Dan Kenan

Athlete

Kenan grew up in El Paso, Texas, and attended the El Paso Military Academy. He subsequently enrolled at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where he played for the Wesleyan Cardinals football team in 1913 and 1914. He was a utility player during most of the 1913 season and played at both the halfback and tackle positions in Wesleyan's 1913 game against Trinity College. Kenan was unanimously selected as the captain of Wesleyan's 1914 football team and played fullback for the 1914 team. He also did punting and drop kicking for the 1914 Wesleyan team. At the end of the 1914 college football season, Outing magazine selected Kenan for its Football Roll of Honor as one of the "Stars of the Gridiron in 1914."

Coach

In June 1915, Kenan was voted the best athlete in Wesleyan's senior class. That same month, he was also hired as an assistant to help Dick Eustis coach the football team. In February 1916, Kenan became the head football coach at Wesleyan and led the team to 4–1–2 record. He was also hired as Wesleyan's head men's basketball coach in December 1916. With the entry of the United States into World War I, Kenan entered the military and was assigned to an officer's training camp in 1917. After leaving the military, Kenan returned to his position as Wesleyan's head football coach in 1920. He led the 1920 football team to a 5–1–1 record and a tie for the Little Three football championship. In two seasons as Wesleyan's head football coach, Kenan compiled a 9–2–3 record. His .750 winning percentage ranks third all-time in the 127-year history of Wesleyan football.