MARS HILL, N.C. – Mars Hill University announced Monday that longtime head football coach Tim Clifton has retired following the conclusion of his 32nd season, ending a remarkable run that began in 1993.
The school said it will name a new head coach in the coming days and will hold a press conference on Tuesday, Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. to discuss Clifton’s retirement and impending transition.
Clifton is the winningest coach in program history (173-156 record per Wikipedia) and ranks second all-time in the South Atlantic Conference in both overall wins and conference wins (110). Over 32 years, he coached more than 20 All-Americans and more than 100 All-Conference players. Six of his former Lions earned chances in the NFL.
Clifton had been the longest-tenured coach in our state and in D2 football overall before announcing that he was stepping away.
“I have decided to retire after our 32 years here at Mars Hill and 49 years in coaching to spend more time with my family, especially our 4 grandchildren—we just had another brand new granddaughter this summer,” Clifton said in the school’s official release. “My family and I want to thank Mars Hill University for giving us the opportunity to spend the last 32 years as the head football coach here at the university.”
Director of Athletics Rick Baker praised Clifton’s influence on and off the field. “Coach Clifton has devoted most of his life to Mars Hill Football, to the university and to all the student-athletes he has guided over the last 32 years,” Baker said in the release. “His football coaching accolades speak for themselves, but working beside Coach Clifton for 31 years I saw more than that. I saw a man who loved to win but more than that loved to develop young men into good fathers and good citizens.”
Clifton’s Lions teams captured two Mountain Division Championships in the past four seasons, going 28-12 overall and 24-9 in SAC play during that stretch. His career also included mentoring Jonas Randolph, the only Harlon Hill Trophy winner in SAC history.
Mars Hill finished 5-4 in Clifton’s final season, 5-3 in conference play. They won four of their last five games.
The Lions are slated to open the 2025 season at home on Sept. 6 against Winston-Salem State University. Mars Hill was picked fifth in the South Atlantic Conference’s preseason poll, released last week.
Read the school’s official release on Clifton’s retirement HERE.
