Ted Kessinger

Bio

Boasting a .792 percent all-time winning percentage, the Bethany College football program never had a losing season with coach Ted Kessinger at the helm, making him one of the most successful coaches ever in NAIA history. In 28 seasons at Bethany, Kessinger won at least a share of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) title 16 times and took home 11 conference coach of the year honors. Nearly 400 of his players were named All-KCAC. Coaching 43 NAIA All- Americans and 49 NAIA All-America Scholar-Athletes, his teams ranked in the final NAIA top 25 poll 20 times in his 28 seasons. Kessinger led his teams to 13 national championship playoff appearances and was the NAIA's winningest active coach in both percentage of victories and total wins before retiring in 2003. Kessinger was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2003 as well as the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. A lay minister, he is active in the community with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Kiwanis Club and has been honored by the Kansas branch of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The KCAC Champions of Character Award has been named in his honor.