Wisconsin–La_Crosse_Eagles_football
Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles football
American college football team
The Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Wisconsin–La Crosse competes at the NCAA Division III level and is a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Eagles play their home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Wisconsin–La Crosse has won three national titles: the NAIA Division II Football National Championship in 1985 and the NCAA Division III Football Championship in 1992 and 1995, all during the tenure of Roger Harring, who served as head coach from 1969 to 1999 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.[2][3][4]
| Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles football | |
|---|---|
| First season | 1911 |
| Head coach | Matt Janus 3rd season, 29–7 (.806) |
| Stadium | Veterans Memorial Stadium (capacity: 10,000) |
| Location | La Crosse, Wisconsin |
| NCAA division | Division III |
| Conference | Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) |
| Bowl record | 1–0–1 (.750) |
| Playoff appearances | 21 (2 NAIA Div. I, 5 NAIA Div. II, 14 NCAA Div. III) |
| Claimed national titles | 3
NAIA Div. II: 1985 NCAA Div. III: 1992, 1995 |
| National finalist | 5
NAIA Div. II: 1985, 1988, 1989 NCAA Div. III: 1992, 1995 |
| Conference titles | 35 |
| Colors | Maroon and gray[1] |
| Website | uwlathletics.com |
Wisconsin–La Crosse's teams were known as the Indians from 1937 to 1989. The name was changed because of concerns of racial insensitivity regarding Native Americans; see Native American mascot controversy.[5]
Wisconsin–La Crosse has had 14 head coaches in their history. No teams were fielded in 1943 or 1944 due to World War II. Additionally, no team was fielded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Coach | Seasons | Term | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % | National titles | Conference titles | Playoff appearances |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joel Moore | 1 | 1911 | 3 | 3 | 0 | .500 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Fred G. Carter | 3 | 1912–1914 | 6 | 11 | 2 | .368 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Carl Sputh | 2 | 1915–1916 | 9 | 4 | 0 | .692 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Ray Keeler | 13 | 1917–1929 | 43 | 25 | 15 | .618 | 0 | 3 | N/A |
| Howard Johnson | 8 | 1930–1937 | 32 | 17 | 14 | .619 | 0 | 2 | N/A |
| Clyde B. Smith | 7 | 1938–1942
1946–1947 |
29 | 16 | 2 | .638 | 0 | 4 | N/A |
| Gordon Bahr | 1 | 1945 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Clark Van Galder | 4 | 1948–1951 | 31 | 5 | 1 | .851 | 0 | 3 | N/A (1 bowl game) |
| Bill Vickroy | 17 | 1952–1968 | 86 | 61 | 6 | .582 | 0 | 3 | N/A (1 bowl game) |
| Roger Harring | 31 | 1969–1999 | 261 | 75 | 7 | .771 | 3 | 15 | 14 |
| Larry Terry | 11 | 2000–2010 | 65 | 48 | 0 | .575 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Joel Dettwiler | 5 | 2011–2015 | 16 | 34 | 0 | .320 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Schmidt | 4 | 2016–2019 | 27 | 13 | 0 | .675 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Janus | 3 | 2021–present | 29 | 7 | 0 | .806 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Conference championships
Wisconsin–La Crosse has won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship 35 times.[7]
| Year | Coach | Overall record | WIAC record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1917 | Ray Keeler | 4–1 | 3–0 |
| 1919 | 4–2–1 | 3–0–1 | |
| 1927 | 5–0–2 | 4–0–1 | |
| 1933† | Howard Johnson | 3–4–1 | 2–2–1 |
| 1934† | 5–1–2 | 3–0–1 | |
| 1939† | Clyde B. Smith | 3–4 | 3–1 |
| 1940† | 6–0 | 4–0 | |
| 1941† | 5–1 | 3–1 | |
| 1942† | 6–0–1 | 4–0 | |
| 1949† | Clark Van Galder | 7–2 | 6–1 |
| 1950† | 10–0 | 6–0 | |
| 1951 | 7–2 | 6–0 | |
| 1952† | Bill Vickroy | 8–1 | 5–0 |
| 1953† | 9–0–1 | 5–0 | |
| 1954 | 6–2–1 | 4–0–1 | |
| 1971† | Roger Harring | 8–2 | 7–1 |
| 1973 | 9–2 | 7–1 | |
| 1974† | 7–3 | 7–1 | |
| 1975† | 8–3 | 7–1 | |
| 1978† | 9–2 | 7–1 | |
| 1980† | 8–2 | 6–2 | |
| 1982 | 8–2 | 7–1 | |
| 1986† | 10–2 | 7–1 | |
| 1989 | 12–2 | 7–1 | |
| 1991 | 10–2 | 7–1 | |
| 1992 | Roger Harring/Roland Christensen* | 12–0–1‡ | 6–0–1‡ |
| 1993 | Roger Harring | 11–1 | 7–0 |
| 1995 | 14–0 | 7–0 | |
| 1996 | 11–2 | 7–0 | |
| 1999† | 7–4 | 6–1 | |
| 2002 | Larry Terry | 7–4 | 6–1 |
| 2003 | 10–2 | 6–1 | |
| 2004 | 7–4 | 5–2 | |
| 2022† | Matt Janus | 9–2 | 6–1 |
| 2023 | 11–2 | 7–0 |
† Co-champions
‡ The official record book does not reflect the game against the University of Wisconsin–Superior Yellowjackets scheduled for week 4 in 1992. After completing their non-conference schedule, Wisconsin–Superior suspended its season prior to conference play, before eventually dropping the football program altogether.[9] The scheduled game officially went down in the record books as "cancelled" as opposed to a "forfeit". Superior hadn't beaten La Crosse since 1970. The Eagles were looking to extend their 21-game winning streak against the Yellowjackets prior to the cancellation.
* On October 7, 1992, Roger Harring suffered a heart attack that sidelined him for the remainder of the 1992 season. During Coach Harring's recovery, longtime Defensive Coordinator Roland Christensen took over as Interim Head Coach for the rest of the season, including the playoffs.[10]
National championship games
Wisconsin–La Crosse has played in three NAIA Division II Football National Championship games (winning 1, losing 2), and two NCAA Division III Football Championship games (winning both).[11][12]
| Year | Coach | Division | Opponent | Result | Overall record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Roger Harring | NAIA Division II Football National Championship | Pacific Lutheran | W 24–7 | 11–1–2 |
| 1988 | Westminster (PA) | L 14–21 | 11–3 | ||
| 1989 | Westminster (PA) | L 30–51 | 12–2 | ||
| 1992 | Roger Harring/Roland Christensen* | NCAA Division III Football Championship | Washington & Jefferson | W 16–12 | 12–0–1‡ |
| 1995 | Roger Harring | Rowan | W 36–7 | 14–0 |
Undefeated regular seasons
Wisconsin–La Crosse has finished the regular season undefeated ten times. Of the undefeated seasons, five (1918, 1927, 1932, 1940, 1942) were before playoffs existed. Two undefeated seasons (1950, 1953) resulted in invitations to the Cigar Bowl. In the playoff era, the Eagles finished the regular season undefeated three times (1992, 1993, 1995), winning the National Championship in 1992 and 1995, and losing in the quarterfinals in 1993.
| Year | Coach | Regular season record | Final record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 | Ray Keeler | 3–0–1 | 3–0–1 |
| 1927 | 5–0–2 | 5–0–2 | |
| 1932 | Howard Johnson | 5–0–2 | 5–0–2 |
| 1940 | Clyde B. Smith | 6–0 | 6–0 |
| 1942 | 6–0–1 | 6–0–1 | |
| 1950 | Clark Van Galder | 9–0 | 10–0 |
| 1953 | Bill Vickroy | 9–0 | 9–0–1 |
| 1992 | Roger Harring/Roland Christensen* | 8–0–1‡ | 12–0–1‡ |
| 1993 | Roger Harring | 10–0 | 11–1 |
| 1995 | 10–0 | 14–0 |
Bowl games
Before there were tournaments to crown a national champion, Wisconsin–La Crosse (then La Crosse State) played in the Cigar Bowl twice, winning once and tying once.
| Year | Bowl | Coach | Opponent | Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Cigar Bowl | Clark Van Galder | Valparaiso | W 47–14 | 10–0 |
| 1954 | Cigar Bowl | Bill Vickroy | Missouri Valley | T 12–12 | 9–0–1 |
NCAA Division III playoffs
The Eagles have found much of their post season success at the NCAA Division III level, making the tournament field 14 times, playing in the Stagg Bowl twice (winning both times) and compiling a 19–12 record.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Quarterfinals | Occidental | W 43–42 | 9–3–1 |
| Semifinals | Augustana (IL) | L 15–21 | ||
| 1991 | Regionals | Simpson | W 28–13 | 10–2 |
| Quarterfinals | Saint John's (MN) | L 10–29 | ||
| 1992 | Regionals | Redlands | W 47–26 | 12–0–1‡ |
| Quarterfinals | Central (IA) | W 34–9 | ||
| Semifinals | Mount Union | W 29–24 | ||
| Championship | Washington & Jefferson | W 16–12 | ||
| 1993 | Regionals | Wartburg | W 55–26 | 11–1 |
| Quarterfinals | Saint John's (MN) | L 25–47 | ||
| 1995 | Regionals | Concordia–Moorhead | W 45–7 | 14–0 |
| Quarterfinals | Wisconsin–River Falls | W 28–14 | ||
| Semifinals | Mount Union | W 20–17 | ||
| Championship | Rowan | W 36–7 | ||
| 1996 | Regionals | Wisconsin–River Falls | W 44–0 | 11–2 |
| Quarterfinals | Saint John's (MN) | W 37–30 | ||
| Semifinals | Mount Union | L 21–39 | ||
| 1999 | First Round | Central (IA) | L 17–38 | 7–4 |
| 2002 | First Round | Coe | L 18–21 | 7–4 |
| 2003 | First Round | Concordia Wisconsin | W 52–13 | 10–2 |
| Second Round | Mount Union | L 14–39 | ||
| 2004 | First Round | St. Norbert | W 37–23 | 7–4 |
| Second Round | Linfield | L 14–52 | ||
| 2006 | First Round | Bethel (MN) | W 28–21 | 9–2 |
| Second Round | Wisconsin–Whitewater | L 21–24 | ||
| 2021 | First Round | Albion | W 58–23 | 9–3 |
| Second Round | North Central (IL) | L 20–34 | ||
| 2022 | First Round | Wartburg | L 6–14 | 9–2 |
| 2023 | First Round | Minnesota Morris | W 62–7 | 11–2 |
| Second Round | Aurora | W 56–35 | ||
| Quarterfinals | North Central (IL) | L 42–55 |
NAIA Division I playoffs
Wisconsin–La Crosse participated in the NAIA Division I playoffs on two occasions, finishing with an 0–2 record.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Semifinals | Elon | L 24–35 | 9–2 |
| 1978 | Quarterfinals | Grand Valley State | L 14–24 | 9–2 |
NAIA Division II playoffs
Wisconsin–La Crosse was part of the NAIA Division II playoff field five times, reaching the championship game three times and winning the national championship once. In those five appearances they posted a 10–4 record.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Quarterfinals | Carroll (MT) | W 24–0 | 11–1–2 |
| Semifinals | Northwestern (IA) | W 35–28 3OT | ||
| Championship | Pacific Lutheran | W 24–7 | ||
| 1986 | Quarterfinals | Hanover | W 35–33 | 10–2 |
| Semifinals | Baker | L 14–16 | ||
| 1988 | First Round | Valley City State | W 31–6 | 11–3 |
| Quarterfinals | Northwestern (IA) | W 45–33 | ||
| Semifinals | Oregon Tech | W 37–24 | ||
| Championship | Westminster (PA) | L 14–21 | ||
| 1989 | First Round | Wisconsin–Stevens Point | W 30–20 | 12–2 |
| Quarterfinals | Nebraska Weslayan | W 29–0 | ||
| Semifinals | Baker | W 21–6 | ||
| Championship | Westminster (PA) | L 30–51 | ||
| 1990 | First Round | Peru State | L 3–24 | 9–2 |
Starting in 1999 the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) began publishing rankings for Division III football.[13] In 2003, D3football.com started publishing its own rankings for Division III football.[14] Since the inception of both polls, Wisconsin–La Crosse has been ranked nine times in the AFCA Coaches Poll and seven times in the D3football.com poll to end the season. Additionally, while not being ranked in the Top 25 to end the season, Wisconsin–La Crosse has received votes (RV) in both polls two additional years.
| Year | D3 Ranking | AFCA Ranking | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | N/A | 25 | 7–4 |
| 2002 | N/A | 22 | 7–4 |
| 2003 | 8 | 7 | 10–2 |
| 2004 | 13 | 16 | 7–4 |
| 2006 | 6 | 7 | 9–2 |
| 2017 | 24 | 25 | 8–2 |
| 2018 | RV | RV | 7–3 |
| 2019 | RV | RV | 7–3 |
| 2021 | 11 | 12 | 9–3 |
| 2022 | 12 | 11 | 9–2 |
| 2023 | 4 | 4 | 11–2 |
From 1988 to 1999 the university hosted the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League for their preseason training camp.[15] The Saints chose to use La Crosse to escape the extreme heat and humidity of Louisiana summers, as well as the great football facilities.[16] Five other NFL teams used campuses across Wisconsin and Minnesota for training camp, in what was known as the Cheese League.
Notable alumni include:
- Will Berzinski, NFL player
- Roman Brumm, NFL player
- George Dahlgren, NFL player
- Brian Gutekunst, NFL General Manager with the Green Bay Packers, Super Bowl champion (XLV) as a scout
- Roger Harring, high school and college football coach, 3× national champion (1985, 1992, 1995), inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (inducted in 2005)
- Don Kindt Jr., NFL player
- Craig Kusick, Major League Baseball player[17]
- Craig Kusick Jr., Arena Football League player, Melberger Award winner (1995)
- Ace Loomis, NFL player
- Mike Maslowski, Arena Football League and NFL player
- Ric Mathias, NFL player
- Greg Mattison, high school, college, and NFL football coach, NCAA Division I national champion (2006) defensive coordinator and defensive line coach
- Tom Newberry, NFL player, 2× All-Pro (1988, 1989), 2× Pro Bowl (1989, 1990)
- Mike Schmidt, college football coach
- Cole Spieker, Canadian Football League player, Grey Cup champion (2023)
- Bill Schroeder, NFL Europe and NFL player
- Jeremy Unertl, Arena Football League, United Football League, Canadian Football League, and NFL Europe player, NFL Europe interceptions leader (2003) and World Bowl XI champion
- Joel Williams, NFL player, 1980 NFC sack leader
- Gary Zauner, college, United Football League and NFL football coach
- "Colors and fonts". Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- "Eagles claim their destiny after wild and crazy year". The La Crosse Tribune. December 13, 1992. pp. D1, D8 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Eagles leave no doubt". The La Crosse Tribune. December 10, 1995. pp. D1, D8 – via Newspapers.com.
- Anderson, Terry (April 26, 2006). "'Fantastic' honor for Harring". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. p. C6. Retrieved January 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com
. - "U-W La Crosse drops 'Indian' team name". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. April 22, 1989. p. 5A. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Football Records (PDF)" (PDF). University of Wisconsin La Crosse Athletics. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
- "Football Team Champs (PDF) - Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference" (PDF). wiacsports.com. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
- "Football Records (PDF)" (PDF). University of Wisconsin La Crosse Athletics. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
- "UW-Superior is leaving WIAC". Wiscnews.com. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
- "1992 playoffs".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - "Football NAIA Championship History (PDF) - Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference" (PDF). wiacsports.com. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
- "Football NCAA Championship History (PDF) - Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference" (PDF). wiacsports.com. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
- "American Football Coaches Association Coaches Poll". www.afca.com. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
- "D3football.com Top 25 history".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - "New Orleans Saints Training Camp Locations". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
- Archives, L. A. Times (1989-02-03). "IN BRIEF : Saints to Train in Wisconsin Again". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
- Burt, Terry (27 January 1974). "Craig Kusick: Tribune Athlete of Year". The La Crosse Tribune. p. 19. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
