Slippery Rock University Athletics

Al Washington was hired as The Rock's defensive line coach in May 2009 after serving one season as a graduate assistant at North Carolina State University.

A  former football student-athlete at Boston College, Washington served as NC State's video graduate assistant last fall after coaching at Division III Rensselaer Polytechnic Institution in 2007.

Washington helped lead Rensselaer to an 8-2 record, a Liberty League championship and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs and was a member of the 2007 Liberty League "Coaching Staff of the Year." 

As a student-athlete, Washington was a four-year letterwinner on the defensive line under current North Carolina State head coach Tom O'Brien and Wolfpack defensive line coach Keith Willis.

Willis, a former NFL player with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins, served as defensive line coach at SRU from 1995-98.

While playing at Boston College, Washington earned the team's Paul Cavanaugh Award in 2006 and the Leadership Award in 2005. The Cavanaugh Award is given annually to the player whose on and off the field accomplishments speak volumes about his commitment, outlook, volunteer work, ethics and work in the community and on the team.

After graduating from BC in 2006 with a bachelor of science degree in sociology, Washington signed with the Canadian Football League's Sakatchewan Roughriders and with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in February 2007.

Washington is originally from Columbus, Ohio.