STEVENS POINT – The UW-Stevens Point Department of Athletics announced today the hiring of Tom Journell as the new defensive coordinator for the Pointer football program.

Journell, who was most recently the head coach at Elmhurst College in Illinois for the past four seasons, joins a Pointer coaching staff that now has over 60 years combined coaching experience.

“I am excited to be back in the UW system,” said Coach Journell on coming to UWSP. “It just felt right, I feel very comfortable here. Being a head coach was great, but in the end this was the best thing for my family. I hope to come here and help coach Miech win a championship and have UWSP be a power in the WIAC.”

“I am very happy for our defensive players that Tom [Journell] and his family have decided to return to Wisconsin and the WIAC Conference,” said head coach John Miech. “Tom brings with him 20 years of coaching experience, 15 in the WIAC. We could not have had a better hire.”

Journell compiled a 22-18 record in four seasons at Elmhurst, ranking him fifth all-time in Bluejays' history for career wins.

Prior to coaching the Bluejays, Journell was an assistant coach at UW-River Falls for 15 seasons. He joined the Falcon coaching staff in 1989 as the team's secondary coach and was promoted to defensive coordinator a year later. In 1995 he was named assistant head coach, a position he held for eight more seasons.

Last season the Pointers finished 6-4 overall, 3-4 in WIAC play, good for fourth place in the league. The Pointer defense finished as the third-ranked defense in the WIAC, allowing just over 334 yards per game. The Pointers open the 2008 season on Sept. 6 when they host Webber International at 1 p.m. on Goerke Field.

Journell will also serve as the Facilities Director at UWSP.