Contact: Kerry Kahl, Sports Information Director - Cornell College, kkahl@cornellcollege.edu
MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – Iowa High School Hall of Famer Curt Ritchie has been named Cornell College’s new head football coach, as announced Wednesday by Director of Athletics Jeff Meeker.
Ritchie comes to the Hilltop with 32 years of head coaching experience, including an exceptional 24-year run at Williamsburg High School where he built the Raiders into a perennial state power.
“We are incredibly excited to have Curt Ritchie join our team as the next Head Football Coach at Cornell,” Meeker said. “Curt is a community builder and a coach who cares deeply about his student-athletes on and off the field. He is well connected and respected. Curt’s track record of success speaks for itself.
“We can’t wait to have Curt on campus. I know he’s ready to get to work on building a championship program here at Cornell.”
Ritchie directed his teams to 23 playoff appearances in the past 25 years, capped by a Class 3A state championship with Williamsburg in 2023. Owner of 245 career wins while at English Valleys High School (1993-2000) and Williamsburg (2001-24), Ritchie was recently inducted into the Iowa Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Ritchie is ready for a new challenge at Cornell. The Rams are coming off their first back-to-back .500 seasons since 2016. Last year’s team finished 5-5 overall, 5-4 in the Midwest Conference.
“This is something I envisioned for a long time. The timing is definitely right,” Ritchie said. “To me, it’s always been about the people. From my initial connections on campus, Cornell felt like a perfect fit. I was really awed by the people and the vision.”
Ritchie fashioned an impressive 204-62 record at Williamsburg. The Raiders qualified for the playoffs in each of his final 17 seasons there. Williamsburg advanced to the UNI-Dome (Final Four) seven years and played in the state championship game four times (2023, 2022, 2017, 2002).
Ritchie was named 2022 Class 3A State Coach of the Year. The following season, he guided Williamsburg to its first football state title.
“I think having success is a choice. You have to work for it,” Ritchie said. “At Cornell, people will see a confident bunch of guys who play fast and with great passion. We will be tough mentally and physically. We’ll try to get better every day and that’s what I’ll ask my staff to do. Be humble, be driven and love Cornell College. My goal is to make the team understand what Cornell football is going to be.”
Ritchie took English Valleys to the 2000 state quarterfinals in his eighth and final season there.
Several of Ritchie’s players have gone on to compete collegiately. Offensive lineman Austin Blythe (Iowa) played in Super Bowl LIII. Return specialist Kaden Wetjen (Iowa) earned 2024 all-America honors with the Hawkeyes.
“I want to build a football family where everybody has a love for it, so much that they want to see it continue and help it grow anyway they can,” Ritchie said. “It all comes down to the people and making connections. Make people want to be here, and that’s what we’re excited to build.”
Ritchie graduated from the University of Iowa in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. He earned a master’s in educational leadership/administration from Drake University in 2008.
While at Williamsburg, Ritchie also served as elementary teacher (2001-07), activities director (2007-18) and transportation director (2018-23). He was head softball coach for the Raiders for seven seasons, highlighted by a state tournament appearance in 1995.