Michael D. Dunlevy has been Averett's head coach since 2002 and has the most wins (48) in Averett football history. The architect of one of the greatest turnarounds in college football, Dunlevy took over a program with only three wins in two seasons and guided Averett its first USA South Conference football championship in 2006. Dunlevy led the Cougars to four consecutive winning seasons, which culminated with a share of the 2006 conference title after the team finished 7-3 overall and 6-1 in the USA South.
In 2010, Dunlevy guided to the team to a 4-1 start, which included wins over eventual USA South champion Christopher Newport and Old Dominion Athletic Conference winner Washington & Lee. Although the Cougars finished 5-5, the team had 14 players selected to the USA South All-Conference Team. In 2009, Dunlevy's team reloaded and once again competed for the USA South title. The Cougars finished 7-3 with a 5-2 conference record and ended the season as the conference runner-up. The Cougars had 14 selections to the USA South All-Conference Team, as well as two all-state players, one all-region player and one D3Football.com All-American Second Team selection.  Â
Dunlevy, who was named the USA South Coach of the Year in 2003, has guided the Cougars to a winning overall record in five seasons. In addition, he has coached 108 USA South All-Conference selections in 11 seasons at Averett. Ten of his players at Averett have gone on to play professionally.
Dunlevy has more than 20 seasons of coaching experience at the college level. Prior to taking over Averett’s program in 2002, the 1987 graduate from Otterbein College in Ohio most recently served as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Waynesburg College in Waynesburg, Pa. Dunlevy served as an assistant at Waynesburg from 1994-2001. He joined a struggling Yellow Jacket program that had only 38 players, and he used his recruiting skills to not only bolster the team numbers, but return focus to academic success as well as athletic success. Dunlevy also served as an academic advisor for student-athletes at Waynesburg and organized alumni fund raising campaigns for the Yellow Jacket athletic programs. He also was part of a coaching staff that led the Yellow Jackets to four consecutive winning seasons and the 1998 Presidents Athletic Conference championship.
Prior to his time at Waynesburg, Dunlevy served as special teams coordinator/linebackers coach for the Ohio Glory of the World League of American (which became the now-defunct NFL Europe). He also served on the coaching staffs of The Ohio State University and the University of Toledo.
Dunlevy has used his coaching and recruiting background to help move the Averett University football program in a positive direction. His No. 1 goal is to graduate players and motivate his athletes to be the best they can be both in the classroom and on the field. In 2012, he had one of his players earn Capital One Academic All-District honors.
Dunlevy has served as an NCAA rep at the regional level and was selected to serve a four-year term on the NCAA Division III National Football Committee, beginning in September 2013.
Dunlevy resides in Blairs, Va., with his wife Stacey and his daughters McKenna, Mollie and Ashlee.
