Norwich University

This is the third time that Mike Yesalonia has been elected to the Hall of Fame. He was a member of the 1979-80 football team and an Assistant coach on the 1984-85 team; both of which were previously inducted. A 1982 Norwich graduate with a degree in Physical Education, Yesalonia was a three year letter winner in football as an inside linebacker. In his senior year, he was voted MVP of the team for defense and won the Defensive Point Award. Also a Cadet, Yesalonia served on the junior and senior honor committees and was a member of Skull and Swords. He received a Master's degree in Education from Norwich in 1983. 
From 1983-89 Yesalonia worked for Norwich Athletics in several roles; assistant coach for football, and defensive coordinator, assistant and head lacrosse coach. From Norwich, he moved to Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., working as a defensive coordinator and then a pass game coordinator. For four years from 1993-96 Yesalonia was a defensive coordinator at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA. During his time at Dickinson the team won three conference titles, and Yesalonia had three of his players receive awards for defensive players of the year. In his final season at Dickinson the team was undefeated for the first time in school history and went to the Division III playoffs. 
Returning to Norwich in 1997, Yesalonia became the Cadets' 27th head football coach. During his eight years leading the team, he turned a struggling program into a successful one. The team posted the first victory against Springfield College in over 40 years and became the first Cadet team to defeat King's Point College. In 2003 and 2004, the Cadets played in post-season bowl bids for the first time in 20 years. He was commended by Athletic Director Tony Mariano, as having had a "tremendous impact on the success of the Norwich Football program since his arrival."
Yesalonia left coaching in 2005 for his current position as Director of New Markets/Athletic Recruiting at Norwich. He works with coaches on recruiting plans and is the conduit between athletics and admissions. For Yesalonia, traveling to talk to prospective students about Norwich is an "easy sell" and a natural fit. "I believe in Norwich so much" he says, "and I enjoy my contact with kids and the chance to help them make good decisions about their lives."
A big part of Yesalonia's decision ot leave coaching had to do with spending time with his two sons, Michael and John. he spent two years volunteering for the Spaulding High School football program while they both played. Mike is a sophomore and a member of the corps and football team at Norwich John is a freshman at Roger Williams College in Rhode Island. Yesalonia's wife, Susan, is a Physical Education faculty member at Norwich. Yesalonia also stays active in Norwich and community organizations. He is on the board of Directors of the Partridge Society and Vce President and a member of the Board for Norwich's Touchdown Club. He has been active in the Barre Youth Sports Association and a member of the Executive Board for the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.