After 25 seasons of impressive accomplishments as an assistant coach at Hillsdale College, Nate Shreffler took on a new challenge and a new responsibility with the Chargers ahead of the 2024 season, as the respected offensive coordinator was named the 30th head football coach in Hillsdale College history on November 2023.
In two seasons as head coach, Shreffler has kept the Chargers in the conversation in the G-MAC, with back-to-back winning records in conference play. Strong finishes have become a hallmark for Hillsdale under Shreffler, as the Chargers closed the 2024 season with five straight victories and finished the 2025 regular season with four straight wins. Individual standouts also have been a big part of Shreffler's tenure with the Chargers, as Hillsdale has won won five major G-MAC awards in 2024 and 2025, and produced two All-Americans, 2024 honoree Nick Affholter on the offensive line and wide receiver and return specialist Shea Ruddy, who received the distinction in 2024 and was a first-team All-American to the D2CCA in 2025.
The promotion to head coach for the 2024 was a logical final step in a decorated career for Shreffler. He had previously been the Chargers' offensive coordinator for 13 seasons, and is the longest-tenured coach on the Hillsdale College football staff, entering his 32nd season as a player or coach at Hillsdale this coming fall. Throughout his nearly three decades as a coach with the Chargers, Shreffler has expertly guided his players with intelligence, depth and an understated excellence that makes him perfectly suited to guide the Chargers into a new era of football while honoring the past traditions and accomplishment that form the strong and deep foundation the Hillsdale College program is built on.
A native of Celina, Ohio and a graduate of Celina High School, Shreffler played for the Chargers from 1989-92 under legendary head coach Dick Lowry and was a three-year starter at guard on the Hillsdale College offensive line and an important special teams contributor as a long snapper for Hillsdale for multiple seasons. In his senior year in 1992, he helped pave the way for a huge rushing season from Hillsdale College Hall of Fame tailback Scott Schulte and played an important role on Hillsdale's MIFC championship team that year.
After receiving his degree in secondary education from Hillsdale in 1993, Shreffler coached junior high football in Glendale, Arizona before returning to the Midwest and the college game. He spent two years coaching the offensive line at Olivet College, and one season at the University of St. Francis in Ft. Wayne, Indiana before returning to his alma mater in 1999 under then head coach Dave Dye. He's been an integral part of Hillsdale's coaching staff ever since.
Staying with the staff when Keith Otterbein took charge of the program in 2002 as Hillsdale's offensive line coach, Shreffler began producing star offensive lineman after star offensive lineman for the Chargers who began a rapid rise up the GLIAC standings, first with Silas Johnson, a first-team All-GLIAC honoree and a Cactus Bowl participant in 2003. The crown jewel came in 2006, when Hillsdale landed Jared Veldheer from Forest Hills Northern High School in Grand Rapids. Over four seasons under Shreffler's tutelage, Veldheer blossomed into a consensus All-American and one of the finest tackles in the nation, becoming Hillsdale's first NFL Draft Pick in nearly 30 years in 2009 before embarking on a long and successful NFL career. Shreffler also oversaw the development of offensive lineman Phil Doerfler, who graduated in 2010 with a host of awards, including First-Team All-GLIAC, the GLIAC Commissioner’s Award, the Jack McAvoy Award and the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award.
In 2010, Shreffler was promoted to Hillsdale's offensive coordinator position, and over the past 13 years, he's overseen a golden era of offensive football at Hillsdale College. Under his watch, the Chargers have fielded record-setting units both early in his tenure led by Troy Weatherhead, Andre Holmes and Joe Glendening, and later in the decade with Chance Stewart, Trey Brock and David Graham. All told, the Chargers won three conference titles, made two NCAA DII Playoff appearances and won three GLIAC Division championships during Shreffler's time as OC, and Hillsdale's leading passer, rusher and receiver in the program's 131-year program history all played for him. In his time as coordinator, Shreffler has shown an innate ability to adapt to personnel and play to his team's strengths as a unit, fielding both prolific passing attacks with Weatherhead and Stewart under center that torched opposing defenses through the air, and also run-heavy offenses that powered through opponents with star tailbacks like Joe Glendening and Michael Herzog, with equal success utilizing both styles.
While performing at an impressive level as a coordinator, Shreffler also continued in his role as offensive line coach and continued to produce excellent linemen. One of his players, Drew Callahan, was selected as an honorable mention All-American following Hillsdale's G-MAC championship season of 2018, and offensive tackle Mark Konkle followed that with D2CCA All-Region honors and an honorable mention All-American nod in 2019. All told, in his work with the offensive line, Shreffler coached 24 first-team All-G-MAC players and four All-Americans.
Success on the field has always been important to Shreffler, but equally important to him has been ensuring his players are good citizens and active in the community. He's long been at the forefront of the Hillsdale College football program's charitable efforts every season, running Hillsdale's "Guys With Ties" program that pairs local fourth graders with Hillsdale College football players to promote leadership, integrity, kindness, gratitude, manners and sportsmanship, and also spearheading the Chargers' volunteer tutoring program in reading and math at local elementary schools. In recognition of his many charitable endeavors and his sustained excellence over the course of his career, Nate Shreffler was honored by the American Football Coaches Association in 2022 as the NCAA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year.
Shreffler and his wife, Jill, reside in Hillsdale and have three daughters -- Emma, Sarah and Grace.
