North Park Vikings football

College football team From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The North Park Vikings football team represents North Park University in college football at the NCAA Division III level. The Vikings are members of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), fielding its team in the CCIW since 1962 when it was known as the College Conference of Illinois. The Vikings play their home games at the Holmgren Athletic Complex in North Park, Chicago. The team's head coach is Kyle Rooker, a College of Wooster graduate and linebacker from 1997–2000. He was formally the associate head coach at Carthage College who took over the position starting the 2019 season.[3][4]

First season1899; 127 years ago (1899)*
Athletic directorJohn Born
Head coachKyle Rooker
7th season, 17–43 (.283)
LocationChicago, Illinois
Quick facts First season, Athletic director ...
North Park Vikings football
First season1899; 127 years ago (1899)*
Athletic directorJohn Born
Head coachKyle Rooker
7th season, 17–43 (.283)
LocationChicago, Illinois
StadiumHolmgren Athletic Complex
(capacity: 3,000)
NCAA divisionDivision III
ConferenceCCIW
ColorsRoyal blue and gold[1]
   
RivalriesAugustana[2]
MascotVikings
Websiteathletics.northpark.edu
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History

Holmgren Athletic Complex
1903 football squad
Team c. 1936

The school, formally known as North Park Junior College, fielded a football team starting in 1899. Playing their first game and losing to North Division High School, now known as Lincoln Park High School, on October 21. The 1903 squad would be the last until 1934 as the 1904 Covenant meeting directed the college to disband all athletics and activities that were “offensive to Christians.”[5] Prior to playing at their current complex, the Vikings used to play home games at a variety of venues. Including various parks and fields around the city, including Winnemac Stadium or "Jorndt Field" at Amundsen High School. In 1942 the Vikings would have an undefeated season, going 5–0–1. The veracity of the statistics are debated as two separate games were forfeited by what is now Wilbur Wright College for unknown reasons. The team additionally had a draw with Morton College to close the season.[6]

Since joining the College Conference of Illinois in 1962, North Park has never reached the NCAA Division III playoffs. The program also has no conference or regular season championships. Since the 1960s the university has historically struggled to field a competitive team, even going twelve straight seasons without a conference win between 2001 and 2012. The Vikings were the conference runner-up once in 1968, tying for second place with Illinois Wesleyan University.[7] That same year on October 12th the Vikings defeated North Central College in a 100+ point game with a score of 104–32.[8] One of only eight such college football games since 1960. Since the NCAA started tracking records, it was the highest scoring college football game by two teams (136) until 2007 when Weber State defeated Portland State 73–68 (141).[9]

Conference affiliation

  • Independent (1899–1903) (1934–1961)
  • CCIW (1962–present)
More information Year, Coach ...
Year Coach Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
North Park Vikings (Independent) (1899–1961)
1899 Unknown
1900 Unknown
1901 Unknown
1902 Unknown
1903 Unknown
1904 – 1933 No team
1934 Unknown 0–1–1
1935 Unknown 1–3–3
1936 Unknown 2–2–2
1937 Unknown 4–3–0
1938 Unknown 4–2–1
1939 Unknown 3–3–1
1940 Unknown 2–6
1941 Unknown 5–4
1942 Unknown 5–0–1
1943 No team—World War II
1944 Unknown 0–1
1945 Unknown 0–3–2
1946 Unknown 2–3
1947 Unknown 1–3–2
1948 Unknown 2–3–2
1949 Unknown 0–7
1950 Unknown 0–7
1951 Unknown 1–4–2
1952 Unknown 2–5
1953 Unknown 2–4–1
1954 Unknown 2–4–1
1955 Unknown 1–7
1956 Unknown 4–4
1957 Unknown 3–5
1958 Harold Swanson 7–1
1959 Harold Swanson 6–1–1
1960 Harold Swanson 4–5
1961 Bob Lord 3–5
North Park Vikings (College Conference of Illinois) (1962–1966)
1962 Bob Lord 2–61–67th
1963 Bob Lord 1–70–67th
1964 James Rooney 0–80–67th
1965 James Rooney 1–61–57th
1966 James Rooney 0–7–10–67th
North Park Vikings (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) (1967–present)
1967 Norm Rathje 3–61–55th
1968 Norm Rathje 6–35–22nd
1969 Charles Emery 2–72–57th
1970 William Gourley 2–6–12–5–17th
1971 William Gourley 4–54–4T–5th
1972 William Gourley 2–6–12–5–17th
1973 Mike Watson 3–62–67th
1974 Mike Watson 3–62–67th
1975 Gene Mitz 1–81–79th
1976 Gene Mitz 1–80–89th
1977 Gene Mitz 0–90–89th
1978 Bill Anderson 0–90–89th
1979 Bill Anderson 4–54–46th
1980 Bill Anderson 3–62–67th
1981 Bill Anderson 2–72–68th
1982 Bill Anderson 1–81–78th
1983 Bill Anderson 3–62–68th
1984 Bill Anderson 0–90–89th
1985 Bill Anderson 2–72–6T–6th
1986 Ron Ellett 0–90–89th
1987 Craig Fouhy 0–90–89th
1988 Craig Fouhy 1–81–79th
1989 Mel Boehland 1–81–79th
1990 Tim Rucks 1–81–78th
1991 Tim Rucks 0–90–89th
1992 Tim Rucks 1–6–21–4–26th
1993 Tim Rucks 4–42–45th
1994 Tim Rucks 3–61–67th
1995 Mike Liljegren 2–71–68th
1996 Mike Liljegren 0–90–78th
1997 Mike Liljegren 0–90–78th
1998 Mike Liljegren 2–71–6T–6th
1999 Mike Liljegren 2–71–6T–7th
2000 Mike Liljegren 3–71–6T–6th
2001 Robin Cooper 2–80–78th
2002 Robin Cooper 1–90–78th
2003 Robin Cooper 2–80–78th
2004 Robin Cooper 1–90–78th
2005 Robin Cooper 3–70–78th
2006 Scott Pethtel 1–90–78th
2007 Scott Pethtel 1–90–78th
2008 Scott Pethtel 1–90–78th
2009 Scott Pethtel 1–90–78th
2010 Scott Pethtel 2–80–78th
2011 Scott Pethtel 3–70–78th
2012 Scott Pethtel 1–90–78th
2013 Mike Conway 3–73–4T–4th
2014 Mike Conway 2–82–5T–5th
2015 Mike Conway 3–72–56th
2016 Mike Conway 1–90–89th
2017 Mike Conway 3–72–6T–6th
2018 Mike Conway 2–81–89th
2019 Kyle Rooker 1–91–8T–8th
2020–21 No team—COVID-19
2021 Kyle Rooker 2–82–79th
2022 Kyle Rooker 1–91–89th
2023 Kyle Rooker 5–54–5T–5th
2024 Kyle Rooker 5–54–5T–5th
2025 Kyle Rooker 3–72–7T–8th
Total:136–471–6 (.335)
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References

External links

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