Hawken announces new football coach

For the first time in 37-plus years, Hawken has a new football coach. Yale graduate Brian Stephenson comes to Geauga County after nine years as an assistant Woodberry Forest School in Virginia.

It’s been nearly four decades since Hawken had to hire a head football coach, but that process was completed on Feb. 15.

Brian Stephenson has been named the new head coach at Hawken, succeeding longtime coach Cliff Walton, who stepped down after 37 years at the helm this past fall.

A native of Lima in western Ohio, Stephenson has spent the last nine years as an assistant coach at Woodberry Forest School in Virginia. The past two years he was the program’s offensive coordinator.

“We are thrilled that Brian has agreed to join us at Hawken and look forward to his energy, expertise and commitment,” said D. Scott Looney, head of school at Hawken. “Given his experience, his knowledge and love of the game and his desire to challenge young athletes to become the best version of themselves, we are confident that Brian has the ability to take our program to the next level.”

A 2009 graduate of Yale, Stephenson was a member of the football team and was 2008 special teams player of the year.

Over the course of his tenure at the school, where Stephenson taught English, Woodberry Forest posted a record of 69-14-1 and won eight Virginia Prep League championships.

“Brian is an outstanding teacher and coach who has served Woodberry exceptionally well,” said Byron Hulsey, headmaster at Woodberry Forest. “For a number of years he has aspired to be head football coach at a great independent school, so this is an exciting opportunity for him. Brian’s passion for football and his connection with the students will make him a superb head coach.”

Stephenson