WS Chronicle

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Winston-Salem State University officials rewarded the head football coach, Kienus Boulware, with a contract extension that will keep him with the Rams through 2020, the university announced Tuesday, Dec. 13.

Boulware, in his 20th year of coaching, has guided the Rams to three consecutive CIAA Championship games, and WSSU won back-to-back CIAA titles on Nov. 12, and he returned the Rams to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time since 2013.

Boulware was given a four-year extension of his original contract. The new deal is laced with performance-based incentives, allowing the university to reward both athletics and student-athlete academic successes.

“Coach Boulware and his staff have done an excellent job in a short time at the helm of our football program”, said Director of Athletics Tonia Walker.  “Our student-athletes have bought into Kienus’ vision, and we are extremely excited about the future of the program.”

Known as a defensive stalwart, Boulware is regarded by his peers as one of the top defensive coaches in NCAA Division II football.  He has spent his coaching career as talent developer, motivator and a professional with an unbridled passion for the game of football.

“It is truly a blessing and an honor to get an extension from WSSU”, said Boulware. “For our administration to reward me with an extension, is humbling and exciting at the same time.”

“I am appreciative of Dr. Robinson’s and our administration’s show of support,” Boulware said in a statement. “Our staff and players have worked diligently to lay a strong foundation for the years to come. We still have work to do to get to where we ultimately want to be, and we look forward to continuing to take on that challenge. I am excited about the future of this program and am very honored to be the man leading it,” added Boulware.

A native of Thomasville, N.C., Boulware starred in football and was a two-time state champion wrestler at Thomasville High School. He would go on to play two seasons (1993-94) as an inside linebacker at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before his football career was shortened by the discovery of a spinal cord abnormality.  He remained on the sideline as a student coach for two seasons under former coach Mack Brown, working with linebackers and defensive linemen. He graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in May 1997 with a degree in organizational communication.

He has spent stints coaching at several CIAA schools, including Livingstone and Shaw University, as well as N.C. Central, when the Eagles were in the CIAA.

He and his wife, Kelli, reside in Winston-Salem.