Team Maryland Big 33 head coach Tom Abel is moving from Dundalk to Northern-Calvert

Abel succeeds Rich Holzer, who left the SMAC football power to become the new head coach at Loyola Blakefield

Tom Abel, who will coach Team Maryland in the Big 33 Football Classic in May, is the new coach at Northern-Calvert. Abel was previously head coach at Dundalk. / Northern-Calvert Football

Tom Abel will be the head coach of Team Maryland in the Big 33 Football Classic in May. He’ll be leading a new program in the fall as the former Dundalk High coach has been hired as the new coach at Northern-Calvert.

Abel replaces Rich Holzer, who left the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference program for the head coach position at Loyola Blakefield in January. Holzer went 34-13 in four seasons at Northern, winning the Maryland Class 3A state title in 2021.

Abel stepped down from Dundalk in early December after three seasons and a 27-8 mark. The Owls went 9-3 last season, reaching the Class 4A state quarterfinals. He guided Dundalk to the Class 4A/3A state semifinals in his first season in 2022.

Abel was previously the Owls defensive coordinator under Matt Banta. The Owls reached the Class 4A/3A state final in 2021. 

Before Dundalk, Abel spent one season at Severn School as defensive coordinator. His coaching career started in Howard County where he was Wilde Lake’s junior varsity coach for four seasons before moving to Severn. 

Abel will lead Team Maryland against Pennsylvania in the 68th Big 33 Classic, May 25 at Cumberland Valley High in Mechanicsburg, Pa.