Coach Jace McDown is in his third year on the Hornet coaching staff.  As he did in 2023, McDown will once again serve as the Co-Defensive Coordinator and coach the defensive backs in 2024.  In 2022, McDown coached the linebackers.
 
In 2023, McDown coached Jaaron Joseph and Montrell Wilson to All-MIAA Second Team honors and saw his defensive backs intercept 12 passes.
 
In 2022, McDown coached outside linebacker Dawson Hammes to All-MIAA First Team and All Super Region 3 Second Team honors.
 
As a student athlete, McDown was a four-year letterman and three-year team captain as a linebacker for the Hornets from 2016 to 2021.  McDown finished his career as the fifth leading tackler in Hornet history with a total of 311 stops.  McDown’s 37.5 tackles for loss rank eighth all-time.  McDown stockpiled numerous awards for his play on the field, performance in the classroom and involvement on campus and in the community:

• All-MIAA First Team recognition in 2019 and 2021 after earning All-MIAA Second Team team honors in 2018
• Honorable mention Don Hansen All-American honors in 2019 and 2021
• Three-time CoSIDA Academic All-America recognition, earning first team honors in 2020 and second team honors in 2019 and 2021
• 2020 semifinalist for the prestigious National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy, widely considered to be the “Academic Heisman”
• 2019 MIAA Fall Male Athlete of the Year
• 2019 Emporia State Male Athlete of the Year
• 2021 finalist for the MIAA Ken B. Jones Award
• Recipient of the inaugural Steve Henry Award in 2021

McDown graduated from Emporia State in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in health and human performance and a minor in coaching.  McDown is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).
 
McDown and his wife Olivia are expecting their first child.