Big changes are coming to St. Edward, and Dave Archibald is looking to have an impact in implementing them.

The December resignation of football coach Shane Finnane and upcoming June retirement of athletic director P.J. White — combined with an update of the school’s organizational structure that has been in the works — created the scenario.

School officials believe they have found their answer for athletics in Archibald, who will wear several hats.

“We are absolutely thrilled,” said AnneMarie Woj-Dufelmeier, St. Edward’s head of school. “It felt like we hit the jackpot.”

Archibald has been named St. Edward’s first dean of athletics. In that role, he will have expanded administrative duties while overseeing the athletic department. He has also been named head football coach.

Archibald has experience in all of those roles in his 23-year career in education that includes teaching 13 years in the classroom, working 10 years in administration as an assistant athletic director and coaching for all of that time.

Archibald led the program at St. Viator in Arlington Heights for nine seasons from 2016 to 2024, taking four teams to the playoffs, including his first year with a team that included Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet.

Before that, Archibald was a high school assistant coach for five years and a college assistant coach at Wisconsin Lutheran for eight years.

After stepping down at St. Viator, Archibald coached Brookfield Academy in suburban Milwaukee this past fall to a playoff berth. Archibald, who is from Wisconsin and played college football at St. Norbert, will finish the school year before joining St. Edward on June 1.

“I’ve been in Catholic education most of my professional life and I love football in Chicagoland,” said Archibald, who twice won the Dave Mattio Outstanding Coach of the Year Award from the CCL/ESCC.

“Ultimately, the belief in the community and the impact they believe I can have on our culture in the athletic department and that I can help football become competitive again helped decide it.”

White served St. Edward as athletic director for 21 years. He also taught and was dean of students and head basketball coach during his tenure. He will step down June 30.

The Green Wave struggled during Finnane’s three seasons, winning just one game as the total number of players in the program dropped last year to 24.

Finnane, a St. Edward grad who attended West Point and played football for Army, stepped down because he felt his work commitments in Chicago were making it difficult to oversee the program, according to Woj-Dufelmeier.

“Dave is extremely dedicated to football and we also need to rebuild this program,” she said. “I feel part of that will come from having a coach in the building. I think that’s important to have if we can.”

Construction will begin this summer on a new weight room that should help. St. Edward’s enrollment has held steady at about 205 the past 10 years.

Finnane followed the 18-year run of Mike Rolando, who led seven teams to the playoffs, six in Class 4A and one in 2A. The 2A appearance came in 2019, the last time the Green Wave made the postseason.

During a 10-year stretch from 2012 to 2020, Rolando had 40 or more players in the program six times, peaking at 57 in 2012.

“We’re the smallest school in our conference (Chicago Christian Athletic) but we really believe we can convince players St. Edward wants to be back on the map,” Archibald said. “I’d like to get back to 30-40 players and two levels so the younger players can have a game each week.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to assume roles of leadership within the St. Edward community. In football, specifically, there is no shortcut. This is going to be a process of seasons that starts with increasing our numbers.”