Frank Bongivengo, Jr. enters his seventh season as wide receivers coach at Slippery Rock University in 2018.
Since joining the Slippery Rock coaching staff, Bongivengo has helped coach SRU to a 51-20 record that has included three PSAC West titles, two conference championships and three berths into the NCAA playoffs.
Under Bongivengo, six Rock wide receivers have earned All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division honors in LaQuinn Stephens-Howling, John Schademan, Ken Amos, Jaimire Dutrieuille, Milly Raye and Marcus Johnson with Schademan and Johnson going on to earn All-America honors in 2013 and 2017, respectively.
A year ago, Raye and Johnson combined to catch 148 passes for 2,173 yards and 23 touchdowns. Fellow wide receivers Andrew Bridgeforth, Mike Merhaut and Carnel Harley came together for 61 catches, 814 yards and three touchdowns as well. The five receivers were crucial cogs in an offense that ranked fifth in the nation in passing offense and 11th in scoring.
In 2016, Slippery Rock ranked third in the PSAC in passing yards per game and fifth in the conference in points per game thanks in large part to SRU’s talented group of wideouts that included Johnson, who caught 54 passes for 898 yards and 13 touchdowns; the third most TD receptions in Rock single-season history.
Bongivengo has played an important role in The Rock’s offensive attack over the last five years, including in 2015 when 16 different players caught at least one pass for a total of 3,256 yards and 32 touchdowns. Those numbers helped SRU become the highest scoring offense in the country at 45.2 points and 490.3 yards per game.
The Rock averaged 36.3 points and 460.8 yards per game in 2014. SRU quarterbacks threw 27 touchdowns while Bongivengo was serving as passing game coordinator that season.
The passing attack started growing at SRU in 2013 when the team averaged 43.3 points per game and 354.3 passing yards per game. Under Bongivengo’s guidance, three standout Rock receivers received all-conference accolades that season. Schademan led the way with one of the best seasons for an SRU receiver ever, catching 77 passes for 1,484 yards and 15 touchdowns en route to earning all-region honors. Amos pulled down 60 catches for 827 yards and five touchdowns and Dutrieuille caught 42 passes for 640 yards and five touchdowns.
A 2000 graduate of Slippery Rock University, Bongivengo joined The Rock coaching staff after serving 24 seasons as a high school football coach, the final six as head coach at New Castle High School.
Bongivengo is the son of legendary high school football coach Frank Bongivengo, Sr. and the father of former Slippery Rock wide receiver Michael Bongivengo.
