Thiel College Athletics

John A. "Jack" Leipheimer was the 28th head football coach at Thiel while also serving as the Director of Athletics from 2008-15.

Leipheimer dedicated more than 30 years of his life to coaching. Thiel went 36-46 during his eight-year tenure as head coach, culminating with the team's magical 2005 season. The 2005 team was inducted into Thiel's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021 and was the first team in program history to earn a NCAA Division III playoff berth, the first to host an NCAA Division III playoff game, and the first to win an NCAA Division III playoff game (vs. John Hopkins, 28-3).
 
Leipheimer was named the PAC Coach of the Year, the AFCA Division III Region II Coach of the Year and the Football Gazette's South Region Coach of the Year in 2005.

During the 2005 season, the Tomcats set 24 school records and ranked in the top 30 in the country in multiple statistical categories, including: Kickoff return, (seventh, 23.9 ypg), total defense (eighth, 253 ypg), rushing defense (80.3 ypg), turnover margin (24th, +11), and scoring defense (28th, 16.5 ppg). The Tomcats were ranked No. 15 by Don Hansen's Football Gazette's Top 40, No. 16 by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coaches' Poll and No. 17 by D3football.com Top 25 at the end of the season. Twenty Tomcats earned All-PAC recognition in 2005, and two players went on to be inducted into the Thiel College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019 – offensive tackle Dave Hendricks and running back Steve Minton.

As the Director of Athletics and a member of the president's cabinet from 2008-15, Leipheimer oversaw the addition of five athletics teams to go along with the Rissell-Schreyer Dome, a seasonal air-supported structure which covers Stoeber Field during the winter months. Other projects completed during his tenure as AD included competition-level lighting at Alumni stadium, and gymnasium, locker room and athletic training room enhancements. Leipheimer was also a student-athlete at Thiel and a four-year letter winner in football and a part of the 1972 PAC Championship team.

Leipheimer will also be inducted into the Mercer County Hall of Fame on January 18, 2025 at the Avalon at Buhl Club.