Jon Cooper
Head Coach
(630) 829-6153
jcooper@ben.edu

Jon Cooper took over the head coaching reins at Benedictine University in 2005 after serving for 19 seasons as an assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Aurora University football program. Cooper immediately added an air of enthusiasm to the Eagles program, thanks to the breadth of his football experience.

From 1998 to 2004, Aurora won four Illini-Badger Football Conference (IBFC) championships, winning 43 of 49 conference games. The 2004 season marked the third time Aurora went to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Cooper was the defensive architect for the previous two NCAA berths, as well.

Cooper’s defenses have achieved several national rankings in in a number of categories, finishing as high as 10th nationally in total defense in 1991, fifth in scoring defense in 1992, eighth in pass efficiency defense in 1992 and fourth in rushing defense in 1999.

In 2001 Aurora finished in the top-20 in passing, rushing and total defense. In the 2002 season, his charges were 17th in total defense. Several defenders who played for Cooper have gone on to earn postseason honors.

While at Aurora, Cooper was also an associate professor in Health/Physical Education.

Before joining the upstart Aurora football program in 1986, he served as head coach at Dixon High School from 1980-85. He was also an assistant at Dixon (1975-79), Wheaton North (1973-74) and Proviso East (1972) high schools.

In his undergraduate days, Cooper played at North Park College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1972. He earned his master’s degree in education from Northern Illinois University in 1979.

Cooper and his wife Linda reside in Aurora, Illinois. They have three sons – Dave, Dan and Jim – and a grandson (Jacob).

Brian Baker-Watson
Offensive Coordinator
(630) 829-6162
bwatson@ben.edu

Brian Baker-Watson joined the Benedictine staff in 2005, bringing over many years of coaching experience to the
program. Most recently, he spent two years as Jon Cooper’s defensive line coach at Aurora University.

Prior to that, he had been a collegiate head coach as well as both an offensive and defensive coordinator for conference rival Concordia University (Ill.). He was the team’s head coach and offensive coordinator from 2000-02 and the defensive coordinator in 1999.

His previous experience consists of four years at Saint Xavier, where he coached the offense and served as recruiting coordinator in 1998-99, as defensive coordinator in 1997-98 and as assistant defensive coordinator and linebacker coach from 1995-96. Baker-Watson began his coaching career at Moraine Valley Community College as assistant coach and special teams coordinator from 1990-94.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Benedictine and his Master of Business Administration in Human Resources from Aurora University.

Baker-Watson and his wife Stevie have two children – Shay and Brooks.

Jim Schroeder
Defensive Coordinator
(630) 829-6168
jschroeder@ben.edu

Jim Schroeder joined the Benedictine staff in 2005 with a varied background as a coach and player at both the
collegiate and international levels.

Prior to joining the Eagles staff, he was the runningbacks and defensive line coach at Davidson College in North Carolina (2003-04), and in 2002 he coached the defensive tackles at Columbia University in New York.

A star player for Valparaiso in his undergraduate days, Schroeder was an All-Pioneer Football League defensive tackle in 2000 at Valparaiso and Football Gazette gave him honorable mention honors on its Mid-Major All-America team.

The summer after he graduated from Valparaiso with a bachelor’s degree in physical education, Schroeder was an assistant coach of Dortmund-Bochum Giants American football team in Germany. He served as graduate assistant coach for the offensive line in 2001 at Valparaiso.

Schroeder and his wife Theresa reside in Lisle.


Karl Hoinkes
Linebackers/Special Teams/Recruiting

After over a quarter century as one of the most successful prep coaches in the state of Illinois, Karl Hoinkes joined the Benedictine University staff in 2007. Hoinkes is responsible for linebackers and special teams as well as being heavily involved in recruiting.

Hoinkes began coaching at Oswego in 1981 and retired from his on-field duties there after the 2006 season and from teaching at the end of that school year. Hoinkes’ success in building the Panthers’ program into statewide prominence is well documented. His accomplishments include: a won-loss record of 190-87 (.686); two state championships (Class 7A in 2003 and Class 4A in 1992); four state semifinal berths; 19 playoff appearances; and eight conference crowns.

Hoinkes coached in the Illinois Shrine Game three times and has sent numerous student-athletes on to play at all collegiate levels. He has also had three of his players go on to play in the National Football League. He was inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005.

Vince McMahon
Offensive Line

With nearly a half-century’s worth of coaching experience, Vince McMahon is the dean of the Eagles staff. He came to Benedictine in 2005 after working with coach Jon Cooper at Aurora University for seven years.

McMahon’s coaching resume includes 17 years as head coach and athletic director at Illinois Valley Community College where his teams went 112-58, won four conference titles, five regional championships and four of five bowl games. He sent 350 players on to play football at four-year schools. A member of the National Junior College Football Coaches Hall of Fame and the Region IV Hall of Fame, McMahon is a lifetime member of the American Football Coaches Association.

McMahon’s career path also includes stints at UW-Superior; St. Peter High School in St. Peter, Minnesota; Vermillion Junior College; Rochelle High School; and Woodrow Wilson High School in Sioux City, Iowa.

He is the author of the book “Coaching the Option Wing.”

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Morningside College in Sioux City with a dual major in physical education and social studies and a minor in English. He earned his master’s degree from the University of South Dakota in physical
education.

Mike Oleszek
Defensive Backs

Mike Oleszek came to Benedictine in 2005.

Oleszek was a member of the Aurora University staff from 1998-2004 where he was the defensive backs coach. He saw three of the defensive backs he coached qualify for
All-America honors.

A former head football coach at Wheaton North High School (WNHS) in 1996-97, Oleszek led the Falcons to the second round of the state playoffs in 1996. Currently, Oleszek is an assistant boy’s basketball coach for WNHS and is chair of the Driver’s Education Department.

He was a quarterback for all four years at Elmhurst College, where he earned a degree in physical education. He earned a master’s degree from Chicago State University and a post-graduate degree from Northern Illinois University.

Oleszek and his wife Julie reside in Naperville, Ill., where she is an elementary school teacher.

John Karpowicz
Quarterbacks

Former Illinois Benedictine College (now Benedictine University) quarterback John Karpowicz returned to the "nest" as an assistant football coach at his alma mater in 2007.. Prior to joining the BU staff, Karpowicz was the head varsity coach at Glenbard West High School for nine seasons (1998-2006).

He led the Hilltoppers to three consecutive IHSA playoff appearances and his 2003 squad reached the second round of the playoffs. Prior to that, he was the head coach at Driscoll Catholic High School for three seasons (1995-97), where he led the Highlanders to a 21-10 mark (including a Suburban Catholic Conference title and quarterfinal playoff berth in 1996).

Karpowicz's coaching experience also includes collegiate stints at Lake Forest College, as an offensive line coach in 1994, and for IBC as a quarterbacks coach in 1988. On the prep level, he was the offensive coordinator at East Chicago Central High School from 1989-93. He also assisted with the varsity quarterbacks, and coached the freshman team, at Naperville North High School in 1987.

During his own collegiate career for the Eagles, Karpowicz played both football and baseball. On the gridiron, he was a four-year starter at quarterback, leading the team to a 9-1 record in 1986 (which still ranks as the best season in the modern era of football at the school). He was IBC's football MVP and team captain as a senior in 1986. He was also a two-time team captain for the baseball team in 1986 and 1987.

Karpowicz earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Illinois Benedictine College in physical education in 1987. He has a Master of Arts degree in physical education from Chicago State University (1996).

Mike Dunn
Assistant Offensive Line

Mike Dunn, who joined the Benedictine staff in 2004, is a veteran of 40 years of coaching football at the high school and college levels. Dunn graduated from Benedictine – then known as St. Procopius College – in 1968.

Dunn started his career at the age of 21 at Aurora Central Catholic High School, leading his team to seven Private School League titles in 10 years. He’s a member of the Illinois High School Football Hall of Fame.

From 1985-95, Dunn was head coach at Round Lake High School, where he coached his team to the state playoffs six times. He also served as head coach at Waukegan East from 1978-83 and has worked as an assistant at College of DuPage (2000-2003), Wheaton North High School (1997-2000) and Carmel High School (1994-1996).

Currently, Dunn is the Dean of Students at Wheaton-Warrenville South High School, a position he began in 2001.

Dunn and his wife, Anne Marie, have three children, Maurine, Mike and Brianne. His sister, Nora Dunn, is an actress who starred on “Saturday Night Live” and his brother, Kevin Dunn, is also a Hollywood actor.

Paul Pierucki
Defensive Assistant/Special Teams

Paul Pierucki joined the Eagles’ football staff in 2007. He joined the Benedictine staff after earning his master’s degree in sports management from California University of Pennsylvania in 2006.

Pierucki earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Arizona in 2001.

Pierucki’s coaching experience began at Crown (Minn.) College, where he was an assistant coach from 2001-02. From 2003-05, he served as the Director of Quality Control and assistant coach for the Fort Wayne Freedom of the United Indoor Football League (UIFL). Concurrently, he was an assistant coach at Oak Creek High School in Wisconsin from 2004-05, while also holding a
similar prep position at Clover Hill High School in Virginia in 2006.

Pierucki was born in Kalamazoo, Mich., and grew up in Maple Grove, Minn. He is married (Jessica).

J.D. Harris
Receivers/Passing Game Coordinator
jharris@ben.edu

J.D. Harris joined the Benedictine football staff in 2007. He is responsible for the Eagles’ passing game and is the receivers coach.

Harris comes to Benedictine having most recently served as the passing game coordinator at Luther College (helping the Norse to the fifth-ranked offense in the nation). Prior to that, he was the offensive coordinator at Trinity International University for two seasons and the wide receivers coach at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for one year. Additionally, he has worked in the office for both the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns.

Harris is a native of Waukegan, Ill., and attended Waukegan High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree in communications from Lake Forest College in 1999.

Jim Goforth
Student Assistant

Jim Goforth became a student assistant coach with the Benedictine program after completing his final year of eligibility as a member of the Eagles’ football team in 2006. Goforth works with the quarterbacks, manages the Eagles equipment inventory and
oversees videography.

Prior to coming to Benedictine, Goforth spent three seasons as a quarterback for Ohio Northern University.

As a prep, he played at his hometown high school in Middletown, Ohio, where he enjoyed an outstanding career. A three-sport athlete at Middletown (football, basketball and baseball), Goforth earned all-conference and all-area accolades on the gridiron, while also serving as his team’s captain.

Goforth volunteers time working with the Special Olympics, volunteering in bowling, track and field, bingo and basketball. He is a special education major at Benedictine.