From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics
With the 49-33 victory over Thiel today by the Tartans, Carnegie Mellon University head coach Rich Lackner became the 79th football coach in NCAA history to amass 200 wins. Coach Lackner is one of 13 active head coaches among all divisions with 200 career victories, and he is in fourth place among active Division III head coaches in total career wins.
In what stands as a testament to his dedication and commitment to Carnegie Mellon, Coach Lackner is only the 34th coach ever to win all 200 games at the same institution, and just the 11th to do so at the Division III level.
A Pittsburgh native, Lackner graduated with honors from Mt. Lebanon High School, one of Pennsylvania's perennial football powers. As a senior, he led Mt. Lebanon to the WPIAL Class AAA title game with a 9-2 record.
He then enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University, where he starred as a standout linebacker for the Tartans from 1975-78. A four-year starter at linebacker, he was a three-time All- Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) selection as well as the PAC 1976 Defensive Player-of-the-Year. In 1978, Lackner was named to the Pittsburgh Press All-District Team and received a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Dapper Dan Award. Also a model student, he was twice named an Academic All-American.
During his playing career, Carnegie Mellon had a four-year mark of 28-7-1 and won PAC titles in 1977 and 1978. The Tartans advanced to the NCAA Playoffs in 1978, marking their first postseason appearance since the 1939 Sugar Bowl.
Following his 1979 graduation with a bachelor's degree in history, Lackner remained with the program as an assistant coach. He served in that capacity for seven seasons until he was promoted to head coach in 1986 following the departure of Chuck Klausing.
As head coach, Lackner has directed the Tartans to nine conference championships and two NCAA playoff berths. He has been inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Hall of Fame, honored with the Mt. Lebanon High School Great Alumni Award, and has received the Bob Prince Award from the Catholic Youth Organization.
Lackner has been named the University Athletic Association (UAA) Coach of the Year six times, in 1990, '91, '93, '97, '06 and most recently in 2015 after leading the Tartans to an 8-3 record and a victory in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Legacy Bowl. Lackner's most productive season was in 2006, when he led the Tartans to an 11-1 season, the most wins in school history and their sixth appearance in the NCAA playoffs. He was also named All-South Region Coach of the Year by D3football.com in 2006.
Lackner has two children, Nick, who is a graduate of John Carroll University and holds a MSc Degree from Columbia University and Kimberly, who is a 2005 graduate of Carnegie Mellon and earned her master's in history education from the University of Pittsburgh in 2008.
Milestone Victories Under Rich Lackner:
September 13, 1986, 36-7 at Allegheny- 1st career win for Lackner
September 15 1990, 41-0 versus Chicago- First game at Gesling Stadium
November 7, 1992, 28-12 versus Catholic- 50th career win for Lackner
September 19, 1998, 38-7 versus Bethany- 89th career win for Lackner, becomes winningest coach in Carnegie Mellon history
October 16, 1999, 13-10 versus Chicago- 100th career win for Lackner
November 18, 2006, 21-0 versus Millsaps- First NCAA playoff game at Gesling Stadium
September 1, 2007, 33-10 at Rochester- 150th career win for Lackner
November 5, 2011, 28-13 at Chicago- 500th program win for Carnegie Mellon
October 22, 2016, 49-33 versus Thiel- 200th career win for Lackner