100 Years of Tradition

Northern State University (NSU) opened its 100th year of football on September 4 th, 2004 when they traveled to Sioux Falls, S.D. to take on Augustana College

NSU started football back in 1902 and have played 855 games over the past 103 years. Due to the World Wars there was not a football season in 1918, 1943 and 1944. In the 100 seasons played the Wolves have won over 60% of their games going 502-319-34 all-time.

The Wolves have had three perfect season, the first in 1917 when they went 6-0 under Coach Fenenga, then in 1953 the Wolves went 8-0 under Clark Swisher, and in 1969 Jim Kretchman went 9-0 in his first of twelve years as head coach of the Wolves.

The Wolves winningest coach of all-time is Clark Swisher. In 22 years of leading the Wolves, Swisher racked up a 146-42-4 record (.771 win %). He is the only Wolves coach to have more that one hundred wins and in his 22 years he had only one losing season.

The Wolves prominence has continued throughout the years as in 1988 the Wolves made NAIA Playoffs. In 1989 the Wolves made the move to NCAA Division II and in 1990 won the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC) Championship. In 1992 and 1999 the Wolves won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Title, running the table in 1999 going 8-0 in the conference and a 9-2 overall.

In 2003 the Wolves again showed their power in the national ranks as they led the nation (NCAA DII) in total offense as they averaged 535.5 yards of offense per game, and were the third-best scoring team in the nation, scoring 41.5 points per contest. The Wolves also set school records with 456 points and 272 first downs during the season. They also led the NSIC in scoring offense, passing offense, total offense, first downs, fourth-down conversions, opponent fourth-down conversions and field goals.

The Wolves earned the respect of the coaches around the league this season as they were picked second in the 2004 NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Wolves received their highest ranking since 2000 when they were picked to win the league.

The Wolves did not disappoint in 2004 as they participated in post-season play for the first since joining the NCAA in 1995. The Wolves took on Washburn University in the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo. The Wolves ended up losing on a last second field goal, but made an amazing 16-point comeback in the last four minutes of the game to tie it at 33. The Wolves finished the season 6-5 overall and 5-2 in the NSIC, good enough to rank them second in the league.

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