KALAMAZOO – The Western Michigan football program announced the hiring of Lou Esposito as the Broncos’ defensive line coach heading into the 2010 season.

Esposito, who was named the 2009 Great Lakes Football Conference Coach of the Year, joins WMU after serving as the head coach at Saint Joseph’s College (Ind.) over the past five seasons.

“To say I am excited about this opportunity would be an understatement. Having worked with many members of the WMU coaching staff in the past, I know what what type of program Bill Cubit has built in Kalamazoo and I look forward to doing my part to help continue it on a path of success,” commented Esposito.

“I am also extremely grateful to everyone at Saint. Joseph’s College.  It was an honor to have been involved with everyone associated within the Puma program.”

Esposito, a two-time GLFC Coach of the Year, and his coaching staff captured GLFC championships twice during his tenure, in 2006 and again in 2009. SJC posted a 30-25 record with Esposito at the helm and recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for four-year student-athletes over six years.

He coached 23 All-GLFC student-athletes in 2009 alone, ranking first in both rushing offense and defense.  The Pumas also had the top ranked redzone offense in the GLFC, boasting the 2009 GLFC Offensive Player of the Year and an unblemished record in conference play.

A defensive coordinator at SJC as well, Esposito prided himself on the fact that his team ranked first in the conference in turnover margin and sacks in 2009 and ranked 13th in the nation in turnover margin in 2008.

In 2007, his defense was ranked 35th in the country and 28th in defensive passing efficiency.  Offensively, the Pumas ranked eighth in fewest fumbles lost in 2007.

SJC ranked 14th in total defense in 2006, blocking a program record nine kicks and causing a program record 38 turnovers.

Esposito’s defense registered 91 tackles for loss in 2006 and ranked fourth in the country in turnover margin.  During the 2005 campaign, Esposito’s first as head coach, the Pumas recorded their first back-to-back winning seasons in 20 years, set eight single season records and ranked 11th in the country in pass efficiency defense.  In his first year on the staff as the defensive coordinator in 2004, Esposito took a defense that had ranked 147th up to 30th in the country in just one season.

A four-year letterwinner on the offensive line at the University of Memphis, Esposito was elected captain during the 1999 and 2000 campaigns.  He signed a contract to play with the Memphis Xplorers of the Arena Football League in 2001 and coached the Xplorers as the offensive/defensive line coach and special teams coordinator from December of 2002 through December of 2003.

Esposito, an AFCA member since 2003, and his wife Brooke have a son, Louis Joseph Esposito IV, who was born on March 20, 2009.  They will reside in Kalamazoo.

He joins the staff after former defensive line coach Tim Daoust took the same position at Central Michigan University.  Former WMU offensive assistant A.J. Ricker, who joined the SJC staff as the offensive line coach prior to the 2009 campaign will succeed Esposito as head coach of the Puma football program.