Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference

Chapman was integral part of Wayne State Athletics in his 17 years at the school. He was named the Central States Intercollegiate Conference and Omaha World Herald College Coach of the Year after leading the 1984 football team to an 8-3 record. The eight wins were the second most in a season by a Wayne State football coach. Chapman took over as the first fulltime Director of Athletics at Wayne State in 1987. During his tenure he raised a number of sports at Wayne State from eight to fifteen. He was instrumental in the Wildcat’s acceptance into NCAA Division II in 1989 and played an important role in the move from independent status to joining the NSIC in 1999. Chapman was a 1971 graduate of the University of Nebraska and earned his Master’s Degree from South Dakota State in 1980. He previously coached at Milligan High School and Osceola High School in Nebraska. He was an assistant coach at South Dakota State for two seasons before taking over at Yankton College, forging records of 4-6 and 8-2 before coming to Wayne State. Chapman left WSC in 1999 and went on to serve as the Athletic Director at Missouri Western State University until losing his battle with cancer in 2003 at the age of 53.