Texas A&M-Kingsville head football coach Daren Wilkinson will not be retained for next season, per an announcement from executive director of athletics Steve Roach on Monday morning. 

"We appreciate Coach Wilkinson's commitment and dedication to the Javelina football program and the positive impact he made on this community," Roach said according to the release. "However, at this time, we felt it was best to make a change in the leadership of the football program.”

Wilkinson spent five years at the helm of the Javelinas and compiled a 21-35 overall record with an 11-28 record in the Lone Star Conference. He was named the 2016 LSC Coach of the Year following a 9-3 season, which ended with a win over Southern Arkansas in the Live United Bowl. Wilkinson previously served as offensive coordinator for 2014 Division-II national champion Colorado State-Pueblo.

TAMUK finished 2-9 overall and 1-7 in the LSC this season. The Javelinas had two games where they allowed 70 points this season, including a 70-14 defeat at UT Permian Basin last Saturday. The Javelinas are one of the longest-standing members of the LSC, having joined the conference in 1954, and have a winning tradition that includes 27 LSC titles, seven LSC divisional titles, 27 playoff appearances all-time and seven NAIA national championships. 

TAMUK has a 579-326-16 overall record in program history, not counting wins from 1996-1999 which were vacated due to NCAA violations. The Javelinas have not won an LSC title since 2009.

"Javelina football has a proud tradition and rich history, and I am confident we will find the next head coach to lead us back to that prominence,” Roach added in the release.

Roach also announced that a national search for a new head coach will begin immediately. The search will be conducted by Parker Executive Search.

The Javelinas play at Pepsi Field at Javelina Stadium, which was opened in 1950. The 12,500-seat stadium has a track surrounding the field that was recently renovated ahead of hosting the NCAA Track and Field Championships last May. However, Javelina stadium does not currently have a locker room for the visiting team. The stadium also sustained damage during a June storm that closed a section of the general admission seating during this season.