WILMINGTON, Ohio – A familiar face has returned to the Wilmington College football staff as Tom Ferner has been added to Head Coach Corey Fillipovich's staff.

Ferner will serve as the Quakers' defensive coordinator and safeties coach.

"Coach Ferner is a great young football mind that relates and connects to our players and recruits," Fillipovich said. "His views and thoughts are in line with those that our football program is being built on.  I am extremely excited to see him develop our secondary and defense moving forward."

Ferner spent the 2022 season as a defensive quality control coach at Eastern Kentucky University. He helped the Colonels to a 7-5 record including a seven-overtime victory at Bowling Green State University, EKU's first over an FBS opponent in nearly a decade. Ferner helped mentor Matthew Jackson to All-American honors as well as nine Colonels who garnered All-ASUN recognition.

Prior to EKU, Ferner was an assistant coach at Wilmington for two years working with cornerbacks and also helping out on special teams. In his first stint with the program, he helped the Quakers to consecutive victories over both Capital University and Otterbein University and a significant defensive improvement in nearly every statistical category during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I am excited to be back at Wilmington College as this is a great opportunity for me to take the next step in my career and continue to build this football program," said Ferner. "I believe in the vision here, but more importantly for me, it's the people. I wouldn't have come back if I didn't believe in the people. Coach Filli gave me my first real coaching shot, and it means a lot to me that I have earned his trust enough for him to bring me back. We have a bright young staff and players that are bought in."

Wilmington opens its 2023 season against the College of Wooster in early September.