Thomas Gene Porter (April 21, 1929 – January 24, 2013) was an American football and ice hockey coach.[1] He served two stints as the head football coach at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota from 1958 to 1967 and 1969 to 1990, compiling a record of 171–119–10.[2] Porter was also the head ice hockey coach at St. Olaf from 1970 to 1977, tallying a mark of 24–110.[3]

Tom Porter
Biographical details
Born(1929-04-21)April 21, 1929
Stillwater, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedJanuary 24, 2013(2013-01-24) (aged 83)
Northfield, Minnesota, U.S.
Alma materSt. Olaf
Playing career
Football
c. 1950St. Olaf
Ice hockey
c. 1950St. Olaf
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1954–1955Neenah HS (WI) (assistant)
1956–1957Neenah HS (WI)
1958–1967St. Olaf
1969–1990St. Olaf
Ice hockey
1970–1977St. Olaf
Head coaching record
Overall171–119–10 (football)
24–110 (ice hockey)
TournamentsFootball
0–1 (NCAA D-III playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
6 MWC (1960–1961, 1966, 1969–1971)
2 MIAC (1978–1979)
Awards
Football
MIAC Coach of the Year (1978)

A native of Stillwater, Minnesota, Porter attended high school in Bayport, Minnesota. He played football and ice hockey at St. Olaf before graduating in 1951. Porter began his coaching career in 1954 as an assistant football coach at Neenah High School in Neenah, Wisconsin under head coach Jerry Thompson. He succeeded Thompson has head coach 1956 when Thompson left to become head football coach at Ripon College. Porter also coached track and freshman basketball at Neenah.[4]

Head coaching record

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Football

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
St. Olaf Oles (Midwest Conference) (1958–1967)
1958 St. Olaf 4–4 4–4 4th
1959 St. Olaf 6–2 6–2 3rd
1960 St. Olaf 6–2 6–2 1st
1961 St. Olaf 6–2 6–2 T–1st
1962 St. Olaf 5–2–1 5–2–1 T–3rd
1963 St. Olaf 4–4 4–4 T–5th
1964 St. Olaf 4–4 4–4 6th
1965 St. Olaf 5–3 5–3 T–3rd
1966 St. Olaf 7–1 7–1 T–1st
1967 St. Olaf 6–2 6–2 2nd
St. Olaf Oles (Midwest Conference) (1969–1973)
1969 St. Olaf 8–1 8–1 1st
1970 St. Olaf 9–0 8–0 1st
1971 St. Olaf 8–1 7–1 T–1st
1972 St. Olaf 6–3 5–3 T–3rd
1973 St. Olaf 5–4 5–3 5th
St. Olaf Oles (Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1974–1990)
1974 St. Olaf 3–6 1–6 T–8th
1975 St. Olaf 5–3–1 3–3–1 5th
1976 St. Olaf 7–3 5–2 T–2nd
1977 St. Olaf 5–4–1 2–4–1 6th
1978 St. Olaf 9–2 7–1 T–1st L NCAA Division III Quarterfinal
1979 St. Olaf 7–3 6–2 T–1st
1980 St. Olaf 6–4 4–4 T–5th
1981 St. Olaf 4–7 2–6 T–6th
1982 St. Olaf 2–8 1–7 T–8th
1983 St. Olaf 3–7 3–6 T–7th
1984 St. Olaf 5–3–2 4–3–2 5th
1985 St. Olaf 4–6 4–5 T–5th
1986 St. Olaf 5–5 4–5 T–6th
1987 St. Olaf 3–7 3–6 T–7th
1988 St. Olaf 4–6 3–6 T–6th
1989 St. Olaf 6–4 5–4 T–4th
1990 St. Olaf 4–6 3–6 8th
St. Olaf: 171–119–10 146–110–5
Total: 171–119–10
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ "Thomas Porter". Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  2. ^ "Thomas Gene Porter". northfieldfuneral.com. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
  3. ^ "Tom Porter". stolaf.edu. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  4. ^ "Name Neenah's Tom Porter Head Grid Coach at St. Olaf". The Post-Crescent. St. Cloud, Minnesota. March 26, 1958. p. 34. Retrieved December 11, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
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