Wheaton Academy hires Ragan

Wheaton Academy has hired T.J. Ragan as its new head varsity football coach and director of performance training.

Bringing a background that includes experience in high school, college and professional athletics, Ragan will assume his new position early this summer.

Ragan succeeds former Warriors coach Ben Wilson, who resigned in January to spend more time with his family. Wilson, who went 18-29 over five years while leading a football program that had been dormant for nearly two decades, underwent brain surgery last fall to remove a benign tumor.

Ragan, who earned a theology degree from Bethel College in 1991, most recently served as associate athletic director and director of performance at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo. There from 2008-12, Ragan implemented all-areas of the performance program for, among other athletic teams, a football squad that won state titles from 2009-11 and was a perfect 14-0 last fall.

At the same time Ragan also worked as a strength and conditioning intern with the Denver Broncos in 2010.

A former football player at Montana State, Ragan also was athletic and performance director at Orange Lutheran in California and has worked in strength and conditioning for Oregon State University, Colgate and Nebraska.