HELENA, Mont. -- A Saint is coming home: Troy Purcell will become the next football coach at Carroll College.

"We are very excited to welcome Troy back to Carroll College as our new Football coach," Saints Athletic Director Charlie Gross said. "His record of success throughout his entire career speaks volumes about his ability to teach the game of football. "I am confident he will be an outstanding leader for our young men on and off the field."

After a national search over the past month, Purcell supplants Mike Van Diest, who retired after 20 seasons leading the Saints, which included six national championships. 

"Thank you to Mr. Charlie Gross and  Dr. John Cech for giving me the opportunity," Purcell said. "There's a great tradition at Carroll College academically and athletically. Being able to follow up behind two legendary coaches in Bob Petrino and Mike Van Diest is very exciting. I'm ready to continue that tradition of excellence at Carroll College."

With six national titles and 43 conference championships, Carroll football is synonymous with winning -- Purcell knows that. 

He contributed to a run of success while playing at Carroll. He played under the legendary Bob Petrino from 1986-1990, where he earned an all-conference recognition his senior year. The Saints won four conference championships and made the NAIA playoffs each season Purcell suited up. 

Purcell comes to the helm with the Saints after being an assistant at the University of Idaho under Paul Petrino. Purcell coached in multiple roles, beginning by coaching the inside linebackers, then tight ends and finally becoming the team's special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. 

With Purcell on the sidelines, the Vandals won the 2016 Idaho Famous Potato Bowl. 

This past season, the Vandals excelled on special teams. Idaho held the best punt return average in the Big Sky at 17 yards per return and netted best yards per punt (40) in the conference. The Vandals' kickoff coverage was ranked No. 2 in the Big Sky. 

"I have received input from multiple people who know and have worked with Coach Purcell and every response has been overwhelmingly positive," Carroll President Dr. John Cech said. "He is passionate, has tremendous energy and his enthusiasm is contagious. Troy will be a great bridge between the players and teams from the most successful periods of Carroll College football, coached by Bob Petrino and Mike Van Diest." 

Success has followed Purcell throughout his football career. 

As the head coach of the Bozeman Hawks from 2005-2016, Purcell guided the Hawks to three Class AA state championships in 2010, '13 and '15. Prior to that, the Hawks last state championship came in 1917. Under Purcell, the Hawks finished runner-up another season, earned three divisional championships and advanced to the quarterfinals three times. 

Purcell became a five-time Montana High School AA Coach of the Year in Bozeman and head-coached in two East-West Shrine games. He served as the head coach in the Mon-Dak All-Star game once.  

Purcell coached current Seattle Seahawk Will Dissly and current San Francisco 49er Brock Coyle while they prepped in Bozeman. 

Prior to that, Purcell coached the Blue Ponies of Havre High School to a run of success. At Havre, Purcell posted a 40-13 record and also broke a championship drought with a title in 2004. Havre's last championship prior to that came in 1970. The Blue Ponies made four playoff appearances and twice went to the semifinals, with two Central championships as well as a state runner-up finish under Purcell.

He became the Montana High School Class A Coach of the Year, as well as being named twice as the Central Conference Coach of the Year. While leading the Havre, he coached in the East-West Shrine Game as the head coach and in the Mon-Dak All-Star Game. 

Among the standouts he coached in Havre included NFL Pro Bowler Marc Mariani and Saints championship quarterback Gary Wagner. 

He started his Montana coaching career in Eureka for Lincoln County High in 1994, serving as the Lions' head coach until 1999. There he went 32-23, won three District 6 championships and made the playoffs six times.

He cracked into coaching in 1991 at Regis High in Stayton, Oregon. He posted a 22-9 record there and won two Tri-River Conference championships while once being named the Tri-River Coach of the Year. 

Purcell prepped at Capital High, playing football for the Bruins, becoming an All-State selection in 1985 and all-conference in 1984 and '85.  

He becomes the 21st football coach in Carroll history. 

Purcell and his wife, Krista, have one daughter, Brooklyn. Purcell received a degree in elementary education and health enhancement from Carroll College in 1990. He obtained a master's degree in learning development from Montana State-Northern in 2010.

THE TROY PURCELL FILE

PERSONAL
Born: 9/23/67
Hometown: Helena, Montana
High School: Capital HS
College: Carroll College, `90
Wife: Krista
Child: Brooklyn

COACHING CAREER
1991-93: Regis High (Head Coach), 22-9
1994-99: Lincoln County High (Head Coach), 32-23
2000-05: Havre High (Head Coach), 40-13
2005-2016: Bozeman High (Head Coach), 75-49
2016-17: University of Idaho (Inside Linebackers Coach)
2017-18: University of Idaho (Tight Ends Coach)
2018-19: University of Idaho (Special Teams Coordinator, Tight Ends)  

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT TROY PURCELL

Denver Broncos Special Teams Coordinator Tom McMahon:

"I have had the privilege of sitting down with Troy three times in the last five years to talk football at length. Most coaches must use a whiteboard or video for their student athletes to truly conceive the scheme and/or techniques they are trying to convey. Troy Purcell has the rare verbal ability to create high level scheme and technique execution simply with his voice. We have all met special communicators in our lives that have helped us to achieve at a high level simply by listening and living their words. Congratulations Carroll College Football you have hired a rare voice that will translate to upper level execution on the rectangle come game day."

Retired NFL Pro Bowl Player Marc Mariani:

"He instilled some fundamental tools in me that sort of carried me through. I always heard his voice in the back of my head: discipline, effort, finishing. He's a passionate guy who goes 100 percent every single day. He taught me to compete. He taught me how hard it was to be a champion and to be a winner. When you're a high school football player and trying to get better and trying to improve, you don't realize all the life lessons he's instilling in you and giving you. When I get to look back on it, I go, 'Wow that's the stuff Coach Purcell taught us freshman year sitting in those desks in the middle of summer camp.' I just love the guy. I'm happy for him. I think he deserves it and I think he's going to be unbelievable."

University of Idaho head coach Paul Petrino:

"I'm very happy for Troy. He's going to do a great job. He has an excellent mind on both sides of the ball. Troy helped run our special teams this past year. He's high energy and a proven winner. He's got ties all over Montana. Former Saint. Former player. He'll do well at Carroll College."