Mike Campolo enters his 21st season on the staff with the IUP football program in 2023. This will be Campolo's 19th year as the offensive line coach and has also served as the run game coordinator since 2006 (17 years).
Campolo is a highly regarded and respected coach who has demonstrated success not only by team accomplishments, but by the long list of individual achievements by his players since joining the staff in the early 2000s.
Since 2002 he's helped IUP to a 169-58 (.744) overall record with eight PSAC West regular season outright or shared titles, three PSAC "State Game" Championships, and eight berths in the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Campolo has coached 11 offensive linemen who have earned All-American honors, including 10 since 2012. They include Darrell Davis and John Robinson in 2022, Josh Dauberman in 2021, Jeff Arnold in 2018 and 2019, Jerron Searles and Colin McAllister in 2017, Ethan Cooper in 2016, Byron Dovales in 2013, Dan Matha and Nick Carnicella in 2012, and Jason Capizzi in 2006.
In addition, he's helped players earn a combined 22 all-region and 48 All-PSAC West selections, including 28 first team all-league honorees. Four different times since 2012 he's boasted four All-PSAC offensive linemen, including his latest in 2021.
Those groups up front have paved the way for some of the most dominant ground games in Division II. In 2012 the Crimson Hawks broke a program record with 3,630 rushing yards, in 2015 the team's 293.6 rushing yards per game set a school record and ranked fifth in the country, and in 2016 IUP rushed for 48 touchdowns in 12 games, ranking third in Division II.
With Campolo on staff, IUP rushers have combined for 13 1,000-yard seasons, and six of the top 10 rushers in program history have run behind Campolo-coached offensive lines.
IUP ranked 16th nationally in rushing offense in 2022 (161.7) and allowed just five sacks all season, good for third in the nation.
Campolo has been a huge part of IUP's offensive resurgence over the last decade - the Crimson Hawks have seen record-breaking years in 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017 in regards to overall offense and rushing production.
In 2012 IUP rushed for a program record 3,630 yards en route to a 12-2 overall record, PSAC title and regional championship game appearance. Campolo helped four offensive linemen earn All-PSAC West honors, including three first teamers who were also named to All-Super Region One teams. Tackle Dan Matha and guard Nick Carnicella were All-American selections.
The success continued with another NCAA playoff berth in 2015 after the move from a pro-style to modern spread offense. Campolo and his linemen adapted successfully, with Ethan Cooper and Jorge Vicioso earn earning all-region honors as they helped the Crimson Hawks break a program record by averaging 293.6 rushing yards per game.
IUP broke seven more offensive team records during the 2016 and 2017 playoff seasons, including rushing touchdowns (48), total offense average (489.6), total points (555), scoring average (46.2), and total touchdowns (77) in 2016, and total offense (6375) and first downs (335) in 2017.
Between 2016-18, offensive linemen earned a combined four All-American nods, seven all-region picks and 11 All-PSAC West selections.
Ethan Cooper has been the most well-known former offensive lineman to play for Campolo. Cooper was a three-time All-PSAC and two-time All-Super Region One selection who earned All-American status as a senior in 2016. He versatility allowed him to play several positions along the offensive line and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers at the conclusion of the 2017 NFL Draft.
He was the running backs coach at IUP for three seasons (2002-04) before moving to the offensive line in 2005. Campolo came to IUP after spending three seasons (1999-01) as the running backs coach at Duquesne University.
Prior to Duquesne, Campolo coached the backs at Bethany College in 1998 and Serra Catholic High School in McKeesport in 1997.
An IUP alum, Campolo was a four-year letterman from 1992-95. He played in 47 of 48 games and rushed for 984 yards and 20 touchdowns. He ran for four scores during the 1993 NCAA playoffs, helping IUP to an appearance in the Division II championship game. As a senior in 1995 Campolo was voted captain and selected Most Inspirational Player by his coaches and teammates.
Campolo is a 1996 graduate of IUP with a bachelor’s degree in communications media. He has a son, Vito.
Updated July 19, 2023
