Illinois assistant coach Dana Dimel, who was an All-American offensive deal with for Kansas State and later grew to become the top coach at Wyoming, Houston and UTEP, died Tuesday. He was 62.
Dimel’s spouse, Julie, and kids Winston and Josey introduced his loss of life in an announcement. No trigger was given.
“Right now is a tough day for faculty soccer and our Illini household,” stated Illinois coach Bret Bielema, who had employed Dimel as a senior offensive assistant this previous season. “Dana was an distinctive individual, husband, father, buddy and soccer coach. He affected the lives of numerous coaches, gamers and workers members for greater than three many years in faculty soccer.”
Dimel grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated in 1986 from Kansas State, the place Winston Dimel was later a three-time All-Massive 12 fullback. The elder Dimel attended coaching camp with the Vikings in 1987 earlier than going into teaching together with his alma mater, and he was a part of the early staffs of Corridor of Fame coach Invoice Snyder that rotated a long-suffering program.
He was a part of 12 bowl groups over three separate stints protecting 19 seasons with Kansas State.
“He was a particular buddy and training companion,” Snyder stated in an announcement. “I admired his ardour for serving to his gamers and fellow coaches. He was an enormous a part of the event of the Kansas State soccer program, and alongside together with his spouse Julie, very significant within the Manhattan neighborhood.”
Dimel was employed by Wyoming in 1997 and went 22–13 over three seasons earlier than leaving for Houston, the place he was 8–26 in three seasons. Dimel returned to Kansas State as an assistant, together with a interval at Arizona, earlier than getting a ultimate probability to be a head coach at UTEP, the place he went 20–49 and led the Miners to the New Mexico Bowl over six seasons.
Dimel, who had a profession document of fifty–88 as a head coach, helped the Illini go 9-3 as an assistant this season.
“His affect on our program was unbelievable to witness and be part of,” Bielema stated. “His infectious optimistic power had a serious affect on me, our gamers and everybody in our constructing daily. He will likely be dearly missed. Our ideas and prayers are together with his spouse and household.”
