George Penree was named the Interim Head Football Coach for the Saints for the 2018 season and has spent five seasons with the program.
Penree was the team’s Defensive Coordinator the previous four seasons and will still coach the Defensive Backs this season, as well as, being the team’s Special Teams Coordinator.
In his time as Defensive Coordinator, Penree coached a squad that recorded its first shutout in program history and had another game where it held an opponent to zero yards rushing. Penree coached 15 First Team All-UMAC choices and had a unit that finished in the top 25 in the country in total defense in 2014.
In 2015, Penree coached a D3football.com Honorable Mention All-American performer in linebacker Alex Mangan. That year his unit ranked ninth in the nation forcing 32 turnovers.
Last year, Penree was a finalist for the Assistant Coach of the Year Award handed out by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). His squad led the conference with three defensive touchdowns and ranked 13th in NCAA Division III passing defense.
Penree came over from Utica College (N.Y.) where his duties included Assistant Head Coach, Offensive Line Coach, Tight Ends Coach and Recruiting Coordinator from the 2008 season through the 2013 season. While at Utica, he was twice nominated for the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year award.
Other stops previous to Utica include a year at Waldorf College (Iowa) and three seasons at Heidelberg College (Ohio).
Penree, a Utica native, earned his degree in Communication/Journalism from St. John’s Fisher College (N.Y.) in 2003 and earned his Master’s in Education from Heidelberg in 2006.
During his playing days, Penree was a four-year member of the St. John’s Fisher offensive line and served on the Leadership Council his junior and senior seasons.
Penree is married to his wife, Sherry and have a daughter Lola.
