Southwestern University

Bill Kriesel was named Head Coach of the Southwestern University Football team in November 2024. Kriesel enters his 14th season as a coach for the Pirate program, but second as a Head Coach. Kriesel is a member of the modern program's original coaching staff in 2013. He formerly served as Interim Head Coach at the start of the 2024 season and Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs coach in seasons prior. Kriesel enters his second full season as head coach in after leading the Pirates to a 4-6 record in 2025 at the helm

In his first full season at Head Coach, Kriesel helped coach a record setting 11 Pirates on the All-SAA list in 2025 including seven defensive players, three offensive, and one special teams. He also helped coach the program's first AP All-American Chase Lanham, along with three All-Region players.  

Kriesel began his Southwestern tenure as defensive backs coach in 2013 and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2015 when both of his starting cornerbacks earned All-SCAC first-team honors. He took over the defensive coordinator position completely in 2016. That season, the Pirates led the SCAC in scoring defense, total defense, and passing defense as the Pirates won the SCAC championship, with defensive end Justin Broussard winning SCAC Defensive Player of the Year and earning All-American honors. The following season, the Pirates moved to the ASC and Kriesel’s starting cornerbacks, led by All-American Nik Kelly, were named first-team All-ASC. Hallmarks of Kriesel’s defenses include a stout rushing defense, finishing top three in the ASC twice. In the Pirate's first season in the Southern Athletic Association, the Pirate's defense, led by Coach Kriesel ranked second in the league in interceptions and first in fumbles recovered. Under Kriesel, the Pirates defense set a new single game school record in 2023 with eight forced turnovers against Millsaps. The 2024 defense featured four first and second team All-SAA nods and two All-Region recipients. 

Prior to coming to Southwestern, Kriesel was the defensive backs coach at Augsburg University, where he starred as a four-year letter-winner. As a defensive back for the Eagles, he earned three consecutive First Team All-MIAC honors and was inducted into the Augsburg Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. After his collegiate career, he played professionally for the Stuttgart Scorpions of the German Football League from 1998 to 2001.

Kriesel earned a bachelor’s degree from Augsburg and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. He and his wife, Nicci, have two daughters, Macy and Shay, and reside in Cedar Park.