BETHANY, Okla.—Southern Nazarene is excited to announce the promotion of James Love from Graduate Assistant to full-time assistant coach, effective July 1st.

As a graduate assistant, Coach Love was an integral part of SNU football's recent successes. In each of their last two seasons, Southern Nazarene has set new DII program records for wins in a season. Last year, the Crimson Storm earned their first bowl game berth in the DII era.

Love's primary responsibility will be to continue coaching the defensive line, a group that has continued to improve, resulting in more sacks and tackles for loss each of the last two seasons. When asked about his goals, Love said, "I would like to become the best coach that I can be. I want to have an impact on players both as athletes and as men. I want to continue to build lasting relationships with those around me, and I want to help bring players closer to Christ through love and friendship."

James has spent plenty of time around the SNU football program. Before joining the coaching staff as a graduate assistant, James spent five years as a defensive lineman for the Crimson Storm from 2017 to 2021, where he appeared in 23 games.

SNU head coach Dustin Hada, said, "We are excited for James to continue his role in the program. Coach Love has a long history with SNU football as a player and as a graduate assistant, and I am proud to have him now on the full-time staff. Coach Love is an outstanding football coach, mentor, and leader for our defensive line."

Love is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and earned both his BA and MA in Sports Management from Southern Nazarene.