The CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football program represent Colorado State University Pueblo in college football at the NCAA Division II level. They have fielded a football team every year since 1938 with the exceptions of 1943–1945 and 1985–2007.
| CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football | |
|---|---|
| First season | 1938[a] |
| Athletic director | Paul Plinske |
| Head coach | Phil Vigil 2nd season, 18–4 (.818) |
| Stadium | ThunderBowl (capacity: 6,500) |
| Location | Pueblo, Colorado |
| NCAA division | Division II |
| Conference | RMAC |
| Past conferences | Great Plains Athletic Conference (1972–1975) |
| Claimed national titles | 1 (2014) |
| Conference titles | 8 (1980, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018) |
| Colors | Red and blue[1] |
| Website | www.gothunderwolves.com |
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History
editChampionships
editNational championships
editCSU Pueblo has won one NCAA Division II Football Championship.
| Year | Association | Division | Head coach | Record | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | NCAA (1) | Division II (1) | John Wristen | 14–1 (8–1 RMAC) | Minnesota State | W, 13–0 |
Conference championships
editCSU Pueblo has won eight conference titles.[2]
| Year | Conference | Coach | Overall record | Conference record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | RMAC | Mike Friedman | 9–1 | 7–1 | |
| 2011 | RMAC | John Wristen | 11–1 | 9–0 | |
| 2012 | RMAC | John Wristen | 12–1 | 9–0 | |
| 2013 | RMAC | John Wristen | 11–1 | 9–0 | |
| 2014 | RMAC | John Wristen | 14–1 | 8–1 | |
| 2016 | RMAC | John Wristen | 8–3 | 8–2 | |
| 2017 | RMAC | John Wristen | 9–3 | 9–1 | |
| 2018 | RMAC | John Wristen | 11–2 | 9–1 | |
| 8 conference championships | |||||
- CSU Pueblo vacated their RMAC Championship from the 2015 season due to an administrative oversight which resulted in the use of an ineligible player.[3]
Postseason appearances
editNAIA Division I playoffs
editThe ThunderWolves, then known as the Indians, made one appearance in the NAIA Division I playoffs, with a combined record of 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Quarterfinals | Central State (OK) | L, 20–61 |
NCAA Division II playoffs
editThe ThunderWolves have made nine appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 7–8.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Second Round | Minnesota–Duluth | L, 21–24 |
| 2012 | Second Round Quarterfinals |
Indianapolis West Texas A&M |
W, 28–7 L, 13–34 |
| 2013 | Second Round | Grand Valley State | L, 30–34 |
| 2014 | Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship |
Angelo State Ohio Dominican West Georgia Minnesota State |
W, 52–14 W, 31–28 W, 10–7 W, 13–0 |
| 2017 | First Round | Minnesota State | L, 13–16 OT |
| 2018 | First Round Second Round |
Colorado Mines Minnesota State |
W, 37–17 L, 10–24 |
| 2019 | First Round Second Round |
Augustana (SD) Minnesota State |
W, 17–0 L, 7–35 |
| 2022 | First Round | Colorado Mines | L, 24–45 |
| 2024 | Second Round | Minnesota State | L, 23–26 |
Head coaches
edit- Dale Rea (1938–1940)
- Jack Johnson (1941)
- Dan Lawrence (1942)
- No team (1943–1945, 1985–2007)
- Maurice Elder (1946–1951)
- Harry Simmons (1952–1955)
- Joe Prater (1956–1973)
- Mike Friedman (1974–1983)
- Gary Richardson (1984)
- John Wristen (2008–2022)
- Phil Vigil (2023– )
Notes and references
edit- ^ CSU Pueblo did not sponsor football from 1985 through the 2007, it was reinstated in 2008.
- ^ "CSU–Pueblo Web Style, Standards, and Best Practices". March 1, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ "Colorado State University Pueblo - Official Athletics Website".
- ^ "Oversight by CSU-Pueblo Athletics Administration leads to NCAA violation for Pack Football". Pueblo, Colorado: Colorado State University–Pueblo. October 31, 2016. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 22, 2016.