Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics

Kevin Sanger enters his fifth season with the Mavericks and second as the offensive line coach. While at MSU, Sanger has served as an adjunct instructor in the Human Performance department as well as an assistant coach with the track and field program. 

The 2015 season saw Sanger shift his duties to the offensive line. The Maverick offense rushed for 2,672 yards and 36 touchdowns, to go with 2,752 passing yards. Seniors Herschel Prater and Nicholas Coy both went on to receive All-NSIC honors as members of the offenisve line, with Prater claiming First Team accolades. Prater also raked in his share of All-American honors from D2Football.com, Don Hansen and the CCA.

The 2014 season, in which Sanger serve as the tailbacks coach, saw the Maverick running backs set an MSU single-season record of 3,625 rushing yards, breaking the previous record of 3,602 rushing yards set in 1987. Junior Connor Thomas led the Maverick rushing attack with 1,363 rushing yards and 13 touchdown carries, while senior Andy Pfeiffer notched 673 rushing yards and eight touchdown carries. Thomas would go on to claim All-NSIC First Team honors.
 
In 2013, the tailback position averaged 6.7 yards per rush while working behind a veteran offensive line. For the 2014 season, the Mavericks return Connor Thomas and Andy Pfeiffer who have each accounted for more than 2,000 career rushing yards.    
 
While wearing multiple hats in 2013, Sanger coached the MSU throwers with the track and field team.  The throwers included Mavericks left tackle Chris Reed who went on to win the NCAA National Championship in the shot put. The Mavericks earned six All-American awards in the throwing events in 2013. 
 
Prior to coming to Minnesota State, Sanger spent the 2011 season coaching at Mankato West High School working with the linebackers. The Scarlets advanced to the state semi-finals that year. 
 
From 1994-2008, Sanger served as an assistant football coach at Central College, in Pella, Iowa. During that time, he coached linebackers, defensive ends, defensive line, and wide receivers and helped guide the school to nine Iowa Conference titles and multiple NCAA Division III playoff berths. He was also the Special Teams Coordinator from 2003-2008. Sanger also served as the Head Track and Field Coach from 1996-2008 guiding the Dutch to five Iowa Conference titles and coaching 117 All-Americans and 11 National Champions. 

While at Central College, Sanger was a four-year letter winner in football and track and field. This included being a three-year starter in football at defensive end and an all-conference selection while also a conference place winner in the shot put, discus and javelin. Sanger was inducted into the Hall of Honor at Central College in 2011. 

A native of Britt, Iowa, Sanger owns a bachelor’s degree from Central College and a master’s and doctorate degree from Iowa State. Sanger and his wife, Kathy, have four children, Jack, Rachel, Nicholas, and Emily and reside in Mankato.