Army's home opener on Sept. 30 against CSFL foe Mansfield.
Lt. Col. Mark West enters his fourth season as the head coach of Army sprint football. West coached the Black Knights in 2008 and 2009 before serving a one-year tour of duty in Iraq. He returned to the Academy prior to the 2011 season.
West guided the Black Knights to a 6-1 record in his second season, the best mark since 2000, before departing prior to the 2010 CSFL championship season. He deployed with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Ga.
In his first season with the Black Knights in 2008, Army finished with a 2-5 mark before returning the team to its winning ways in 2009. The 6-1 season ended Army's five-year drought of losing seasons.
Despite falling to Navy in the CSFL title match in 2011, Army collected 18 All-League certificates, including six first-team members.
A 1991 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, West starred for the sprint football squad as a cadet. He recently began his 21st year in the active duty Army as an Armor officer.
As a cadet, West was a three-year starter at quarterback for the lightweight football team and led the Black Knights to three league championships. He served as team captain and was named the first-ever Kays Award recipient as the most valuable player in the league. West was honored with the Colonel John A. Robenson Award in 1988 and 1990 as the Army lightweight football team's most valuable player.
West has served in various duty assignments to include Germany; Fort Hood, Texas; Kuwait; Fort Knox, Ky.; and Saudi Arabia. He assisted the sprint football team from 2001 to 2004 during a previous assignment at West Point.
West and his wife Holly, who is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army and former soccer standout at West Point, have four children - sons Keegan (16)and Kyle (8), and daughters Lexi (14) and Daisy (6). They reside at West Point.
