Macalester named a new football coach Friday, hiring Phil Nicolaides, 31, who'd spent the past six seasons as the defensive coordinator at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va.

Nicolaides replaces KiJuan Ware, who was the interim coach last year when the Scots went 3-7 overall in their first season back in the MIAC. Ware had worked as the team's offensive coordinator under former coach Tony Jennison.

Under Nicolaides, a Pennsylvania native, Randolph-Macon's defense ranked either first or second in points allowed in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference for six seasons, helping produce a 48-11 record in that stretch. The Yellow Jackets finished the 2018 and 2021 seasons ranked in the Division III top 20.

"Phil is a champion for his players and the student-athlete experience, while also setting a high standard for success on and off the field," Macalester athletic director Donnie Brooks said in the news release. "As one of the youngest coordinators and now head coaches in the country, his experiences and vision for a highly competitive program and successful student-athlete experience left the committee excited for what's ahead for the Scots."