Marian University Ind.

BIO

• A defensive-minded head coach with a keen eye on the all-around progress of the program, Mark Henninger was named Marian University's second head coach on Jan. 24, 2013.
• Henninger was promoted to an Assistant Athletic Director on December 5, 2022, finishing his tenure as the head football coach of the Knights with a 92-23 record.
• Henninger completed his 10th season on the sidelines in 2022, one of Marian's longest tenured coaches. 
• In his final season as the head coach in 2022, Henninger led Marian to a 9-2 overall record, reaching the NAIA FCS Quarterfinals for the second consecutive season.
• Marian finished as the runner-up in the MSFA Mideast and had three NAIA All-Americans under Henninger in his final season. The Knights were 6-1 in MSFA Mideast play, and had the Co-Defensive Player of the Year in Logan Blake and the Offensive Lineman of the Year in Zach Sibila.
• In Henninger's final season, the Knights had a program record 22 NAIA Scholar Athletes. 
• In 2021, Henninger completed his ninth season as the head coach of the Knights, leading Marian to a 9-3 overall record that included a trip to the NAIA Football Championship Series Quarterfinal Round. 
• Henninger led Marian to a 6-1 record in MSFA Mid-East play, guiding Marian to their third conference championship in four seasons. Under Henninger's leadership, the Knights had 17 All-MSFA honorees in 2021. Of the 17 honorees, Marian had five offensive, two defensive, and three specialist First Team All-League honors. 
• Henninger added to his claim of All-American's coaches in 2021, as Johnny William, the MSFA Mideast League Co-Player of the Year, was named an NAIA First Team All-American, while Jalen Jennings was named an AP NAIA All-American Second Team returner. 
• With a firm hand on the special teams units, Henninger broke Marian's drought of nearly 10 years without a kick return touchdown, drawing up three different KOR scores for Jalen Jennings. 
• Henninger completed his eighth season as the head coach of the Knights in 2020-2021, guiding Marian to a 5-2 record in a season that faced many challenges due to the COVID-19 Global Pandemic, recording his 100th career win as a collegiate head coach. 
• Marian went 3-1 in MSFA play in the shortened spring season, and led Marian into the NAIA FCS Playoffs for the third consecutive season. Marian earned an MSFA-best 19 All-League honors, with eight players earning First Team honors. 
• The Knights garnered one NAIA All-American under Henninger in the shortened season, as Logan Blake was named an Honorable Mention All-American. 
• Henninger led the Knights to a national championship in 2015 - the program's second all-time.
• In 2014, he was named the American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) NAIA National Coach of the Year.
• After a strong 2018 season, Henninger again guided the Knights deep into the postseason in 2019 completing the season with a 12-1 record and an appearance in the NAIA National Title Game, finishing the season as the National Runner-Up.
• Henninger finished his 2019 season with multiple awards, earning both the MSFA Mid-East League and the AFCA Region II Coach of the Year awards for the second straight season. 
• After completing an undefeated 10-0 regular season in 2018, Henninger earned his first MSFA Mideast League Coach of the Year award and was also named the AFCA NAIA Region II Coach of the Year.
• Marian won the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Mideast League championship for the sixth time in its 13 seasons in 2019. MU also won the crown in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018.
• Henninger guided the Knights to their second-ever appearance in the NAIA National Championship game on Dec. 19, 2014 in Daytona Beach, Fla. He followed it with another berth in the national championship in 2015, which the Knights went on to win.
• He guided the Knights to their second-ever win over the NAIA's No. 1-ranked team in 2014. MU defeated defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Grand View (Iowa), 31-18, on the road on Sept. 20, 2014. MU went 9-2 the rest of the way en route to a national runner-up finish. The first win over a No. 1-ranked team came on Nov. 5, 2011 when the Knights defeated Saint Xavier, 27-9, in front of 5,175 fans at St.Vincent Field in Indianapolis.
• Through six seasons, 62 Knights have earned MSFA All-Academic accolades, including 16 in 2017, a record under Henninger.
• During Henninger's tenure, 98 Knights have been named All-MSFA Mideast League. 46 of those honors were All-MSFA Mideast League First Team selections.
• As the head coach of running back Tevin Lake, Henninger helped guide Lake to one of the greatest careers in NAIA history. Lake finished his career as the NAIA's fifth all-time leading rusher and the fifth all-time leading scorer in the organization's history. In 2014, Lake was named the MSFA Mideast League Offensive Player of the Year after he amassed more than 1,000 rushing yards for the fourth straight season.
• As a defensive backs coach, Henninger helped guide defensive back Eric Price to a single-season school record nine interceptions in 2014. He also had a single-season school record four blocked kicks in earning AFCA-NAIA All-America Second Team honors.
• In his nine seasons, the MU defense has finished in the top 15 in the nation in total defense, including first in 2016 and 2019. In 2018, the defense finished second in the nation, while finishing first in scoring defense. Marian also ranked seventh in the country in total sacks, and in 2021 was the top-sacking team in the NAIA. In 2019, Marian's defense was one of the best in the nation, ranking second in scoring defense in addition to sixth in sacks.
• In 2019, Henninger saw his second Marian athlete reach the NFL as tight end Brandon Dillon was signed as an undrafted free-agent by the Minnesota Vikings. Dillon was active for one game as a rookie, spending the majority of his rookie campaign on the Vikings practice squad. Dillon has since been a member of the New York Jets and the New Orleans Saints.
• In 2014, Henninger helped guide wide receiver Krishawn Hogan to the program's second-ever 1,000-yard receiving season. He then replicated the feat in 2015 and 2016. Hogan has since gone on to play for the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints in the NFL.
• In 2014, the Knights set or tied 11 single-season school records under Henninger tutelage.
• In his five seasons at North Carolina Wesleyan College (NCWC), Henninger was 26-25 as head coach and earned USA South Conference Coach of the Year honors in his second season as head coach. He also guided four Bishops to NCAA Division III All-America honors.
• He spent a total of nine seasons at NCWC, four seasons at his alma mater, Wittenberg University (2000-03), one season at Wartburg College (Iowa) (1999-00), one season with the Hamburg Blue Devils in Germany (1998) and two years as a graduate assistant at Millikin University (1996-98).
• Is a 1996 graduate of Wittenberg University where he earned four varsity letters and was part of a team that went 35-5-1 in his four seasons. He was part of two NCAC championships and one NCAA Division III playoff appearance.
• He is a 1992 graduate of Roncalli High School, is married and has three children. The family resides in Indianapolis. Henninger's son Jack was a member of the Marian football team for his first three seasons of college football. 

THE HENNINGER FILE