EWING, N.J. – TCNJ assistant football coach Rocky Hager has announced his retirement that will follow the 2021 season. 

Hager has been coaching collegiate football for 47 years, and he has been a key component of the Lions' coaching staff since the 2013 season. During his tenure at TCNJ, he has coached 46 Lions who have received All-NJAC honors. Hager served TCNJ as the interim head coach in the 2016 season after spending his first three years with the Lions as defensive coordinator. In his first year with TCNJ, Hager was at the helm of a defense that led the NJAC in scoring defense (16.6 points per game) and total defense (279.6 yards per game).

Hager has racked up a plethora of memorable experiences throughout his coaching career. In 2014, he was the defensive coordinator for the Team USA squad who competed in the International Federation of American Football Under-19 World Championship in Kuwait. The U.S. went an undefeated 4-0 to lock up the title.

During his time at North Dakota State, Hager led the Bison to two NCAA Division II Championships as a head coach in 1998 and 1990. He was an assistant on the staff that led North Dakota State to national titles in 1985 and 1986. Hager tallied a 91-25-1 record in 10 seasons at the helm of the Bison's program. Hager was also a member of the 1998 Temple staff that upset No. 14 Virginia Tech in what is considered one of the biggest college football upsets in the 20^th century.

Hager's final season will begin when the Lions travel to Muhlenberg for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff on Saturday.