Former UW standout hired to coach Meadowdale football team

LYNNWOOD – Former University of Washington football star Mark Stewart has been named head football coach at Meadowdale High School.

Stewart succeeds Kevin Ryan who resigned in June for personal reasons, Meadowdale athletic director Dave Zwaschka said.

"We were sorry to see Kevin step down," Zwaschka said. "He’s done a great job with the athletes."

Stewart comes to Meadowdale from Renton High School, where he’s been the football coach the past three years. He’s also coached football at Highline and Garfield High Schools.

Zwaschka said Meadowdale was very happy to land a coach of Stewart’s caliber.

"Mark Stewart was an outstanding player," Zwaschka said. "He’s an outstanding coach and he’s an outstanding teacher."

Stewart was an outside linebacker for the Huskies from 1979 to 1982. In 1982, his senior year, Stewart was named first-team All-America by The Associated Press, Sporting News, Football News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. He also was a second-team Academic All-America selection.

As a senior, Stewart amassed 104 tackles, including 17 for loss, and 10 sacks. His 47 career tackles for loss is the second most in Huskies history.

Stewart was named The Associated Press and Sports Illustrated defensive player of the week after making 17 tackles – including five sacks and two other tackles for loss – in Washington’s 10-7 upset of UCLA in 1982. The Bruins went on to win the Pacific-10 Conference and beat Illinois in the 1983 Rose Bowl.

Minnesota picked Stewart in the fifth round of 1983 NFL draft and he was with the Vikings for a year.

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