Mercyhurst Promotes 31-Year-Old Tom Sydeski to Head Coach, Elevates Staff

Mercyhurst University elevated offensive coordinator Thomas “Tom” Sydeski to head football coach and reshuffled key assistants in a move designed to preserve continuity during the Lakers’ early years at the FCS level. Sydeski, 31, will be one of the youngest head coaches in Division I when he formally assumes the role announced at the program’s introductory press conference.

Sydeski joined Mercyhurst prior to the 2024 season and served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2024 and 2025 campaigns. Mercyhurst finished 5–7 in 2025, a season that began with four losses in five games, produced a four-win stretch over the middle of the schedule, and ended with a two-score loss to Central Connecticut State in the finale. The internal promotion follows the departure of Ryan Riemedio, who left to take the defensive coordinator job at Youngstown State; Riemedio finished his Mercyhurst tenure with a 13–31 record.

Sydeski’s résumé includes quality-control work at Old Dominion, stops at FIU, an on-field quarterbacks coaching role at Bryant beginning in 2019, and a stint at West Georgia in 2023. At Bryant, the 2022 offense finished among the top 10 nationally at the FCS level in passing offense, third-down conversions and passing touchdowns, and quarterback Zevi Eckhaus set program records for total offense in a season as well as single-game passing and total-offense marks. Those offensive credentials frame Mercyhurst’s decision to hand the program to a coach with a track record of quarterback development and up-tempo passing production.

At the press conference Sydeski said, “I’m incredibly honored to lead this program. Mercyhurst football is a close-knit group built on trust, hard work, and belief in one another. Our staff is committed to developing student-athletes who compete with passion, excel academically, and represent this university the right way. We’re excited to build on what’s been established and continue pushing this program forward.” He also laid out an identity: “I want to be the grittiest team in America. I want our guys to have that mental edge... regardless of what the circumstance is, we're going to go get it. That's our expectation.”

Athletic director Joe Spano framed the hire as a continuity play: “Mercyhurst football is grounded in relationships, shared purpose, and a tireless work ethic. Tom has been a key figure in the transformation of our football program throughout the reclassification process. The offense has seen significant success as a collective unit and in individual player growth. We are confident that Tom will bring that same level of impact and leadership to the entire program.” Spano added that continuity was the committee’s primary consideration in promoting from within rather than opening a national search.

The staff moves include Michael Waring being elevated from offensive line coach and associate head coach to a general manager role overseeing program operations, and Fredrick Gladney shifting from special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach to assistant head coach and director of player relations. Coverage differed on the exact new title for Kalleigh Burke; some reports list her as the full-time defensive line coach while others call her a full-time assistant defensive line coach. That discrepancy will be clarified when the university posts the finalized staff directory and bios.

The decision places a young, offensively minded coach at the helm of a program navigating Division I transition, with institutional emphasis on internal promotion and roster stability. For fans and recruits, Sydeski’s elevation signals a commitment to quarterback development and an aggressive offensive identity, while the administrative promotion of Waring suggests Mercyhurst intends to professionalize operations around recruiting, roster management and competitive growth. The Lakers will put this new structure to the test in spring practice and the 2026 season as Mercyhurst seeks to turn a 5–7 campaign into a winning mark in the NEC and build momentum in the Erie football market.