Recruits: Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska
Colgate head coach Dan Hunt named Ben Olson to his football assistant coaching staff in May 2017. Olson oversees outside linebackers.
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Olson arrived after one season at Syracuse under head coach Dino Babers. He served the Orange as a graduate assistant coach working with the defensive tackles and all special teams units.
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He also worked alongside Syracuse assistant coach Nick Monroe and high school relations director J.B. Gerald '04, both of whom hold close Colgate ties. Monroe coached on the Colgate defensive staff from 2004-09, including the final season as co-defensive coordinator, while Gerald compiled more than 3,000 all-purpose yards a standout receiver and kick returner at Colgate from 2000-03.
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Olson began his coaching career at Eastern Illinois after he earned a full scholarship to play defensive line in 2009. He moved into the position of undergraduate assistant and was still there in 2012 when Babers was named head coach of the Panthers.
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Rose-Hulman lured Olson to the Division III ranks to coach linebackers for the 2013 campaign. The Engineers went 7-3 and won the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Olson then rejoined Babers for two successful seasons at Bowling Green in 2014 and 2015 before following the head coach to Syracuse.
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The Morris, Illinois, native earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Sports Studies from Eastern Illinois. He then completed a Master of Science degree in Leisure and Tourism at Bowling Green, and is working toward another master's degree in Instructional Design Development and Education from Syracuse.
