In 2018, the defense put together its best season to date as an NCAA Division II institution. UVA Wise finished third in tackles for loss per game (9.9), 18th in passing yards allowed per game (168.1), 18th in fourth-down conversion defense (.300), 19th in total defense (302.6 ypg) and 23rd in third-down conversion defense (.311),
The trend continued in 2019 as the defense ranked 15th nationally in passing yards allowed per game (167.5) while holding opponents to a completion percentage of 51.1 percent.
Named the fourth head football coach in school history in December of 2015, Damron came to the College after a seven-year stint at Eastern Kentucky University.
With the Colonels, Damron spent five years as the team’s offensive coordinator. A 22-year coaching veteran, he has been known for his offensive prowess. In his final season at EKU, Damron’s offense set a NCAA FCS record for offensive snaps in a game with 123 against Murray State. In 2012, the Colonels averaged more than 200 rushing yards and 200 passing yards per game. The Colonels rushed for at least 1,700 yards in each of Damron’s five years directing the offense.
During Damron’s tenure as offensive coordinator, EKU posted at least six wins in all five seasons he oversaw the offense. The Colonels tallied eight wins in 2012 before posting nine victories in 2014. Overall, Damron’s teams recorded 69-47 wins and losses during his collegiate coaching career.
Damron began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at EKU in 1994. Following a stint at Morehead State, he became the offensive coordinator at George Jenkins High School in Lakeland, Florida. Later, he moved on to Lake Gibson High School in Lakeland where the school reached previously unchartered waters on the football field. The Braves won their first playoff game in school history and advanced to the regional finals in each of Damron’s last two seasons as head coach.
Following his time in Florida, the coach returned to his native state of Kentucky to become the head coach at Boyd County High School in Ashland, Kentucky. Damron’s track record of success continued with the Lions as they won a playoff game in three consecutive seasons. The coach returned to the collegiate ranks in 2007 when he accepted the head coaching position at Kentucky Christian University. The 2008 season marked the first-ever varsity football team in Kentucky Christian history.
Damron played collegiate football at Georgetown College (Ky.) where he aided the Tigers to the 1991 NAIA National Championship. A two-time All-American, the former quarterback is enshrined in Georgetown’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Damron obtained a bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance from Georgetown College before later earning a master’s degree in sport administration from Eastern Kentucky. The coach and his wife Delisha have two children – Hanna and Derek.
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