Edwin Regur Sweetland (January 10, 1875 – October 21, 1950) was an American coach, trainer, and athletic administrator at several universities.

One of his brothers was Monroe Marsh Sweetland, who founded Delta Chi fraternity while a law student at Cornell University.

[2][3] After attending Union College for one year, Sweetland transferred to Cornell University, where he graduated in 1899 with a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture.

Additionally, a charge was leveled that Sweetland was a professional, not an amateur, since he was paid for playing football for Elmira Athletic Club in the fall of 1897.

In that race, the Cornell crew had the slight advantage holding the outer course but lost to the University of Pennsylvania coached by Ellis Ward.

[22][23] Even though rowing had some history at the university since 1873, including hosting professional crew races on Onondaga Lake, Sweetland became their first Intercollegiate coach.

Chancellor James Roscoe Day assisted the rowing team that year by persuading Lyman Cornelius Smith to donate equipment.

[26] He started practice in late March and was able to get the team ready for a race against the Francis Club Crew of Cornell in June.

Even with the game being played at Cornell's Percy Field, Syracuse rooters filled half the grand stand and part of the bleachers.

Later, just before half time, Cornell returned a fumble to the Syracuse's seven yard line but Sweetland's defence stopped them from scoring and took over on downs.

The release went on to state that "...his conduct on the football field, both in action and speech he was a perfect gentleman, and for this he was heartily admired by faculty and students.

In addition, the Athletic Council limited their interference with the rowing team by giving Coach Courtney the power to pick member of the crew and designate the oarsmen position.

However, Sweetland did not become Courtney's assistant because in the time it took resolve the conflict, he was offered and accepted the position as head football coach at Ohio State University.

[41] In 1904, Sweetland became the head football coach at Ohio State University, partly due to a strong recommendation from Walter Camp and beating out Albert Hernstein for the position.

Nine of the top 17 players from the previous season did not return including standouts Milton Proctor, Theodore Sprague, Joseph Kronenburg, and Arthur Clark.

The team finished the season with a 15–6 victory over Centre before 6,-000 fans to win the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Association (KIAA) state title.

[56] The Sweetland-led Wildcats finished the year at 9–1 and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 261 to 29 with the only blemish being a 15–6 loss to North Carolina A&M.

[57] The gridiron success was more remarkable considering Sweetland became ill during the season and was feared that he could not continue to coach the football team.

[56] In the fall of 1909, the faculty athletic senate voted to abolish the men's basketball at Kentucky due to a poor record and an overcrowded gym.

By mid January, Sweetland, had to send word to University of Wisconsin–Madison Athletic Director George W. Ehler that he will be unable to continue his duties due to his ongoing illness.

[60][61] After leaving Kentucky, Sweetland wound up as head football coach at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for the 1911 season.

Baker hired Sweetland to fill this position, which included that he serve as both head coach of the football and basketball team.

Rumors that the KIAA had informed the SIAA of its findings plus strong criticism from the faculty council, most notably the dean of the engineering department, Paul Anderson were ongoing issues that Sweetland had to deal with.

[57] During the season, Sweetland had to fire his assistant coach Richard S. Webb after he took several team members to a Knoxville Red-light district after the football game versus the University of Tennessee.

[65] The case took an unexpected turn when the investigation by the State Fire Marshall, Police and District Attorney changed its focus from Sweetland to Richard Webb.

At the end of the preliminary trail the judge ruled that probable cause existed to hold Webb on the charge of arson.

[66] Early in 1913, before the Webb arson case went to trial, Edwin Sweetland resigned his duties as coach and athletic administrator.

"When WVU lost to (West Virginia) Wesleyan for the second straight season, 21–0, outraged alumni called for the hiring of a nationally known coach.

This was due to the slow recovery of a broken ankle caused by a stray foul ball while at a park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

[71] After leaving Tulane, Sweetland returned to his native Western New York and spent several seasons in a part-time job as football coach at Alfred University.