RAPID CITY, S.D. --- South Dakota School of Mines football head coach Charlie Flohr has begun to assemble his coaching staff recently announcing the addition of Vance Winter as the new Hardrocker Defensive Coordinator and Ryan Gent as the new Hardrocker Offensive Coordinator.

 Winter joins the Hardrocker football program after serving as the as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska in 2019.

 "Vance and I go way back to our college days at Dakota State University," Flohr said. "Vance is a South Dakota native which was very important to me in hiring people for my staff --- and he knows what will fit at South Dakota Mines. He is a man of integrity, loyalty and, most importantly, an outstanding family man and teacher."

 Prior to his stint at Midland, Winter served as the head coach at Concordia University (Nebraska) for eight seasons (2009-16) in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). He was awarded the GPAC Coach of the Year Award following the 2016 season.  Winter coached at Concordia for over a decade serving as the defensive coordinator from 2007-08 and coached linebackers from 2005-06.

 "Vance has extreme passion for the game of football with strong defensive coordinating experience as well as head coaching experience," Flohr added. "I am extremely excited to have Vance, his wife Tanya, and their three kids (Jackson, Clara, Jesse) join the Hardrocker Family.

 Winter was also the defensive coordinator at Peru State from 2004-05 and a linebackers coach at Wayne State College from 2002-04.

 Winter played at Dakota State University and graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. He earned a Master of Science in Sports Management in 2004 from Wayne State College.

 Gent comes to SD Mines from Abilene Christian University in Texas where he spent three seasons as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. Prior to that, he was at Northwest Missouri State where he was the running backs and tight ends coach during the 2016 season.

 "I got to know Ryan when he was with me at Northwest Missouri State. He came in and showed great work ethic, outstanding organization skills, and displayed an unmatched desire for the game of football," Flohr said. These are all qualities that we will help shape our players here at South Dakota Mines."

 Gent also served as a grad assistant for the Bearcats. Prior to that he was a member of the Iowa State football team from 2009-13 as the quarterback for the Cyclones. Gent graduated from Iowa State with a degree in engineering. He obtained his Master's degree from Northwest Missouri in 2015, majoring in Sports Administration.

"Ryan will bring discipline and energy to the offensive side of the football and be a great mentor for our players in our program," Flohr said. "I am ecstatic to have Ryan and his wife Lauren join our Hardrocker Family."