| John Roning | |
| Birth Date: | 2 December 1910 |
| Birth Place: | Red Wing, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Player Years1: | 1932–1934 |
| Player Team1: | Minnesota |
| Player Positions: | End |
| Coach Years1: | 1937–1938 |
| Coach Team1: | Red Wing HS (MN) |
| Coach Years2: | 1939–1941 |
| Coach Team2: | Gustavus Adolphus |
| Coach Years3: | 1942 |
| Coach Team3: | Minnesota (ends) |
| Coach Years4: | 1943–1944 |
| Coach Years5: | 1946–1950 |
| Coach Team5: | Minnesota (backfield) |
| Coach Years6: | 1951–1954 |
| Coach Team6: | Utah Agricultural |
| Coach Years7: | 1955–1960 |
| Coach Team7: | Denver |
| Admin Years1: | 1939–1942 |
| Admin Team1: | Gustavus Adolphus |
| Admin Years2: | 1961–1971 |
| Admin Team2: | South Dakota |
| Admin Years3: | 1971–1977 |
| Admin Team3: | Big Sky (commissioner) |
| Overall Record: | 61–59–3 (college) |
| Championships: | 1 MIAC (1940) |
Roning was an end for Bernie Bierman at Minnesota from the 1932 through the 1934 seasons. He started at end during their 1934 national championship season.[1] In 1939, Roning took over at Gustavus Adolphus College where he served as athletic director, football, basketball and track coach.[1] During his tenure as football head coach, Roning led the Gusties to an overall record of 17 wins, five losses and one tie (17–5–1).[2] He led the Gusties to the 1940 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) championship; however, the school was suspended from the MIAC for the 1941 season for its perceived "overemphasis" on collegiate athletics.[3] From Adolphus, Roning served as an assistant coach at Minnesota, with North Carolina Pre-Flight and again at Minnesota before he became head coach at Utah Agricultural.[4]
Roning was hired at Utah Agricultural in January 1951 to replace George Melinkovich.[4] During his four-year tenure as head coach of the Aggies, Roning had an overall record of 18 wins, 21 losses and two ties (18–21–2).[5] [6] In February 1955, he became the head coach of the Denver Pioneers.[7] During his six seasons there, Roning had a 27–13 overall record.[5] After the 1960 season, the university decided to drop football due to the costs of operating the program.[8] [9] [10] [11]
After the closure of the Denver football program, Roning accepted the position of athletic director at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion in 1961.[12] He remained at South Dakota until 1971, when he followed Jack Friel as commissioner of the Big Sky Conference;[12] [13] [14] he served until June 1977, succeeded by Steve Belko.[15] [16]
Roning retired to Denver, Colorado, where he resided until his death at age 90 on October 3, 2001.[12]