Jan 16, 2014 08:41 AM EST By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Kienus P. Boulware, the Rams' defensive coordinator for the past four years, has been promoted and named the ninth head football coach in Winston-Salem State history.

"Though this is Boulware's first head coaching position, he brings a wealth of experience to the position and has been well-prepared to carry on the strong legacy of the WSSU football program," Bill Hayes, athletic director, said in a statement. "A man with more than 17 years of collegiate coaching experience under his belt, Boulware is regarded by his peers as one of the top defensive coaches in NCAA Division II football.

Hayes said that Boulware's enthusiasm for the game of football is beyond imagination. During his coaching tenure, he refined and motivated many players.

"This is a dream job, and I'm at a dream school," Boulware said. "I'm extremely happy that this day has come."

At Winston-Salem, Boulware's 2013 defensive unit was ranked the best in both Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and the nation. Under his leadership, Carlos Fields, Jr. was named the Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 and the 2012 CIAA Defensive Player of the Year. In 2011, Alton Keaton was chosen the league's top defensive player.

Prior to Winston-Salem State, Boulware spent four years as an assistant coach at Shaw University in Raleigh. The defensive teams were ranked the No. 1 team in the nation for two years consecutively (2007 and 2008) under his guidance.

A native of Thomasville, Boulware was a two-time state champion wrestler at Thomasville High School. He was an inside linebacker at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for two seasons (1993-94).

Boulware could not continue playing football due to a spinal cord defect. He then coached linebackers and defensive linemen for two seasons under former coach Mack Brown.

Boulware graduated with a degree in organizational communication from UNC in 1997. He was then hired as the linebackers' coach at Livingstone College for two years (1997-98). He led Blue Bears to the CIAA Championships, twice.

After Livingstone, Boulware started working in various administrative roles at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in Durham including assistant football coach (linebackers (1999-2002) and defensive line (2003)), assistant track coach and assistant athletic director.

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