Mike Stroud begins his eighth season at Maritime in 2016, with this season being his second as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
In his first season as the signal-caller for the Maritime defense, Stroud guided the Privateers to the third-best defense in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference as the team yielded just 21.8 points per game over the 10-game schedule. The team was also second in the league with 27 sacks, led by All-Conference First Team selection Kameron Knight ’16, who recorded 7.5 sacks on the season.
Prior to taking over the defensive unit in 2015, Stroud served from 2013-14 as the quarterbacks and fullbacks coach and helped guide Maritime to two of the top rushing seasons in program history. Under Stroud's tutelage, Kyle Gardner was selected as a multi-year All-Conference selection during that span.
In 2012, Stroud was back on the defensive side of the ball as the linebackers coach, and also added the title of Co-Special Teams Coordinator to his ledger. During the campaign, his linebacker unit continued their dominance over opposing offenses. Stroud’s top protégé, Keith Barnes ’13, finished his career holding program records in virtually every defensive category and was the Privateers first NCAA Individual Statistical Leader with 8.33 Solo Tackles per game in 2012.
Overall, Stroud has had seven ECFC All-Conference Selections during his tenure from 2009 through 2012 and from 2015 onward. Leading the way with four All-Conference selections was Barnes, who was also selected as a two-time ECFC Defensive Player of the Year in both 2010 and 2011.
During the 2011 season, the defensive unit led the league in total defense, scoring defense, pass defense and pass efficiency defense. His 2010 linebacking corps also dominated the ECFC, being named Conference Defensive Player of the Week seven of 10 outings. In 2010, Barnes finished ranked 12th in NCAA Division III in Solo Tackles, while Pat Lasher ’13 finished in the top 100 in solo wrap-ups. In 2009, Barnes finished 22nd in the nation in Solo Tackles.
From 2011 through the start of the 2015 season, Stroud served as the Recruiting Coordinator for the team. In that role, he was responsible for the nationwide efforts of bringing in top student athletes to the Privateer football program.
Stroud also serves as one of the Regimental Officers at Maritime College and is the football team’s regimental liaison.
Stroud came to Maritime in 2009 after retiring from the United States Marine Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel with 20 years of active duty service. No stranger to the Privateer program, he has been involved with Maritime football since its inception, assisting with recruiting in the state of Florida while on active duty in Tampa, Fla.
While an active duty Marine, Stroud coached three seasons for the Clearwater Vipers (Fla.) as the defensive coordinator (2005-2008). He and Coach Kendrick-Holmes also worked together in 2002 at the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, R.I., when Stroud served as the school’s linebacker coach.
After graduating from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education, Coach Stroud began a career in the Marine Corps. In 2003, he received his Master's Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in Newport, R.I.
A native of Wyoming, he and his wife Taleen have two daughters, Breanna and Lexi.
