Coach Gene Epley had a special gift for coaching and teaching that positively impacted the lives of all who played for him and all who coached with him.

Gene was born December 18, 1942, in Midland, PA, and was a standout football player at Lincoln High School. After graduating from Lincoln in 1960, Gene played football at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a reputation as the "meanest man on campus" and in 1964 helped IUP win its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Football Championship. Gene received All-PSAC first team honors for his play in the 1964 season, was named to the IUP All-Time team in 1972, and was inducted into the IUP Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014.

After graduating from IUP in 1965 with a history degree, Gene shared his passion for football as a line coach in 1965 at Sewickley Area High School in Herminie, PA, and helped lead the team to an undefeated season in the WPIAL.

Gene entered the college coaching ranks as an offensive line coach at Utah State (1966-67) and as a defensive line coach and recruiter at the University of Utah (1968-71), where he obtained a master's degree in history. Gene later served as head coach at Shippensburg University (1972-75), as defensive coordinator at the University of Virginia (1976-78), as defensive coordinator at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (1979-82), as defensive coordinator and assistant football coach at the College of William and Mary (1983-85), and as director of athletics and football head coach at Hempfield Area High School in Westmoreland County, PA (1986-90).

From 1991 to 2002, Gene was head coach of the Marietta College football team and became the winningest coach in Marietta history. Gene led the Pioneers to an 8-1-1 record in 1995 and a 7-3 record in 1996, which were the first back-to-back winning seasons for Marietta since 1974. In 1995, Gene received Coach of the Year honors from the Ohio Athletic Conference. Gene completed his coaching career as assistant coach of the Parkersburg High School football team (2003-07), helping lead Parkersburg to two West Virginia state championships (2006 and 2007).

Gene passed away November 21, 2010, after a courageous four-year fight with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by wife Shelly, son Kelly, daughter Shelly, and two stepsons Britton and Blake Windeler.