EASTON, Pa. – Donavon Nathaniel has joined the Lafayette football coaching staff as the defensive line coach.

Nathaniel comes to Lafayette from the University of Kansas football program where he spent the 2023 season as a defensive graduate assistant coaching the linebackers. Nathaniel coordinated opponent and self-scouting along with assisting with techniques and game strategies under Kansas head coach Lance Leipold. The Jayhawks finished with a 9-4 record and claimed a victory over UNLV in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. 

"We have talked a lot about culture and how important that is and how it has helped us move the program forward quickly. I feel that Donavon is a perfect fit to help us continue on that path," said John Troxell, the Fred M. Kirby II '42 Head Football Coach. "He also brings a tremendous amount of passion, energy and knowledge to our team. We couldn't be more excited to welcome Donavon home to Lafayette College." 

Prior to that, Nathaniel worked as a defensive graduate assistant at Georgia State in the Sun Belt Conference, mentoring the defensive line and outside linebackers from June 2022 to March 2023.

From 2019-22, Nathaniel worked at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, his alma mater, as the defensive line and strength coach for the football program as well as a health, fitness and recreation instructor. 

He graduated from Wisconsin-Platteville in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in health and human performance and served as a team captain in his senior season. While finishing his degree, Nathaniel joined Wisconsin-Platteville women's basketball team coaching staff as an assistant. The Milwaukee native went on to earn his master's degree in sports administration, focused in intercollegiate athletics, from California University of Pennsylvania in 2020.

Nathaniel replaced Donte Wilkins who accepted a defensive line coaching position at the University of New Mexico following the conclusion of the Leopards' 2023 Patriot League championship season.