Football
The Winona State Warriors are coached by alum Tom Sawyer. The Warriors have won conference titles eleven times in a 18 year span, from 1993 to 2010.
The Warriors' first playoff appearance came in 1993 as Winona State hosted a NAIA national quarterfinal match against Central State (OH). The Warriors lost 58-7.
In 2000, Winona State played in the Mineral Water Bowl. The Warriors faced off against Missouri Western State College. The invited teams are the highest finishing teams in their respective conferences to not make the NCAA playoffs. The Warriors won the game in triple overtime, 43-41.
The following season, the Warriors made NSIC history becoming the first team to achieve a bid to the NCAA playoffs. Winona State faced off against North Dakota. The Warriors lost 28-42. North Dakota would go on to win the championship. The Warriors 28 points was more points than were scored on North Dakota by the three other teams they played combined in the playoffs that season.
In 2002, the Warriors were once again in the Mineral Water Bowl, as they took on Emporia State University. Like the 2000 game, regulation was not enough as the game went to overtime. The Warriors however fell short, losing 27-34 in the first overtime.
In 2003, Winona State once again made it to the NCAA playoffs. That year they were #1 in the region and #3 overall in the country in Division II football. This time they hosted the regional semifinal game, against Emporia State. For the first time in school history, the Warriors were victorious in an NCAA playoff game, winning 10-3. The following weekend, the Warriors traveled to face off against North Dakota. The Warriors managed to battle back from an early deficit to take the lead 29-28 with 1:52 left in the fourth quarter. North Dakota was able to counter and scored with under a minute left in the game, as the Sioux escaped, victorious 36-29.
In 2004 The Warriors continued their post season habit by playing the playoffs. With the NCAA Division II playoffs expanded, the Warriors hosted a first round game against Grand Valley State University, then the two time defending Division II national champions. Winona State played a close game, yet lost 16-13.
In 2006, the Warriors failed to win the NSIC title, yet were still selected for the NCAA playoffs. The Warriors played North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux won 42-0.
The football team was selected for the 2007 playoffs, playing at North Dakota for the fourth time in seven seasons.
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Famous quotes containing the word football:
“... in the minds of search committees there is the lingering question: Can she manage the football coach?”
—Donna E. Shalala (b. 1941)
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“People stress the violence. That’s the smallest part of it. Football is brutal only from a distance. In the middle of it there’s a calm, a tranquility. The players accept pain. There’s a sense of order even at the end of a running play with bodies stewn everywhere. When the systems interlock, there’s a satisfaction to the game that can’t be duplicated. There’s a harmony.”
—Don Delillo (b. 1926)