NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Norwich University football program has added veteran coach Keith Emery as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach ahead of the 2026 season, as announced by Head Coach Bill Russell.

Emery joins Russell's staff with more than three decades of coaching experience across the collegiate and high school levels, including a highly successful 13-year run as head coach at Western New England University and multiple stops as a defensive coordinator and position coach.

"We are thrilled to welcome Keith Emery to the Norwich Football program as our new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach," Russell said.  "Coach Emery has long been one of the best coaches and defensive minds in New England and is very familiar with the landscape of Northeast Division III football.  His experience building a championship program at Western New England makes him a terrific resource for me as a head coach.  He has hit the ground running and I can't wait to see what he accomplishes this fall."

Emery arrives in Northfield after most recently serving as the head football coach at Charlotte Catholic High School in Charlotte, N.C., where he posted a 17-8 record over two seasons and guided the Cougars to back-to-back third-round appearances in the North Carolina state playoffs.  Charlotte Catholic also captured the Southwest 4A Championship in 2024, with Emery earning Southwest 4A Coach of the Year honors.

Prior to his time at Charlotte Catholic, Emery served as offensive analyst and director of high school relations at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, working with an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision program competing in the American Athletic Conference.  In that role, he assisted with offensive analysis, advance scouting, recruiting operations, camp management, and relationships with high school coaches across the region.

He also spent the 2022 season as an assistant coach at Presbyterian College, working with the defensive line for the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision program.

"I'm incredibly grateful and excited to be joining Norwich University football," Emery said.  "Norwich is replete with tradition, and it is my honor and privilege to contribute to it.  Our fans can expect a defense that prides itself on executing the fundamentals, playing with relentless pursuit, and delivering punishing tackling."

Emery is best known in the New England college football landscape for his tenure at Western New England, where he became the first full-time head coach in program history and developed the Golden Bears into one of the region's most consistent Division III programs.

Across 13 seasons, Emery compiled an 86-49 record, becoming the winningest coach in Western New England football history.  His teams captured New England Football Conference championships in 2011, 2015, and 2016, added a Commonwealth Coast Conference title in 2017, and made four NCAA Championship appearances in 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Western New England was ranked among the top seven teams in New England five times during Emery's tenure, including No. 1 regional rankings in both 2015 and 2016.  The Golden Bears also earned a national top-25 ranking in 2016 and captured the ECAC North Central Bowl Championship in 2010.

Individually, Emery was twice named New England Football Conference Coach of the Year, twice selected as New England Football Writers Division II/III Coach of the Year, and earned Gridiron Club of Greater Boston New England Division III Coach of the Year honors in 2015.  He was also a Liberty Mutual Division III Coach of the Year finalist in 2011.

In addition to his success as a head coach, Emery brings extensive coordinator experience to Norwich.  At Western New England, he coordinated the defense for multiple seasons, while also coordinating the offense and kicking game at different points in his tenure.  He coached several position groups, including linebackers, outside linebackers, defensive backs, quarterbacks, and special teams.

Before taking over at Western New England, Emery spent seven seasons as an assistant coach at Johns Hopkins University, including time as associate head coach, defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, recruiting coordinator, special teams coordinator, defensive line coach, and strength and conditioning coach.

During his time at Johns Hopkins, the Blue Jays captured three straight Centennial Conference championships from 2002 through 2004 and made three postseason appearances.  As defensive coordinator, Emery helped lead units that ranked among the nation's best, including a defense that finished No. 2 nationally in scoring defense and No. 7 in total defense in 2003.  Johns Hopkins also led the nation in pass efficiency defense in both 2001 and 2003.

Emery was named the American Football Coaches Association Division III Assistant Coach of the Year in 2005.

His coaching career also includes stops at Kenyon College, Enfield High School, Stafford High School, Providence Day School, and Myers Park High School.  At Providence Day, he coached linebackers for the 2019 NCISAA Division II championship team.  His early coordinator work included leading a Stafford High School defense that helped the program to an 8-2 record, a share of the Pequot League title, and the Sassacus Division crown in 1994.

Beyond the sidelines, Emery has served in several football leadership roles, including on the NCAA Football Playing Rules Committee, the AFCA Division III Council, the NCAA Regional Advisory Committee, and the AFCA Assistant Coaches Committee.  He has also been involved with the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year selection process and has spoken at multiple coaching clinics, including the AFCA National Convention.

Emery earned his bachelor's degree in international studies from Dickinson College in 1994 before completing his master's degree in physical education, with a concentration in athletic administration, from Springfield College in 1996.

He joins a Norwich staff led by Russell, who enters his third season as head coach of the Cadets in 2026.  Norwich will open the season on Friday, Sept. 4, hosting St. Lawrence University at 7:00 p.m. in the Hoffman Cup game at Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium.