Donald William Rominger Jr. (born February 27, 1940) is an American former university administrator and

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

and track coach. He served as the head football coach at

McPherson College McPherson College is a private college associated with the Church of the Brethren and located in McPherson, Kansas, United States. It was chartered in 1887 and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. History During their 1887 annual m ...

McPherson, Kansas McPherson ( ) is a city in and the county seat of McPherson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 14,082. The city is named after Union (American Civil War), Union General ...

for five seasons, from 1973 to 1977, and for two years as head track coach and athletics director, compiling a football coaching record of 11–34–2. His 1976 McPherson mark of 5 wins and 4 losses was the college's first winning football season in 18 years. Rominger began his career as a teacher in a two-room school near

Tecumseh, Oklahoma Tecumseh () is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. The population was 6,302 by the 2020 United States census. It was named for the noted Shawnee chief, Tecumseh. The locale was designated as the county seat at Oklahoma's statehood, but a co ...

, followed by a six-year career as a high school track and football coach. In 1966, he was the track coach at

Miami High School Miami Senior High School, also known as Miami High School, is a public high school located at 2450 SW 1st Street in Miami, Florida, and operated by Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Founded in 1903, it is one of the oldest high schools in Miam ...

Miami, Oklahoma Miami ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States, founded in 1891. Lead and zinc mining were established by 1918, causing the area's economy to boom. This area was part of Indian Territory. Miami is the capit ...

, where he mentored future

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...

-winner Steve Owens. From 1968 to 1971, Rominger was a member of the faculty at

Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) is a Public college, public community college in Miami, Oklahoma. Established as the Miami School of Mines in 1919, NEO has an enrollment of approximately two thousand students. The Golden Norsemen is th ...

, where was also head track coach and an assistant football coach. Donald W. (Don) Rominger Jr. was born in

Shawnee, Oklahoma Shawnee () is a city in and the county seat of Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 in 2010, a 4.9 percent increase from the figure of 28,692 in 2000. The city is part of the Oklah ...

, the son of Donald W. and Winnie Townsend Rominger. He moved with his family in 1951 to a farm east of

and graduated from Tecumseh High School in 1958. He earned an undergraduate degree at

Oklahoma Baptist University Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) is a private Baptist university in Shawnee, Oklahoma. It was established in 1910 under the original name of The Baptist University of Oklahoma. OBU is owned and was founded by the Baptist General Convention of ...

, a master's degree from the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

, and, in 1976, a Ph.D. in history from

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...

. Rominger in 2000 was instrumental for beginning the football program at East Texas Baptist University while serving as vice president for academic affairs. He previously had established the fund raising arm for athletics in 1985 and founded the ETBU athletic hall of fame in 1988. In 2021, Rominger was inducted into the university's athletic hall of fame. Rominger in 2008 was the Republican Party candidate for State Senate in his district.

Head coaching record

References

1940 births Living people McPherson Bulldogs football coaches Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Golden Norsemen football coaches Junior college track and field coaches in the United States Oklahoma Baptist University alumni Oklahoma Republicans Oklahoma State University alumni University of Oklahoma alumni People from Shawnee, Oklahoma Coaches of American football from Oklahoma {{1970s-collegefootball-coach-stub