SPORTS
Abell Introduced as New Davidson Football Coach
Scott Abell was introduced as the Wildcats’ new football coach. Abell comes to Davidson from Washington & Lee University. He is Davidson’s 28th football coach in the 118-year history of the program.
Scott Abell was introduced as Davidson’s new head football coach today. The Red Ventures room in the Vance Athletic Center was filled to capacity for the press conference.
Davidson College president Dr. Carol Quillen introduced Scott Abell as the Wildcats’ new football coach. Abell comes to Davidson from Washington & Lee University. He is Davidson’s 28th football coach in the 118-year history of the program.
Athletic Director Jim Murphy kicked off the event by highlighting the importance of the search effort to ensure the college found the right coach to lead the football team. He introduced college president Dr. Carol Quillen to make the formal introduction.
Quillen welcomed Abell and thanked all those who had been involved in the selection process. She spoke of Abell’s varied career – including time spent as a professional baseball player. After making brief remarks, Abell took questions from reporters and Wildcat football fans alike. Those questions ranged from recruiting to style of offense and defense.
Scott Abell, Davidson’s new head football coach took questions from the media and Wildcat fans in a press conference. Abell comes to Davidson from Washington & Lee University. He is Davidson’s 28th football coach in the 118-year history of the program.
When asked about style of play, Abell responded “I’m an option guy by nature, I have been an option guy my whole career. But it is a little different everywhere I have been. I’m a true believer that you grow, you evolve, as a coach – sticking true to your roots, and my roots are option football. But we will probably look different than any other option team you have seen.”
A Davidson fan asked the coach how he planned to recruit superior athletes so that we can compete in this league. Abell said his vision was simple, but that it wouldn’t be easy. “If you look at the greater landscape of elite academic institutions and sports, Davidson is in a very small group. When you talk about the Ivy League schools – Dartmouth, Brown, Harvard, Yale – and even put Washington & Lee in there to an extent. To me – we have to out recruit those schools – we have to out-recruit the Ivy schools to compete in the Pioneer League.”
Abell comes to Davidson from Washington & Lee University in Virginia where he had a 39-24 record over six seasons. He was named by his peer coaches as the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Coach of the Year twice, and his teams earned three ODAC Championships. Prior to his tenure at Washington & Lee he coached two high school programs. He is a graduate of Longwood, and is married with two children.
Jane Campbell
Jane Campbell, U.S. Navy, Capt. ret., grew up in a military family and lived around the globe before graduating from Davidson College with a degree in Political Science. During a 25-year career in the Navy, she served aboard three different ships and held a variety of shore-based assignments. She was stationed on the East and West coasts, as well as overseas. She had tours at the Pentagon and the White House, and volunteered for a deployment to Afghanistan. She moved to Davidson in late 2014 and has become involved in a variety of volunteer activities with college, church, and community. She serves as a photographer and Sports Editor for News of Davidson.