COLUMBIA, S.C. – Benedict College has named James "Mike" White as its new head football coach, Director of Athletics Willie Washington announced today.

White comes to Benedict after serving as the head coach at Albany State University for the past 15 years, winning six SIAC championships and advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs seven times. His record at ASU was 112-51, a 68.7 winning percentage.

"In order to take Benedict College football to the next level, we needed a coach who has been successful in all facets and knows what it takes to develop a championship program. In the SIAC, no coach embodies those qualities more than Mike White," Washington said. "He was our top choice from day one, and we are excited to have Coach White on board as part of the Tiger family."

White has been named the SIAC Coach of the Year five times in his career. He has also been named the Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN) National Division II Football Coach of the Year as the most outstanding Division II coach in 2010. He was named the Sheridan Broadcasting Network (SBN) / Eddie Robinson National Black College Coach of the Year as well as the Don Hansen's Football Gazette Division II National Coach of the Year in 2004. He also won the Charles B. Fisher Award from the Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C., in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2013. His Albany State team captured the SBN National Black College Football Championship in 2010, as well as the Washington, D.C., Pigskin Club's National Black College Championship.

"I'm just happy to be here," White said. "I'm excited and have all kinds of emotions going through me. But I'm just ready to get started. I want to start a true winning tradition here."

White has established himself as one of the best defensive masterminds in the game. Under his leadership, the Albany State defense consistently is ranked among the best in the NCAA statistics. His 2010 Rams finished second in the nation in rushing defense and scoring defense, and third in total defense and pass efficiency.

White was a two-time All-American player at Albany State and the SIAC Player of the Year in 1978. A three-time All-SIAC, he led the team in tackles for three of his four years. He was drafted by Cincinnati in the fourth round in the 1979 NFL Draft and played two seasons with the Bengals. He later played two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks from 1981-1983.

He returned to his alma mater and joined Albany State as a defensive line coach in 1984 and was on the ASU staff for 30 years. During his time as an assistant coach, White was instrumental in helping to lead the Rams to nine SIAC championships, including five consecutive SIAC championships and NCAA playoff appearances from 1993-1997. White took over as head coach of the Rams in 2000. After back-to-back 4-6 seasons in his first two seasons, he then guided the Rams to 13 consecutive winning seasons.

An Augusta, Ga., native, Coach White earned a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology and a Master's degree in Health and Physical Education from Albany State in 1990 and 1999, respectively. Coach White is a member of the American Football Coaches Association, Black Coaches Association and the National Football League Alumni.

Coach White and his wife, Phyllis, are members of the First Institutional Baptist Church in Albany, Ga.
 
 
 
Coach Mike White year by year
 

Year	School	W-L	Pct.
2000	Albany (Ga.)	4-6	.400
2001	Albany (Ga.)	4-6	.400
2002	Albany (Ga.)	7-4	.636
2003	Albany (Ga.)	10-2	.833	SIAC Champions
2004	Albany (Ga.)	11-1	.917	SIAC Champions; Div. II Playoffs
2005	Albany (Ga.)	8-3	.800	SIAC Champions; Div. II Playoffs
2006	Albany (Ga.)	7-4	.636	SIAC Champions
2007	Albany (Ga.)	8-3	.727	Div. II Playoffs
2008	Albany (Ga.)	7-4	.636	Div. II Playoffs
2009	Albany (Ga.)	8-3	.727	Div. II Playoffs
2010	Albany (Ga.)	11-1	.917	SIAC Champions; Div. II Playoffs
2011	Albany (Ga.)	8-4	.667	Div. II Playoffs
2012	Albany (Ga.)	6-4	.600
2013	Albany (Ga.)	6-4	.600	SIAC Champions
2014	Albany (Ga.)	7-3	.700	SIAC runners-up