WILKES-BARRE – Wilkes University football head coach Jonathan Drach announced his resignation from the University Friday after accepting the head coaching position at Union College (NY).
 
Wilkes finished the 2023 season with a 5-6 overall record, its sixth straight year of five or more wins under Drach. The Colonels also finished in second place with a 4-2 mark in their first year of Landmark Conference play. With its second-place finish, Drach led the squad to its first berth in the Chesapeake Bowl Challenge as the Colonels captured a 35-17 win at home against Bridgewater College to close the season.
 
Drach pioneered one of the biggest turnarounds in Division III football in his first year in 2018 when he led the Colonels to a 6-4 record after the team went winless in 2017. The six wins matched the best mark since the 2012 season.
 
Wilkes continued its success in 2019 when Drach led the Colonels to an 8-3 overall record finishing 6-2 in MAC play earning a postseason berth for the first time since 2010 and the program's first trip to the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series. The eight wins were also the most since 2006 when the Colonels went undefeated in the regular season, winning the MAC championship and earning an NCAA berth.
 
In 2021 Wilkes finished its third season with six or more wins under Drach as the Colonels finished 6-4 including a 5-0 start to the season.
 
In six seasons at the helm, Drach went 32-20 overall with the program reaching at least five wins every season (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023).
 
"We want to thank Jon for everything he has done for the Wilkes football program over his six years as our head coach," said Wilkes Athletics Director Scott Musa. "Jon led one of the biggest turnarounds in Division III when he took over, instilling a detail-oriented work ethic that led to success both on the field and in the classroom. "We want to wish Jon and the entire Drach family well as they start the next chapter of their lives at Union," Musa added.
 
Drach coached 36 All-Conference selections, including one Offensive Player of the Year, one Rookie of the Year, and three All-East Region honorees. He coached the school's all-time leading passer and the current second-all-time leading rusher.
 
"In recognizing Jon's tenure at Wilkes University, we acknowledge a legacy defined by professional excellence, strategic leadership, and a profound dedication to our athletic program's growth and success," said President Greg Cant. "We express our deepest gratitude for his service and extend our best wishes for his continued success."
 
Drach takes over a Union team that finished 10-2 last season earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament second round.
 
Associate head coach David Biever has been named Interim head coach of the program.