Jim Monos spent 23 years as the head coach of Lebanon Valley College's football team, leaving an impact on the program that will be long remembered.
 
He led the Dutchmen during two stints, manning the sidelines from 1986–1996 and 2004–2015. During Monos' time at the helm, he became the only head football coach to lead The Valley to four postseason appearances, including a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2013 after winning the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). LVC also won the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Southwest Bowl in 2009 and 2011 under his guidance.
 
"There are so many fond memories from my time at LVC," Monos said. "I was fortunate to have coached with many quality people. I am particularly proud to have coached Rick Beard '90, M'92 and Joe Buehler '89 as players before they coached with me and served in College leadership roles. I also was honored to coach so many committed young men who became productive members of their communities."
 
Beard was the director of athletics for 16 years and is now a major gift office in the Advancement Division, while Buehler replaced Monos as head coach and led the Dutchmen for seven years until his retirement after the 2022 season.
 
Monos' football career began at Shippensburg High School, where he played quarterback for four seasons. His success on the field earned him a full athletic scholarship to attend Virginia Military Institute and induction into Shippensburg High School's Athletic Hall of Fame.
 
Monos returned to his roots, transferring to Shippensburg University before his sophomore year, where he competed for the football and baseball teams until he graduated in 1972. He was recognized for his contributions to these programs with induction into the university's Athletic Hall of Fame.
 
After graduating from Shippensburg, Monos launched his 44-year coaching career as a high school coach for Sussex Central High School and Chambersburg High School. He then spent 10 years as an assistant at his alma mater, Shippensburg University, before his first stint at LVC. Monos departed LVC to assume the offensive coordinator role at Bloomsburg University for seven years before returning to Lebanon Valley for the final 12 years of his coaching career.
 
Monos credits multiple individuals who helped him succeed as a college coach. Among those who influenced him was his cousin, George Boutselis, who coached at the collegiate and professional levels. He also learned by working alongside former Shippensburg head coaches Joe Mark and Vito Ragazzo, and Sussex Central High School head coach Ray Barkauskie, as an assistant. Additionally, Monos gained knowledge of the game by working with Bloomsburg University head coach Danny Hale as his offensive coordinator.
 
The advice Monos received from these coaches helped him lead the Dutchmen to 109 victories, making him the all-time winningest coach in program history. He garnered several accolades during his career, including the 1989 MAC Co-Coach of the Year, the 2013 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Regional Coach of the Year, and the 2013 MAC Coach of the Year. While Monos had many accomplishments in his career, he said leading Lebanon Valley to 10 wins in rivalry matchups with Albright College ranks near the top.
 
"My favorite athletic tradition was playing our rival, Albright; the excitement leading up to the game and the March on Kreiderheim to request a day off from classes when we were victorious," Monos said. "Many students would participate and the LVC presidents were very cooperative over the years."
 
Monos retired from Lebanon Valley after the 2015 campaign and has since been recognized by the College for his impact. He and his wife, Mary Ellen, were presented with the 2016 Hot Dog Frank Athletic Service Award, and Monos was inducted into the LVC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.
 
"Lebanon Valley College will always have a special place in my heart," Monos said. "Being inducted into the LVC Athletic Hall of Fame allowed me to say thank you for the privilege of being LVC's head football coach."
 
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