St. Olaf College Athletics

Recruiting Territories: Twin Cities North Metro and Central Minnesota, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Hawaii.
 
Lucas Kleinschrodt is in his fifth season as a member of the St. Olaf football coaching staff in 2025-26 and currently serves as the defensive coordinator.
 
Kleinschrodt joined the coaching staff in the spring of 2021 as the inside linebackers coach and coached Brandon Foster to Honorable Mention All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) honors after Foster led the conference in tackles during the 2021 season. In 2022, Kleinschrodt was promoted to defensive coordinator and helped coach three players to All-MIAC honors, including first-team honoree and D3football.com all-region selection Mark Thrower. In 2023, two members of his defense earned conference-wide recognition, with Deonta Thomas collecting All-MIAC honors and Luke Stanga landing on the honorable-mention list. Most recently, three members of Kleinschrodt's defense earned postseason accolades in 2024, led by All-MIAC and D3football.com All-Region 6 defensive end Noah Barrett.
 
Prior to arriving at St. Olaf, Kleinschrodt served as the defensive backs coach in 2016 at Gustavus Adolphus College before being promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2017 and then defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2018. During his time at Gustavus, Kleinschrodt coached 14 players to All-MIAC honors. After becoming co-defensive coordinator in 2017,  the Gustavus defense improved in points per game from 28 to 20.6, total yards from 363.1 to 320.2, rushing yards from 143 to 126.3, passing yards from 220.1 to 193.9, third-down defense from 56 percent to 70 percent, fourth-down defense from 42 percent to 67 percent, and sacks from 9 to 24. In 2018, the Gustavus defense improved again in points per game from 20.6 to 18.9, total yards from 320.2 to 291.4, passing yards per game from 193.9 to 150.3 (1st in MIAC), and interceptions from 7 to 12. The Gusties finished the 2019 season with a 7-3 record, tying the program's best record since 2001.
 
Prior to arriving at Gustavus, Kleinschrodt spent the 2016 spring at South Dakota State University as a defensive quality control coach.
 
In 2014, Kleinschrodt got his start in coaching at Augustana University (S.D.), serving as a defensive graduate assistant working with the defensive backs. In 2015, Kleinschrodt was promoted to corner backs coach and director of on-campus recruiting, helping Augustana to a 9-3 record, a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) South title, and an NCAA playoff berth.
 
A native of Alden, Minnesota, Kleinschrodt graduated from Alden-Conger High School in 2010. From there, Lucas attended Gustavus where he graduated in 2014 with an undergraduate degree in health fitness and earned a masters’ degree in sports administration and leadership from Augustana Univeristy in 2016. Kleinschrodt was a four-year letterwinner for the Gusties as a linebacker. He recorded 146 tackles in 38 career games at Gustavus, ranking fifth on his team with a career-high 42 tackles his senior season in 2013. He finished his career with three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, four pass breakiups, and four tackles for loss.
 
Quick Facts:
Hometown: Alden, Minnesota
High School: Alden-Conger H.S.
College/Degree: Gustavus Adolphus College/B.A. Health Fitness
College/Degree: Augustana University (S.D.)/M.A. Sports Administration and Leadership
 
Coaching Experience
2022-Pres - St. Olaf College - Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
2021 - St. Olaf College - Inside Linebackers
2018-2020 - Gustavus Adolphus College - Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
2017 - Gustavus Adolphus College - Co-Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs
2016 Fall - Gustavus Adolphus College - Defensive Backs
2016 Spring - South Dakota State - Defensive Quality Control
2015 - Augustana University (S.D) - Cornerbacks Coach / Director of On Campus Recruiting
2014 - Augustana University (S.D) - Graduate Assistant / Defensive Backs
 
Postseason Experience
2015 - Augustana University (S.D) - NCAA Division II Playoffs First Round