Valparaiso Beacons football
US football team and program
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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 until the 2019 season.
2nd season, 2–10 (.167)
| Valparaiso Beacons football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| |||
| First season | 1919 | ||
| Athletic director | Laurel Hosmer | ||
| Head coach | Andy Waddle 2nd season, 2–10 (.167) | ||
| Location | Valparaiso, Indiana | ||
| Stadium | Brown Field (capacity: 5,000) | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
| Conference | Pioneer Football League | ||
| Colors | Brown and gold[1] | ||
| All-time record | 407–552–27 (.426) | ||
| Bowl record | 0–1 (.000) | ||
| Conference championships | |||
| IIC: 1945, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1964, 1968, 1969 PFL: 2000, 2003 | |||
| Division championships | |||
| PFL North: 2003 | |||
| Rivalries | Butler (rivalry) | ||
| Mascot | Beacons | ||
| Website | ValpoAthletics.com | ||
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 |
| Head coach Andy Waddle: | |
| 2025 | 2–10 |
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† | 7–2 | 3–1 | |||
| 2000† | Pioneer Football League | Tom Horne | 7–4 | 3–1 | |
| 2003 | 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
Future non-conference opponents
Announced schedules as of July 20, 2026.[2]
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Tech | at North Dakota | at Youngstown State |
| at Murray State | at Illinois State | at Northern Iowa |
| at Indiana State | ||
