Moon Township, Pa. – Robert Morris University head football coach John Banaszak announced Wednesday the hiring of Cornelius Coleman as an assistant coach. Coleman will primarily work with the defensive line.
 
Coleman most recently served as the assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator at Averett University. He was a member of the Cougars' staff for seven seasons and worked with both the defensive line and linebackers in his time there.
 
"For us to get a man like Cornelius Coleman who has an awful lot of experience as a defensive line coach is going to benefit our football program," Banaszak said. "He also brings valuable knowledge about some non-football specific university aspects with some of the prior positions he has held, which will also be very beneficial for us."
 
Coleman had an impact on the Averett defense almost immediately as his work with the unit helped the Cougars break their single-season school record for sacks in 2008 while leading their league in sacks per game. In both 2009 and 2010, Averett led the USA South Conference in turnover margin with Coleman's help. The Cougars actually ranked sixth nationally in that category in 2009, an attribute that helped three linebackers earn all-conference honors while playing under Coleman that season.
 
Coleman guided his group of defensive linemen to a standout season in 2011 as the Cougars ranked 15th nationally in tackles for loss per game, and a trio of Cougars earned all-league honors along the defensive line. Coleman guided both Albert Brown, a postseason All-American honoree, and Corey Scruggs, who broke the school's single-season sack record, to invitations to the Division III Senior Classic Game in 2011.
 
While at Averett, Coleman assisted with strength and conditioning and video aspects of the team. He also served as a liaison for the football program to various administrative departments on campus.
 
Coleman has served for multiple years on the American Football Coaches Association Minority Committee. He was also selected to participate in the NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy in 2012, a unique opportunity that provides former NFL players and college coaches with tools and networking opportunities for careers as football coaches. Coleman also authored an article ("The Five Most Important Drills for Defensive Line Play") that appeared in an issue of Gridiron Strategies in 2012.
 
Prior to his position at Averett, Coleman worked in multiple roles at Robert Morris. He worked in the undergraduate enrollment office at RMU from 2003 to 2007, first as a manager and then as an assistant director. He was also an assistant in the athletics compliance office from 2005 to 2007.
 
Coleman was a four-year letterwinner at defensive end for Waynesburg University. He claimed an All-America honorable mention accolade along with All-Presidents Athletic Conference First Team honors after the 1999 season when he tied for the team lead in sacks and topped the squad in tackles for loss. Coleman was also a member of the first Yellow Jackets squad to claim a PAC Championship in 1998.
 
Coleman went on to compete professionally in multiple leagues. He led the Dayton Skyhawks in sacks and tackles for loss while starting all 18 games with the squad in 2000. He also started 10 games for the Roanoke Steam in 2002 and played both defensive end and tight end.
 
A native of Washington, D.C., Coleman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Waynesburg in 1999. He proceeded to earn a Master of Business Administration degree from Waynesburg (2003) and a Master of Science degree in sport management from Robert Morris (2006). He is in the final stages of earning his Doctorate of Education in educational leadership from Argosy University.