Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles football
First season1911
Head coachMatt Janus
3rd season, 29–7 (.806)
StadiumVeterans Memorial Stadium
(capacity: 10,000)
LocationLa Crosse, Wisconsin
NCAA divisionDivision III
ConferenceWisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC)
Bowl record1–0–1 (.750)
Playoff appearances21 (2 NAIA Div. I, 5 NAIA Div. II, 14 NCAA Div. III)
Claimed national titles3

NAIA Div. II: 1985

NCAA Div. III: 1992, 1995
National finalist5

NAIA Div. II: 1985, 1988, 1989

NCAA Div. III: 1992, 1995
Conference titles35
ColorsMaroon and gray[1]
   
Websiteuwlathletics.com

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'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]

Head coaching history

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

[6]

Championships

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

[8]

† 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

Postseason games

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

Ranked teams

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

Facilities

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 former players

Notable alumni include:

References

  1. ↑ "Colors and fonts". Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Eagles claim their destiny after wild and crazy year". The La Crosse Tribune. December 13, 1992. pp. D1, D8 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Eagles leave no doubt". The La Crosse Tribune. December 10, 1995. pp. D1, D8 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ 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 Open access icon.
  5. ↑ "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 Open access icon.
  6. ↑ "Football Records (PDF)" (PDF). University of Wisconsin La Crosse Athletics. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  7. ↑ "Football Team Champs (PDF) - Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference" (PDF). wiacsports.com. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
  8. ↑ "Football Records (PDF)" (PDF). University of Wisconsin La Crosse Athletics. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  9. ↑ "UW-Superior is leaving WIAC". Wiscnews.com. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  10. ↑ "1992 playoffs". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. ↑ "Football NAIA Championship History (PDF) - Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference" (PDF). wiacsports.com. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  12. ↑ "Football NCAA Championship History (PDF) - Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference" (PDF). wiacsports.com. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
  13. ↑ "American Football Coaches Association Coaches Poll". www.afca.com. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  14. ↑ "D3football.com Top 25 history". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  15. ↑ "New Orleans Saints Training Camp Locations". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
  16. ↑ Archives, L. A. Times (1989-02-03). "IN BRIEF : Saints to Train in Wisconsin Again". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
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