South Dakota Mines

• Vance Winter was hired as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at South Dakota Mines on January 8, 2020 and is in his fourth season with the program.
• In 2023, Winter coached defensive linemen Caleb Franklin and Taylor Hojer, linebacker Hunter Newson and safety Kaleb Tischler all to All-RMAC Honorable Mention honors.
• As a team, the Hardrocker defense allowed team to convert on 4th down, just 23.5% of the time, ninth best in NCAA Division II. The defense was staunch against the run, allowing just 104.2 yards per game, second in the RMAC and 29th nationally.
• Defensively in 2022, the Hardrockers allowed 179 first downs, good for first in the RMAC and 32nd at the Division II level. The defense also allowed just 110.5 yards per game, third best in the RMAC and top 35 in the country. Part of the reason for the success was the pressure put on quarterbacks as the front seven was relentless, averaging 3.45 sacks per game to sit in the top 10 nationally.
• In 2021 and 2022, Winter coached Kyante Christian and Gavin Chaddock to RMAC All-Conference First Team selections.
• In 2021, those two players finished in the top-10 of the conference in sacks, recording 7.5 each. They also finished in 6th and 7th in tackles for loss.
• Christian finished 16th in the RMAC in total tackles with 70.
• Also in 2021 Kaleb Tischler and Kendahl Johnson were ballhawks, recording five and three interceptions to place in the top seven of the RMAC.
• Four defensive players earned RMAC Honorable Mention.
• As a unit, the defense turned it on towards the end of the season, allowing just 43 points to two of the top overall offenses in the conference and one of the best rushing offenses in the conference.
• In 2020, the defensive unit led the RMAC in sacks with 13.
• They also tied for the lead interceptions with 5.
• Linebackers Cole Peterson and Will Carroll finished 4th and 5th in tackles with Kyante Christian finishing 8th in the conference.
• Bryan Akunna, Gavin Chaddock and Micahel Retland finished 3rd, 6th, and 8th in the RMAC in tackles for loss.
• Akunna and Retland recorded 4 and three sacks to finish as the top two in the RMAC.
• Adrian Eastman and Dominick Jackson were in the top-10 in passes defended.
• In 2019, his lone year at Midland University, as the defensive coordinator he helped lead the Warriors to a 7-4 record.
• The defensive unit finished fourth in their conference (GPAC) in total defense, second in rushing defense, second in sacks, and first in opponent first downs.
• Christian Harmon led the conference with eight interceptions and was second in passed defended.
• Trevor Havlovic finished in the top-5 in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks.
• Havlovic and Harmon were named to the GPAC First Team with Jett Hampton being named to the second team.
• Prior to Midland, before taking a break from coaching, Winter was the head coach at Concordia University Nebraska for 8 seasons from 2009-2016, coaching the team to a 41-44 overall record.
• Darnell Woods was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.
• During his time at Concordia, he helped 29 athletes earn GPAC First Team honors (8 Offense, 12 Defense, 9 Special Teams), and 25 earn GPAC Second Team honors (6 offense, 18 defense, 1 special teams).
• He earned GPAC Coach of the year in his final season, going 7-3 (5-3), and finishing the season with the Bulldogs in the NAIA top-25 for the first time since 2001.
• Prior to being named head coach, he was the defensive coordinator from 2007-08 and the linebackers coach from 2005-2006 at Concordia University.
• Winter started his career with stops at Peru State (defensive coordinator, 2004-05) and Wayne State College (linebackers, 2002-04).
• Winter played middle linebacker for Dakota State, where was a team captain, two-time honorable mention all-conference selection and the team’s leading tackler in 1998 and 1999.
• He graduated from Dakota State in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education, before earning his master’s degree in sport management (2004) from Wayne State College.

Personal

Year at South Dakota Mines: Fourth
Hometown:
Education: Dakota State University, 2002 – B.S. Physical Education; Wayne State College, 2004 – M.S. Sport Management
Family: Wife: Tanya; Sons: Jackson and Jesse; Daugter: Clara

Coaching Career

2020-pres. – South Dakota Mines (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2019 – Midland University (Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers)
2009-2016 – Concordia University Nebraska (Head Coach)
2007-2008 – Concordia University Nebraska (Defensive Coordinator)
2005-2006 – Concordia University Nebraska (Linebackers)
2004-2005 – Peru State University (Defensive Coordinator)
2002-2004 – Wayne State College (Linebackers)

Collegiate Career: Football

1998-2002 – Dakota State University