| Mike Van Diest | |
| Birth Place: | Helena, Montana, U.S. |
| Player Years1: | 1971–1972 |
| Player Team1: | Wyoming |
| Player Years2: | 1974 |
| Player Team2: | Wyoming |
| Player Years3: | 1975 |
| Player Team3: | Washington Redskins |
| Player Positions: | Guard, linebacker |
| Coach Years1: | 1977 |
| Coach Team1: | Wyoming (GA) |
| Coach Years2: | 1978 |
| Coach Team2: | Wyoming (DT) |
| Coach Years3: | 1979 |
| Coach Team3: | Wyoming (co-JV) |
| Coach Years4: | 1980–1985 |
| Coach Team4: | Montana (DL) |
| Coach Years5: | 1986 |
| Coach Team5: | UMass (DL) |
| Coach Years6: | 1987–1990 |
| Coach Team6: | Northwestern (DL) |
| Coach Years7: | 1991–1998 |
| Coach Team7: | Wyoming (DL) |
| Coach Years8: | 1999–2018 |
| Coach Team8: | Carroll (MT) |
| Coach Years9: | 2020 (spring) |
| Coach Team9: | Mary (assistant) |
| Coach Years10: | 2020 |
| Coach Team10: | Helena HS (MT) (volunteer) |
| Coach Years11: | 2021 |
| Coach Team11: | Montana State–Northern (DC) |
| Overall Record: | 203–54 |
| Tournament Record: | 35–8 (NAIA playoffs) |
| Championships: | 6 NAIA (2002–2005, 2007, 2010) 14 Frontier (2000–2011, 2013–2014) |
| Awards: | 4× NAIA Coach of the Year (2003, 2005, 2007, 2010) 2× AFCA NAIA Coach of the Year (2007, 2010) |
Mike Van Diest (born) is an American college football coach. He was the head football coach at Carroll College in Helena, Montana from 1999 to 2018, compiling a record of 203–54. Van Diest's Carroll Fighting Saints won six NAIA National Championships, four consecutively from 2002 to 2005, a fifth in 2007, and a sixth in 2010.
Van Diest played college football for Wyoming between 1971 and 1974. He was listed as a tight end and offensive guard throughout his career.[1] Following his graduation in 1975, he signed with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) as a linebacker.[2]
Van Diest began his coaching career in 1977 as a graduate assistant for his alma mater, Wyoming.[3] In 1978, he was promoted to the defensive tackles coach position. In 1979, he served as the co-head coach of the junior varsity team for Wyoming.[4] In that same year he was hired as the head strength and conditioning coach.[5]
In 1980, Van Diest was hired as the defensive line coach for Montana. He maintained that position for six years before being hired in the same position for UMass.[6] [7] After only one season with UMass, he was hired as the defensive line coach for Northwestern.[8] In 1991, he rejoined his alma mater as the defensive line coach.[9]
In 1999, Van Diest took his first head coaching position as the head football coach for Carroll College.[10] He maintained the position for twenty seasons and led the team to an overall record of 203–54 and six NAIA National Championships.[11] He retired after the 2018 season.[12] [13]
In the spring of 2020, Van Diest came out of retirement to coach for Mary.[14] The season was ultimately cancelled due to COVID-19 before he coached a game for the Marauders.[15] He spent the fall of 2020 as a volunteer assistant for Helena High School. In 2021, he joined Montana State–Northern as the team's defensive coordinator—his first coordinator position of his entire career.[16] [17] [18] He retired after one season.