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Mike Gardner

In January of 2006, Mike Gardner became the fifth head coach in the history of the Malone College football program. Gardner brought with him an outstanding track record of success from each of his previous coaching positions and he wasted very little time in instituting a drastic turnaround at Malone, developing a winning attitude for a Pioneer football program that had struggled in recent seasons prior to his arrival.

Before coming to Malone, Gardner had been the head coach at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas for two seasons having led the Bluejays to a school-best 11-1 record in 2005 with an NAIA national playoff victory and a #6 ranking in the final NAIA poll. He also led his 2004 squad to the NAIA playoffs and finished the season with a 9-2 record and a #14 final ranking.

Gardner served as the Defensive Coordinator at Tabor from 2001 to 2003 and helped guide the Bluejays to their first-ever NAIA national playoff appearance in 2003 and a #15 NAIA national ranking. In addition, he was named the AFCA NAIA Assistant Coach of the Year and the AFLAC Assistant Coach of the Year for the 2003 season. His ’03 defense ranked 11th in the final NAIA statistics while his 2002 team ranked an impressive second overall.

He was a three-time NAIA All-American and a four-time All-Conference selection while at Baker University (KS) and he played for a national championship in 1986. He has been involved in 10 national playoff games as a player and eight as a coach and his ’05 Tabor squad won its first-round playoff contest.

Prior to his five-year stint at Tabor, Gardner spent five years at Lindenwood University (MO) where he served as Special Teams Coordinator from 1996-1999 and then as Defensive Coordinator in 2000. Gardner also was the quarterbacks, tight ends and receivers coach at Bethel College (KS) from 1993-1996 and the Special Teams and Recruiting Coordinator at Hastings College (NE) from 1990-1993.

Coach Gardner’s focus during his first year at Malone was to bring his team together as a unit, playing with “one heartbeat.” This motto of playing for each other as a team instead of striving for individual accomplishments brought about immediate improvement as the 2006 Pioneers were able to put together a 7-4 overall record, marking the first winning season for Malone since 1998. The squad ended the year ranked 19th in the final NAIA national poll after posting victories over four Top 20 teams during the regular season. In just one year at the helm of the program, Gardner has quickly brought Pioneer football back to the success and respectability that it hasn’t enjoyed in quite some time.

Personal Background: Michael N. Gardner, age 40, born on March 9, 1967. Married to Julie; two sons, Ben (14), Brooks (5).

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education from Baker University (KS) in 1990. Master of Arts in Teaching at Hastings College (KS) in 1993.

Coaching Career: Head Coach, Tabor College (KS) 2004-2006; Defensive Coordinator, Tabor College 2001-2003; Defensive Coordinator, Lindenwood University (MO) 2000; Special Teams Coordinator, Lindenwood University 1996-1999; Quarterbacks/Tight Ends/Receivers Coach and Special Teams Coordinator, Bethel College (KS) 1993-1996; Special Teams and Recruiting Coordinator, Hastings College 1990-1993.

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