Rich Wright will not return as head coach at Northwest Missouri State after the school announced Tuesday it will not renew his expiring contract. Defensive coordinator Chad Bostwick has been named interim head coach.
Wright has been with the Bearcat football program for 21 seasons. As defensive coordinator and assistant head coach, Wright helped Northwest Missouri State win national championships in 2013, 2015 and 2016. He was the defensive line coach on Northwest Missouri State's 2009 D2 national championship team, and an assistant on four more Bearcat teams that reached the Division II national championship game.
Prior winners chose Wright as the FootballScoop Division II Coordinator of the Year in 2015 and '16.
That success led Adam Dorrel to take the head coaching job at Abilene Christian, and prompted Northwest Missouri State to promote Wright. He leaves the school as the winningest active coach in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association with a record of 65-22, and his .747 winning percentage was among the top 10 among Division II coaches with at least five years of experience.
As head coach, Wright led the Bearcats to three MIAA championships and five Division II playoff trips.
Northwest Missouri State went 6-5 in 2024, closing its season with a 23-7 loss to No. 13 Pittsburg State on Saturday.
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