American International College

Dan Chipka was named the Head Coach of AIC Football on January 10, 2025, having been Interim Head Coach in 2024.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 
Years: 2024-Present (Head Coach), 2022-24 (Assistant Coach)
Career Record: 6-15, 5-10 NE10
Record at AIC: Same

NE10 Rookie of the Year: 1 (Connor Dietz, 2024)

NE10 All-Conference First Team: 2
NE10 All-Conference Second Team: 3
NE10 All-Rookie Team: 4
NE10 Academic All-Conference: 1

Dan Chipka enters his third season as head football coach at American International College and his fifth overall season with the Yellow Jackets football program in 2026. Chipka, who was named the program’s 15th head coach on January 10, 2025, previously served as interim head coach during the 2024 season. Now in his 16th year of coaching, Chipka has built his career on program development, player advancement, and organizational growth at both the collegiate and high school levels.

Chipka joined American International College in 2022 as the tight ends/fullbacks and slot receivers coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023 and interim head coach in 2024. He was named head coach prior to the 2025 season following a period of transition in which he led the program as the fourth head coach in a two-year span at AIC. Throughout his tenure, he has helped provide continuity and structure within the football program while contributing to sustained growth in recruiting, roster development, and program resources.

In 2025, American International College posted a 2–8 overall record, including a 2–5 mark in Northeast-10 Conference play, finishing sixth in the league standings. Despite the record, the Yellow Jackets defense emerged as one of the top units in the country, ranking 14th nationally in total defense and first in the NE10, while also leading the nation in opponent first downs and finishing seventh nationally in third-down defense. Each category also ranked first among NE10 programs.

The program also showed increased competitiveness throughout the season, with AIC consistently competing in games and narrowing scoring margins compared to the previous year. Under Chipka’s leadership, the roster expanded to 150 student-athletes for fall camp, the largest in program history.

Serving as interim head coach during the 2024 season, Chipka guided the Yellow Jackets to a 4–7 overall record, matching the program’s highest win total since 2014. The season included a 27–24 victory over Assumption University, which entered the contest atop the NE10 standings through nine weeks of the season. AIC also continued to show offensive improvement throughout the year, increasing production across multiple statistical categories including touchdowns, rushing offense, passing efficiency, and yards per reception.

During Chipka’s tenure, the program has produced 15 All-NE10 selections, including Michael Grant, Nevin Earl, Sidiki Cone, Jakkai Stith, Fatir Bell, Dahvey Hicks, Connor Dietz, Makia Gamble, Andres Perez, JR Craig Jr., and Marcus Thurston. The Yellow Jackets have also produced two NE10 Rookie of the Year honorees during Chipka’s tenure, with Hicks earning the honor in 2022 and Dietz receiving the award in 2024.

In addition to on-field development, Chipka has overseen significant growth within the structure of the football program. Since 2022, AIC’s roster size has increased from 114 student-athletes to 150 entering the 2025 season, the largest roster in program history. Chipka also helped establish the program’s junior varsity team, which competed in two games during the 2025 season and outscored opponents 89–13. The program has also emphasized community involvement and player engagement throughout his tenure, recording more than 400 community service hours during the 2025 academic year and surpassing 520 hours in 2026 through various initiatives in the Springfield community.

Prior to arriving at AIC, Chipka spent eight seasons as a head coach in the Toledo, Ohio area. At St. Francis de Sales High School, he inherited a program that had gone 0–10 the previous season and guided it to consecutive winning seasons and its first playoff appearance in 17 years. During his tenure, the program established five school records. Before his time at St. Francis de Sales, Chipka was named head coach at Waite High School at age 24. In his first season, Waite earned a share of the Toledo City League Championship, marking the program’s first league title in 63 years. He was later named AP Co-Coach of the Year, and the program secured its first winning season in 15 years during his tenure.

In addition to his collegiate and high school coaching experience, Chipka served as offensive coordinator for the HBCU Pigskin Showdown from 2021-22. Held in Selma, Alabama and televised nationally on NBC Sports, the event served as an all-star showcase for draft-eligible players in front of professional scouts.

A graduate of Bluffton University (Ohio), Chipka was a two-year starter at wide receiver and served as team captain during his senior season. Following his collegiate playing career, he spent one season with the Fort Wayne Firehawks of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL).

Chipka and his wife, Breelynn, reside in Springfield, Massachusetts, with their son, James.