Nov 19, 2011; Evanston, IL, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive back Kim Royston (3) celebrates making an interception in the first half against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-Imagn Images Dennis Wierzbicki-Imagn Images

Ex-Gophers defensive back named head coach at Cretin-Derham Hall

Originally posted on Minnesota Golden Gophers on SI
By Tony Liebert | Last updated Feb 22, 2025 10:30 AM ET

Former Gophers defensive back Kim Royston was announced as the next football coach at Cretin-Derham Hall High School on Friday. He has been working at the school in some capacity since 2022.

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Royston graduated from Cretin-Derham Hall in 2006 after he developed into a top defensive back recruit and led the team to the Minnesota Class 5A state title game as a senior. He began his college career at Wisconsin and played there for two years before transferring to Minnesota.

He played two seasons with the Gophers, highlighted by a 2011 campaign where he totaled 124 tackles, one sack and one interception. He earned All-Big Ten honorable mention after starting all 12 games at safety.

Royston has been working in the school system since graduating, but he has most recently been the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Cretin Derham-Hall since April 2022.

It was previously reported that Lakeville South's Ben Burk would be taking the Cretin-Derham Hall job, but they've shifted to Royston. He will be replacing Steve Walsh, who was the program's head coach since 2022.

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