Valparaiso Beacons football

US football team and program For information on all Valparaiso Beacons sports, see Valparaiso Beacons.

2024 Valparaiso Beacons football team

First season

1919; 106 years ago (1919)

Athletic director

Laurel Hosmer

Head coach

Andy Waddle
1st season, 0–0 (–)

Stadium

Brown Field
(capacity: 5,000)

Field surface

FieldTurf

Location

Valparaiso, Indiana

NCAA division

Division I FCS

Conference

Pioneer Football League

All-time record

395–522–26 (.433)

Bowl record

0–1 (.000)

Conference titles

Division titles

Colors

Brown and gold

Mascot

Beacons

Website

ValpoAthletics.com

The Valparaiso Beacons football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Valparaiso University located in the U.S. state of Indiana. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL). Valparaiso's first football team was fielded in 1919. The team plays its home games at the 5,000-seat Brown Field in Valparaiso, Indiana. Andy Waddle has served as the team's head coach since 2025. Valparaiso was known as the Crusaders through the 2019 season.

History

Classifications

1941–1972: NCAA College Division
1973–1978: NCAA Division III
1979–1992: NCAA Division II
1993–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

Conference memberships

1919–1923: Independent
1924–1925: Western Interstate Conference
1926–1933: Independent
1934–1947: Indiana Intercollegiate Conference
1948–1950: Independent
1951–1977: Indiana Collegiate Conference
1978–1989: Heartland Collegiate Conference
1990–1992: Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference
1993–present: Pioneer Football League

Year-by-year results

Head coach George Keogan:
1919	5-3
1920	5-3
Head coach Earl Goheen:
1921	2-2-1
1922	3-2-2
Head coach William Shadoan:
1923	5-2-1
1924	4-3-2
Head coach Millard Anderson:
1925	1-6
Head coach Conrad Moll:
1926	1-4-1
Head coach Earl Scott:
1927	1-5
1928	1-6
Head coach J.M. Christianson:
1929	1-7
1930	5-4
1931	8-1
1932	7-0
1933	7-1
1934	6-2
1935	4-4-1
1936	1-6-1
1937	4-4
1938	2-4-1
1939	2-6
1940	3-3-1
Head coach Victor Dauer:
1941	0-7-1
Head coach Loren Ellis:
1942	4-4
1943	No Football due to WWII
1944	No Football due to WWII
1945	6-1
Head coach Emery Bauer:
1946	1-7
1947	2-5-1
1948	4-5
1949	7-2-1
1950	9-1
1951	9-0
1952	5-3-1
1953	5-2-1
1954	6-2-1
1955	6-3
1956	6-4
(Walt Reiner joins as a Co-Head Coach):
1957	4-2-2
1958	6-3
1959	5-4
1960	3-6
1961	7-2
1962	6-3
1963	3-6
1964	6-3
(Walt Reiner leaves program as Emery Bauer returns full responsibilities):
1965	3-6
1966	3-6
1967	3-6

Head coach Norm Amundsen:
1968	4-5
1969	7-2
1970	5-3-2
1971	8-2
1972	6-4
1973	6-5
1974	3-6
1975	3-6
1976	2-7-1
Head coach Bill Koch:
1977	3-6-1
1978	5-4
1979	5-4
1980	4-5-1
1981	1-9
1982	3-7
1983	4-6
1984	6-4
1985	6-4
1986	3-7
1987	3-6
1988	0-9-1
Head coach Tom Horne:
1989	0-10
1990	1-9
1991	1-8-1
1992	3-8
1993	5-5
1994	7-3
1995	5-5
1996	4-6
1997	3-8
1998	5-6
1999	9-2
2000	7-4
2001	3-8
2002	1-10
2003	8-4
2004	5-6
Head coach Stacey Adams:
2005	3-8
2006	3-8
2007	5-6
2008	3-8
2009	1-10
Head coach Dale Carlson:
2010	0-11
2011	1-10
2012	1-10
2013	1-10
Head coach Dave Cecchini:
2014	4-8
2015	1-9
2016	4-7
2017	6-5
2018	2-9
Head coach Landon Fox:
2019	1-11
2020	4-2
2021	4-7
2022	5-7
2023	3-8
2024	4-7

Bowl game appearances

Season	Date	Bowl	W/L	Opponent	PF	PA	Coach	Notes
1950	January 1, 1951	Cigar Bowl	L	La Crosse State	14	47	Emery Bauer	notes
Total		1 bowl game	0–1		14	47

Championships

Conference championships

Year	Conference	Coach	Overall Record	Conference Record
1945	Indiana Intercollegiate Conference	Loren Ellis	6–1	4–0
1951		Emory Bauer	9–0	4–0
1952†			5–3–1	3–1–1
1954			6–2–1	5–1
1964†			6–3	4–2
1968		Norm Amundsen	4–5	4–0
1969†		Norm Amundsen	7–2	3–1
2000†	Pioneer Football League	Tom Horne	7–4	3–1
2003	Pioneer Football League	Tom Horne	8–4	3–1
Total conference championships				9

† Co-champions

Divisional championships

From 2001 to 2005, the Pioneer Football League (PFL) was divided into North and South Divisions. As winners of the PFL's North Division, Valparaiso has made one appearance in the Pioneer Football League Championship Game, in 2003. Valparaiso shared the Division title with San Diego in 2003, but the tie-breaker allowed the Crusaders to represent the division in the championship game.

Year	Division championship	Opponent	CG result
2003†	PFL North	Morehead State	W 54–42

† Co-champions

References

"Valpo University Color Palettes". July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.

External links

Official website

v t e Valparaiso Beacons football
Venues	Brown Field (1919–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Butler: Hoosier Helmet Trophy
Culture & lore	The Crusader
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943–1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

v t e Valparaiso University
Presidents	O. P. Kretzmann (1940–1968) Albert G. Huegli (1968–?) Robert V. Schnabel (?–1988) Alan Harre (1988–2008) Mark A. Heckler (2008–2020) Colette Irwin-Knott (2020-2021, interim) José Padilla (2021- )
Academics	Valparaiso University School of Law (1879-2020)
Buildings	Chapel of the Resurrection Christopher Center library Heritage Hall
Culture	Brauer Museum of Art Kade-Duesenberg German House and Cultural Center WVUR
Athletics	Athletics department Men's basketball Women's basketball Baseball Football Men's soccer Brown Field Athletics-Recreation Center Emory G. Bauer Field "The Shot"

v t e Pioneer Football League
Teams	Butler Bulldogs Davidson Wildcats Dayton Flyers Drake Bulldogs Marist Red Foxes Morehead State Eagles Presbyterian Blue Hose St. Thomas Tommies San Diego Toreros Stetson Hatters Valparaiso Beacons
Championships & awards	All-time standings

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