Kelly Ledwith is beginning his fourth season in charge of the Mountaineer defense and fifth as a member of the Mountaineer football coaching staff. As defensive coordinator, Ledwith has positioned the Western defense in the upper echelon of all Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) teams.
In 2012, Ledwith’s first season leading the Mountaineer defense, he improved the run defense from last in the RMAC to first, allowing just 103 yards per game. The Mountaineer “Red Rage” defense also led the RMAC in total rush defense and ranked 16th in the entire NCAA Division II, allowing only 1,139 yards.
In 2013 the “Red Rage” continued to live up to its name by leading the RMAC once again in rush yards against with 1,358.
In 2014, Western ranked fifth in rush defense and pass defense within the RMAC.
The 2012 Mountaineer defense also finished with the best overall defense in conference play.
In 2013, he coached Lane Stuht, the first Western State All-American football player since 2004.
Prior to joining the Western State Colorado University football staff in 2011, Ledwith spent three seasons at Fresno City College.
As defensive coordinator and secondary and special teams coach of the Rams of Fresno City College, Ledwith helped lead the team to a pair of Valley Conference championships. Fresno City advanced to the state semifinals and ranked in the top ten of eight defensive categories, including third in sacks and fourth in tackles for loss. He coached an all-state safety and all-conference cornerback and had several earn scholarships at four-year schools.
Ledwith joined the Fresno City staff as a secondary and special teams coach in 2008 and was part of a staff that knocked off two top-ranked teams in the season. He also coached an all-conference safety in his first season with the Rams.
Ledwith was a graduate assistant at Fresno State in 2007 when the Bulldogs won the Humanitarian Bowl against Georgia Tech. It was his second stint with the Fresno State staff after he was a student assistant from 2002 through 2005. He helped coach the secondary as a student and was part of four bowl appearances and three bowl victories.
Ledwith has also been a member of the coaching staffs at Wagner College, California Lutheran University and Archbishop Mitty High School.
