MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University athletic department is excited to announce they will be inducting 4 individual athletes and the 1979-80 and 1980-81 Men's Basketball Team into the NMU Sports Hall of Fame. 

Jovan Dewitt was a linebacker for the Wildcats from 1993-96. He was named the team's Most Valuable Linebacker in 1995 and 1996, and was a Dr. C.M. Frank Honorable Mention All-American in 1995. Jovan was recognized on the All-MIFC Defense First Team and NCAA All-Northeast Second Team Defense in 1995, and was All-MIFC Defense First Team and NCAA II All-Northeast Region Second Team in 1996. Additionally in 1996, he was selected as the MIFC Defensive Back of the Year.

Jovan earned his degree in physics and mathematics from Northern Michigan in 1999. He had an opportunity to work for NASA following graduation, but he turned that down to pursue a career in athletics. He played three seasons in the Arena Football League and later entered the coaching profession.

Jovan has coached for over 24 years, starting back with the NMU football team as a student assistant coach in 1997 and also as a graduate assistant in 2000 and 2001.

His first full-time coaching job was as an assistant coach at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College in 2002 before becoming the assistant coach at Division II Fairmont State. He then returned to NMU to serve as the defensive coordinator at Northern Michigan University in 2004 and '05.

Following this, Jovan was the defensive coordinator at Division III St. Norbert for three seasons (2006-08), as well as Northern Iowa (2009-11) as defensive coordinator; Florida Atlantic (2012-13) as a linebacker coach and interim defensive coordinator; Army (2014-15) as special teams coordinator and outside linebacker coach; and Central Florida (2016-17) as associate head coach, special teams coordinator and linebacker coach.

Jovan also coached at Nebraska (2018-19), where he held the title of special teams coordinator, associate head coach and outside linebacker responsibilities. His punt coverage unit in 2019 finished seventh nationally allowing just 2.3 yards per return.

After Nebraska, Jovan became an outside linebacker coach and special teams coordinator at North Carolina (2020-21), Dewitt's group of outside linebackers produced 36 sacks in their 2022 campaign. This was tied for fifth nationally.

Currently, Jovan is the defensive coordinator at Florida International University (FIU), joining in 2022. In his first season at FIU, the Panthers had three players honored with selection to the 2022 College Football News Freshman All-America squad.

Jovan and his wife, Lisa, have two daughters, Maya and Kira, and one son, Jovan Jr.