ALBION, Mich. -- Bryan Sander and Derek VanDeWater have each joined the Albion football staff in their respective roles on August 1.

Sander will serve as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach, while VanDeWater will be one of the team's athletic trainers.

VanDeWater will also be the athletic trainer for swimming & diving, men's lacrosse and e-sports.

SANDER BRINGS 16 YEARS OF COACHING EXPERIENCE TO ALBION

Sander arrives in Albion after a three-year stint at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. where he served as their defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Throughout his tenure with the Big Blue, six of Sander's defenders earned All-CCIW recognition including the conference's Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Alexander Perkins, in 2022.

That year, Perkins led Division III in sacks per game (1.8) and tackles for loss per game (2.8) after compiling 54 tackles, 28.5 TFL, 18.0 sacks and four forced fumbles.

In Sander's first two seasons with the Big Blue, his defense was top 40 in Division III in tackles for loss per game. In 2024, Millikin scored four defensive touchdowns which was tied for the most in the competitive CCIW with national powerhouse North Central.

"We are excited to welcome Bryan and his wife, Kelsey, to Albion," head coach Travis Rundle said. "Bryan is an experienced coach with a championship background, and his high energy coaching style will mesh well with our program."

Prior to Millikin, Sander spent eight seasons at Southern Oregon University from 2014-21. The Raiders enjoyed their only double-digit win seasons in program history (2014, 2015, 2017) when Sander was on staff, including a 2014 season where they won the NAIA national championship.

In total, eight of Sander's players in his position groups earned All-Frontier Conference honors during his time in Ashland.

From 2018-21, Sander served as SOU's defensive line coach where three members of his unit made the All-Frontier Conference team including Sean Rogers, who graduated second all-time in program history in career sacks.

In 2017, Sander was named cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator where the team enjoyed a 12-1 season and made the NAIA playoffs after new coach Charlie Hall arrived. The Raiders' kicker, Marcus Montano, holds SOU's career record for PATs made in a career and was named second-team All-Frontier Conference that season.

From 2014-16, Sander served as linebackers coach under Craig Howard, who was Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow's head coach at Nease High School in Florida. From 2014-15, the Raiders compiled a record of 24-5 record and made the NAIA playoffs both seasons, which included an NAIA national title in 2014.

During those three seasons, four of Sander's linebackers earned All-Frontier Conference honors. He helped develop two of the top four leading tacklers in program history and mentored Laurence Calcagno to a single season school-record 154 tackles in 2014.

Before Southern Oregon, Sander spent the 2013 season at Division II Humboldt State University in Arcata, Calif. as cornerbacks/assistant special teams coach.

Prior to his time on the West Coast, Sander spent two seasons from 2011-12 at his alma mater, Mount St. Joseph University, as running backs/wide receivers coach. In 2012, Sander mentored James Clay to one of the greatest single seasons in Lions history as he led all of Division III with 2,124 rushing yards. He also set the program's single-season all-purpose yards record with 2,520.

As a team that season, MSJ ranked 14th in Division III in rushing yards per game (256.8) and recorded a program-record 473 yards and six touchdowns on the ground in a game against Anderson.

Sander began his coaching career as defensive backs coach at Mayville State University in North Dakota from 2008-10. 

The Cincinnati, Ohio native graduated from Mount St. Joseph in 2007 with a degree in business management. He also played defensive back on the football team for two seasons from 2005-06 and was teammates with Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

Sander is married to his wife, Kelsey.

TRAINING STAFF WELCOMES DEREK VANDEWATER TO ALBION

VanDeWater comes to Albion from Adrian College, where he graduated with his master's in athletic training this summer. He also attended the college as an undergraduate, graduating in 2024 with a degree in exercise science.

As a graduate student, VanDeWater did his clinical rotations with Adrian's men's lacrosse and men's basketball teams along with Siena Heights University's athletics programs. 

"Derek is an eager young professional who is going to be an amazing addition to our sports medicine team," assistant AD/head athletic trainer Adrian Sanchez said. "He is aligned with our staff in providing the best health care for our student athletes, and we are very excited to be bringing Derek into the Briton family."

Throughout his undergraduate years, VanDeWater worked with Adrian's men's soccer, women's hockey, rowing and women's lacrosse programs. Additionally, he spent time at Siena Heights, Adrian Madison High School and the University of Michigan (men's soccer) along with working the Big Ten tennis and track & field championships in 2024.

VanDeWater is a member of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) and has unique educational experiences with muscle energy techniques, concussion comprehensive management and EMR systems such as Smart-a-Base and SPORTSWARE. He also received an EMT certification from the Madison Township Fire & Rescue team.

A native of Garden City, Mich., VanDeWater played football at Adrian for three seasons from 2020-22. He graduated from Garden City High School in 2020 and is the son of David and Jennifer VanDeWater.