all-americans highlight football staff

Nolan	Rathbun	Romans	Litzenberger	Fisher

Three players who earned All-America honors playing at local colleges last year are among the additions to the Muhlenberg football coaching staff for the 2009 season.

A big part of the Mules’ recent success, both literally and figuratively, Mike Nolan will coach the tight ends. The 6-4, 300-pound Nolan was a first-team All-Centennial Conference center three straight years, including two seasons as a unanimous selection. In 2008, he was named a preseason All-American by Sporting News and D3football.com. Nolan was co-captain of the team in 2008, when he was selected to the Academic All-District first team.

After four years as an outstanding player for Muhlenberg, Matt Rathbun traded in his helmet for a whistle to coach a position (outside linebacker) he knows very well. Rathbun was Centennial Conference defensive player of the year and a third-team All-American at outside linebacker in 2008. He served as a team captain, led the Mules with 84 tackles and set a school record with 164 yards on interception returns. Rathbun finished his career with 212 total tackles, including 37 for loss, and 14 takeaways on a school-record eight fumble recoveries and six interceptions.

Andy Romans joins the Mule program as coach of the safeties. Romans was two-time Patriot League defensive player of the year as a linebacker at Lafayette College. In 2008, he was named to the FCS All-America second team by Associated Press and The Sports Network and was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS. A three-time All-Patriot selection and member of two PL championship teams, Romans attended the New York Giants minicamp in May 2009.

Mike Litzenberger also joins the Muhlenberg staff as inside linebackers coach, bringing 26 years of coaching experience at local high schools. Litzenberger spent the previous six seasons at Catasauqua High School, including the last three as head coach. He previously worked on staffs at Dieruff (1983-88), Emmaus (1989-93), Parkland (1994-2001) and Freedom (2002) high schools, coaching all three levels of the defense as well as the offensive line and wide receivers.

Wide receivers coach Jeff Fisher rounds out the newcomers. Fisher was an assistant at Southern Lehigh High School in 2008, coaching the wide receivers and safeties. For the three previous years, he coached the wide receivers and outside linebackers at Notre Dame High School, his alma mater.