Friends fires football coach Monty Lewis after 14 seasons

Monty Lewis was relieved of his football coaching duties at Friends on Wednesday afternoon by university administration.

“The administration, with the support of the Board of Trustees, has decided to take the program in a different direction,” said Gisele McMinimy, director of marketing and communications for Friends.

Lewis, who was 93-52 over 14 seasons, did not immediately return a phone message. McMinimy said Lewis was not fired because of his record.

“We are undertaking a new revitalization and growth plan here at Friends and football is a really significant part of that program and are going to be leaders of that plan,” McMinimy said. McMinimy would not say how Lewis did not fit into the plan.

Lewis’ longtime assistant, Matt Welch, was recently fired as defensive coordinator, a decision McMinimy confirmed was made not by Lewis but by the administration.

Dion Meneley, recently hired after four years at Hutchinson Community College, will be the interim coach while Friends searches for a new coach, McMinimy said. Spring football is supposed to begin next week.

Lewis, 52, became Friends’ coach in 2003 after eight seasons at Southwestern, where he was 60-32, and a year as West Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator.

The Falcons peaked with Lewis from 2006 to 2008, winning the KCAC championship all three years and reaching the NAIA playoffs in those seasons. He is 153-84 as a head coach, including a 5-5 record last fall.

Lewis is Friends’ winningest coach and was No. 7 in wins last year among active NAIA coaches.

Lewis’ son, Josh, completed his junior season on the football team last fall.

This story was originally published March 15, 2017 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Friends fires football coach Monty Lewis after 14 seasons."