LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska Wesleyan head football coach Jacob Donohoe announced the hiring of Ethan Heifner as the program's special teams coordinator and defensive line coach.
"I am excited for Ethan Heifner to join our coaching staff as special teams coordinator and defensive line coach here at Nebraska Wesleyan University," Donohoe said. "Ethan has been part of several successful programs and brings a strong understanding of both special teams and defensive line play. His attention to detail and daily approach set him apart and align well with what we are building."
Heifner joins the Prairie Wolves after serving as the assistant defensive line coach and defensive quality control coach at Southeast Missouri State University. In that role, he oversaw all aspects of the defensive line position group while contributing to overall defensive preparation and game planning. During his tenure, the Redhawks' defense finished the season ranked first in its conference in back-to-back years. Heifner also coached an all-conference defensive lineman during the 2024 season.
"I'm extremely honored and grateful for the opportunity to join Nebraska Wesleyan as the special teams coordinator and defensive line coach," Heifner said. "I'm excited to get to work, build relationships with our student-athletes and help execute the vision Coach Donohoe has for this program."
Prior to Southeast Missouri State, Heifner spent the spring of 2024 at Fort Hays State University as the assistant inside linebackers coach. While in Hays, he assisted with practice planning, position drills and tracking defensive production, while also serving as an on-the-road recruiter in Colorado and Nebraska. His time at Fort Hays State overlapped with current Nebraska Wesleyan offensive line coach Kyle Murphy.
Heifner's coaching background also includes a stint at New Mexico State University, where he worked as an assistant outside linebackers coach and a recruiting assistant. His responsibilities included practice film organization, opponent scouting, recruiting evaluations and coordinating official and unofficial visits.
He began his coaching career at Hagerty High School in Florida, where he served as the wide receivers coach and freshman offensive coordinator from 2021 to 2023. During that time, he was involved in developing players within the varsity system while helping establish program culture at the foundational level.
A native of Florida, Heifner earned his bachelor's degree in general studies from the University of Central Florida in 2022. He will assume his duties with the Prairie Wolves immediately.
