| Joel Swisher | |
| Birth Date: | 29 October 1943 |
| Birth Place: | Hopkinsville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Rochester, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Player Sport1: | Football |
| Player Years2: | 1964–1967 |
| Player Team2: | Northern State |
| Player Sport3: | Football |
| Player Team4: | Northern State |
| Player Positions: | Halfback (football) |
| Coach Sport1: | Football |
| Coach Years2: | c. 1970 |
| Coach Team2: | South Dakota State (GA) |
| Coach Years3: | 1972 |
| Coach Team3: | Doane (DC) |
| Coach Years4: | 1973–1976 |
| Coach Team4: | Dakota State |
| Coach Years5: | 1977–1980 |
| Coach Team5: | Augustana (SD) |
| Coach Years6: | 1982–1983 |
| Coach Team6: | Adams State |
| Coach Years7: | 1984–1986 |
| Coach Team7: | Eastern Illinois (assistant) |
| Coach Years8: | 1987–1988 |
| Coach Team8: | Western Michigan (assistant) |
| Coach Years9: | 1990–1991 |
| Coach Team9: | New Mexico (RB) |
| Coach Years10: | 1992–1994 |
| Coach Team10: | Jamestown |
| Coach Years11: | 1995–1999 |
| Coach Team11: | Rochester (MN) / Rochester C&T |
| Coach Sport12: | Track |
| Coach Years13: | 1972–1973 |
| Coach Team13: | Doane (assistant) |
| Admin Years1: | 1974–1977 |
| Admin Team1: | Dakota State |
| Overall Record: | 65–55–4 (college football) 44–9 (junior college football) |
| Bowl Record: | 1–3 (junior college) |
| Tournament Record: | 7–2 (MCCC playoffs) |
| Championships: | Football 3 SDIC (1973, 1975–1976) 3 MCCC (1997–1999) 3 MCCC Northern Division (1995–1999) |
Joel A. Swisher (October 29, 1943 – February 17, 2000) was an American college football coach and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Dakota State University (1973–1976), Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1977–1980), Adams State College (1982–1983), and Jamestown College (1992–1994), compiling a career college football head coaching record of 65–55–4. Swisher was also the athletic director at Dakota State from 1974 to 1977.
Swisher was born on October 29, 1943, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.[1] He was the son of Clark Swisher, who was a longtime coach and athletic director at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The younger Swisher attended Northern State, where lettered for four years in both football and basketball before graduating graduating with a Bachelor of Science in secondary education. Swisher later earned a master's degree physical education from South Dakota State University, and, in 1972, a doctorate in health and physical education form the University of Utah.[2]
Swisher was hired in 1972 at Doane College—now known as Doane University—Crete, Nebraska, as an assistant coach in football and track and assistant professor of physical education.[3] In 1973, he was hired as the head football coach at Dakota State University in Madison, South Dakota. The following year, he succeeded Neil Hattlestad at the school's athletic director.[4]
Swisher was the 16th head football coach at Adams State College—now known as Adams State University—in Alamosa, Colorado, serving for two seasons, from 1982 to 1983, and compiling a record of 7–10–2[5]
He was the head football coach at Jamestown College—now known as the University of Jamestown–in Jamestown, North Dakota for three seasons, from 1992 to 1994, tallying a mark of 15–12.[6]
Swisher died on February 17, 2000, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, after suffering a heart attack.[7]