John Van Dam is in his fourth season on the Augustana coaching staff. He works primarily with wide receivers and tight ends and also serves as the recruiting coordinator.
In 2010, the Vikings possessed the second most productive passing offense in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
Van Dam coached senior wide out Tyler Schulte, who set a school record for touchdown receptions in a season (17) and tied the single-game record (4). Schulte finished his career with 158 receptions, 2,626 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 248 points. He was named to the 2010 All-Northern Sun South Division first team and the Don Hansen NCAA Division II Super Region Three first team.
Van Dam played collegiately at Michigan State, where he was a quarterback.
After redshirting in 2003, Van Dam saw limited action during his final four seasons with the Spartans. He participated in two bowl games, the 2003 Alamo Bowl versus Nebraska and the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl against Boston College. As a junior in 2006, he earned Academic All-Big 10 honors.
A native of East Lansing, Mich., Van Dam was a two-year letter winner at Okemos High School, where he also competed in lacrosse and track and field.
Van Dam’s father, Gary, is also associated with college football as a former coach and now as director of sales and marketing for the Little Ceasars Bowl.
A National Merit Scholarship recipient, Van Dam earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Michigan State in 2008 and a master's degree in education from Augustana in 2010.
He spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Augustana prior to his appointment as a full-time assistant in 2010. His post-season coaching experience at Augustana includes two Mineral Water Bowl appearances (2008 and 2009) and the NCAA Division II playoffs (2010).
Van Dam lives in Sioux Falls with his wife, Heather.
