July 25, 2007

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University has completed its football coaching staff for the upcoming 2007 season, adding Antwian Davis to work with the running backs and Mark Konopka to work with the tight ends. Making that announcement was Viking head coach Robin Ross.

Konopka, who will also be an assistant strength coach, was the offensive line coach at Southwest Mississippi Junior College (Summitt, Miss.) last season. He also has had one-year collegiate coaching stints at Cheyney University (Penn.), Independence CC (Kan.), St. Paul's College (Lawrenceville, Va.), Western Connecticut State University (Danburg, Conn.), University of Minnesota-Morris, Dakota State University (Madison, SD), Morningside College (Sioux City, Iowa) and Belhaven College (Jackson, Miss.).

The 34-year-old Konopka coached the offensive line at all but two of those schools, being the defensive line coach at Cheyney and Belhaven. He also was co-offensive coordinator at St. Paul's, with the additional duties of strength and conditioning coach at seven schools and tight ends coach at three.

Konopka was the offensive line coach for the Kiel Hurricanes in Kiel, Germany, for one year (2000). He also coached at the high school level for two years in Michigan, one at Fraser High and the other at Warren Mott High.

A four-year starter as an offensive lineman at Iowa State University, Konopka earned his bachelor's degree in 1997. He played two years in the Arena Football League, one for the Florida Bulldogs (1998) and another for the Iowa Barnstormers (1999).

Davis was a graduate assistant at Minnesota State Mankato last season, working with the wide receivers. He spent the previous three years at Kirkwood High School (St. Louis, Mo.), helping the Pioneers to a combined record of 30-7 and state semifinal appearances in 2004 and 2005.

The 29-year-old Davis was a player/coach and team captain as a semi-pro European football player in 2002 for the Franken Knights in Rotherburg, Germany. A four-year letter winner in football at Western Illinois University (Macomb, Il.), he earned his bachelor's degree in business management in 2002.

Davis was the Leathernecks' Special Teams Player of the Year in 2000 and their Robert Blaha Sr., Memorial Scholarship award winner in 200. He helped WIU to two conference championships and played on a 1998 team that advanced to NCAA Division I-AA national semifinals.

A graduate of Webster Groves High School in St. Louis, Mo., he earned all-conference, all-district and all-metro honors in football as well as competing in basketball and track.

Mark Konopka (pronounced Kah-KNOP-kah) - Tight Ends/Assistant Strength Coach

In first year on Western staff ... Works with tight ends ... Served as offensive line coach at Southwest Mississippi Junior College (Summitt, Miss.) last season ... Also had one-year collegiate coaching stints at Cheyney University (Penn.), Independence CC (Kan.), St. Paul's College (Lawrenceville, Va.), Western Connecticut State University (Danburg, Conn.), University of Minnesota-Morris, Dakota State University (Madison, SD), Morningside College (Sioux City, Iowa) and Belhaven College (Jackson, Miss.) ... Coached offensive line at all but two of those schools, being defensive line coach at Cheyney and Belhaven ... Also co-offensive coordinator at St. Paul's, with additional duties of strength and conditioning coach at seven schools and tight ends coach at three ... Was offensive line coach for Kiel Hurricanes in Kiel, Germany, for one year (2000) ... Also coached at high school level for two years in Michigan, one at Fraser High and another at Warren Mott High ... Four-year starter as offensive lineman at Iowa State University, receiving bachelor's degree in 1997 ... Played two years in Arena Football League, one for Florida Bulldogs (1998) and another for Iowa Barnstormers (1999) ... 34 years old.

Antwian Davis - Running Backs

In first year on Western staff ... Works with running backs ... Graduate assistant at Minnesota State University Mankato last season, working with wide receivers ... Spent previous three years at Kirkwood High School (Mo.) ... Helped KHS to combined record of 30-7 and state semifinal appearances in 2004 and 2005 ... Player/coach and team captain as semi-pro European football player in 2002 for Franken Knights in Rotherburg, Germany ... Four-year letter winner in football at Western Illinois University (Macomb, Il.), earning bachelor's degree in business management in 2002 .... Was Leathernecks' Special Teams Player of the Year in 2000 and Robert Blaha Sr., Memorial Scholarship award winner in 2001 ... Helped WIU to two conference championships and played on 1998 team that advanced to NCAA Division I-AA national semifinals ... Graduate of Webster Groves High School in St. Louis, Mo., earning all-conference, all-district and all-metro honors in football as well as competing in basketball and track ... 29 years old.