Dubuque Spartans football

College football team

Dubuque Spartans football

First season| 1909; 116 years ago (1909)
Athletic director| Dan Runkle
Head coach| Ryan Maiuri
1st season, 4–5 (.444)
Stadium| Chalmers Field
(capacity: 4,000)
Field surface| FieldTurf
Location| Dubuque, Iowa
NCAA division| Division III
Conference| A-R-C
Past conferences| HCC
Independent
All-time record| 387-498-29 (.439)
Playoff appearances| 4
Conference titles| 11
Colors| Blue and white[1]

Mascot| Spartan
Website| udspartans.com

The Dubuque Spartans football team represents the University of Dubuque in college football at the NCAA Division III level. The Spartans are members of the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C), fielding its team in the A-R-C since 1929 when it was the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC). The Spartans play their home games at Chalmers Field in Dubuque, Iowa.[2]

Their head coach is Ryan Maiuri, who took over the position December 28,2023.[3]

## Conference affiliations

[edit]

* Hawkeye College Conference (1914–1917)
* Independent (1918–1924)
* Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1929–2017; rebranded)
* American Rivers Conference (2018–present)[4]

## Championships

[edit]

### Conference championships

[edit]

Dubuque claims 11 conference titles, the most recent of which came in 2015.

Year  | Conference  | Overall Record  | Conference Record  | Coach

|
|
|
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1915 | Hawkeye College Conference | 7–0 | N/A | John Chalmers
1916 | 5–1 | N/A
1917 | 5–0–1 | N/A
1940 | Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference | 7–1 | 7–0 | Kenneth E. Mercer
1942 | 8–0 | 8–0
1948† | 7–1 | 5–0
1978† | 7–2 | 5–2 | Don Birmingham
1979 | 9–1 | 7–0
1980 | 8–2–1 | 6–1
2011 | 9–2 | 7–1 | Stan Zweifel
2015 | 8–3 | 7–0

† Co-champions

## Postseason games

[edit]

### NCAA Division III playoff games

[edit]

The Spartans have appeared in the Division III playoffs four times with an overall record of 0–4.

Season  | Coach  | Playoff  | Opponent  | Result

|
|
|
|

1979 | Don Birmingham | Quarterfinals | Ithaca | L 0–37
1980 | Quarterfinals | Minnesota Morris | L 35–41
2011 | Stan Zweifel | First round | North Central (IL) | L 13–59
2015 | First round | Saint John's (MN) | L 7–51

## List of head coaches

[edit]

### Key

[edit]

Key to symbols in coaches list  General  | Overall  | Conference  | Postseason[A 1]

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|
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No.  | Order of coaches[A 2] | GC  | Games coached  | CW  | Conference wins  | PW  | Postseason wins
DC  | Division championships  | OW  | Overall wins  | CL  | Conference losses  | PL  | Postseason losses
CC  | Conference championships  | OL  | Overall losses  | CT  | Conference ties  | PT  | Postseason ties
NC  | National championships  | OT  | Overall ties[A 3] | C%  | Conference winning percentage  |  |
†  | Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame | O%  | Overall winning percentage[A 4] |  |  |  |

### Coaches

[edit]

List of head football coaches showing season(s) coached, overall records, conference records, postseason records, championships and selected awards  No.  | Name  | Season(s)  | GC  | OW  | OL  | OT  | O%  | CW  | CL  | CT  | C%  | PW  | PL  | PT  | DC  | CC  | NC  | Awards

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1  | Benson[8] | 1909  | 7  | 4  | 2  | 1  | 0.643 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
2  | John Saathoff[8] | 1912–1913  | 9  | 4  | 5  | 0  | 0.444 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
3  | John Chalmers[9] | 1914–1924  | 67  | 41  | 21  | 5  | 0.649 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
4  | Clarence Peterson[8] | 1929–1930  | 13  | 3  | 9  | 1  | 0.269 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
5  | Austin Griffen[8] | 1931–1933  | 20  | 2  | 18  | 0  | 0.100 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
6  | John McCaffrie[10] | 1934–1936  | 21  | 6  | 13  | 2  | 0.333 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
7  | Paul Fitzke[11] | 1937–1938  | 90  | 8  | 5  | 3  | 0.594 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
8  | Kenneth Mercer[12] | 1939–1942, 1945–1961  | 166  | 95  | 65  | 6  | 0.590 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
9  | Owen Evans[8] | 1962–1968  | 62  | 24  | 33  | 5  | 0.427 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
10  | Maury Waugh[13] | 1969–1974  | 56  | 16  | 21  | 2  | 0.436 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
11  | Larry Pohlman[14] | 1975–1976  | 20  | 4  | 14  | 2  | 0.250 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
12  | Don Birmingham[15] | 1977–1983  | 69  | 42  | 26  | 1  | 0.616 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
13  | Myron Smith[8] | 1984–1986  | 31  | 5  | 26  | 0  | 0.161 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
14  | Don Turner[16] | 1987–1989  | 31  | 13  | 18  | 0  | 0.419 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
15  | Mike Messer[17] | 1990–1993  | 34  | 4  | 30  | 0  | 0.118 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
16  | Don Caves (interim)  | 1993  | 8  | 2  | 6  | 0  | 0.250 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
17  | Jim Collins[18] | 1994–1996  | 30  | 4  | 26  | 0  | 0.133 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
18  | Mike Murray[19] | 1997–2000  | 49  | 4  | 45  | 0  | 0.082 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
19  | Vince Brautigam[20] | 2001–2008  | 80  | 22  | 58  | 0  | 0.275 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
20  | Stan Zweifel[21] | 2009–2023  | 141  | 85  | 56  | 0  | 0.603 | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –
20  | Ryan Maiuri  | 2024-Present  |  |  |  | 0  | – | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –  | –

## Year-by-year results

[edit]

National champions | Conference champions | Bowl game berth | Playoff berth

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Season  | Year  | Head
Coach  | Association  | Division  | Conference  | Record  | Postseason  | Final ranking

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Overall  | Conference
Win  | Loss  | Tie  | Finish  | Win  | Loss  | Tie
Dubuque Spartans
1909 | 1909 | Benson | IAAUS | —  | —  | 4 | 2 | 1 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
No team from 1910–1911
1912 | 1912 | John Saathoff | NCAA | —  | —  | 2 | 2 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1913 | 1913 | 2 | 3 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1914 | 1914 | John Chalmers | HCC | 1 | 1 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1915 | 1915 | 7 | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |  | Conference champions | —
1916 | 1916 | 5 | 1 | 0 |  |  |  |  | Conference champions | —
1917 | 1917 | 5 | 0 | 1 |  |  |  |  | Conference champions | —
1918 | 1918 | Independent | 2 | 1 | 1 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1919 | 1919 | 6 | 1 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1920 | 1920 | 4 | 1 | 1 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1921 | 1921 | 4 | 2 | 1 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1922 | 1922 | 3 | 4 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1923 | 1923 | 3 | 4 | 1 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1924 | 1924 | 1 | 6 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
No team from 1925–1928
1929 | 1929 | Clarence Peterson | NCAA | —  | IIAC | 1 | 4 | 1 |  | 0 | 2 | 0  | —  | —
1930 | 1930 | 2 | 5 | 0 |  | 0 | 5 | 0  | —  | —
1931 | 1931 | Austin Griffen | 0 | 7 | 0 |  | 0 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1932 | 1932 | 1 | 5 | 0 |  | 0 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
1933 | 1933 | 1 | 6 | 0 |  | 0 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
1934 | 1934 | John McCaffrie | 2 | 3 | 1 |  | 0 | 2 | 1  | —  | —
1935 | 1935 | 3 | 4 | 0 |  | 2 | 2 | 0  | —  | —
1936 | 1936 | 1 | 6 | 1 |  | 0 | 6 | 0  | —  | —
1937 | 1937 | Paul Fitzke | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3rd | 3 | 1 | 1  | —  | —
1938 | 1938 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4th | 4 | 1 | 0  | —  | —
1939 | 1939 | Kenneth E. Mercer | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4th | 4 | 2 | 0  | —  | —
1940 | 1940 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1st | 7 | 0 | 0  | Conference champions | —
1941 | 1941 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3rd | 6 | 1 | 1  | —  | —
1942 | 1942 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1st | 8 | 0 | 0  | Conference champions | —
No team from 1943–1944
1945 | 1945 | Kenneth E. Mercer | NCAA | —  | IIAC | 4 | 2 | 0 | T-4th | 2 | 2 | 0  | —  | —
1946 | 1946 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 5th | 4 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
1947 | 1947 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5th | 4 | 1 | 0  | —  | —
1948 | 1948 | 7 | 1 | 0 | T-1st | 5 | 0 | 0  | Conference champions | —
1949 | 1949 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | 4 | 1 | 0  | —  | —
1950 | 1950 | 3 | 5 | 0 | T-4th | 1 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1951 | 1951 | 3 | 4 | 0 | T-2nd | 3 | 2 | 0  | —  | —
1952 | 1952 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2nd | 3 | 1 | 0  | —  | —
1953 | 1953 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | 2 | 2 | 0  | —  | —
1954 | 1954 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 1  | —  | —
1955 | 1955 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | 2 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1956 | 1956 | College Division | 3 | 3 | 2 | T-5th | 3 | 3 | 2  | —  | —
1957 | 1957 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8th | 1 | 5 | 2  | —  | —
1958 | 1958 | 5 | 4 | 0 | T-4th | 4 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1959 | 1959 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 5th | 4 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1960 | 1960 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5th | 4 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1961 | 1961 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 5th | 4 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1962 | 1962 | Owen Evans | 2 | 7 | 0 | 8th | 2 | 7 | 0  | —  | —
1963 | 1963 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 5th | 3 | 4 | 1  | —  | —
1964 | 1964 | 3 | 5 | 1 | T-5th | 3 | 5 | 0  | —  | —
1965 | 1965 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 0  | —  | —
1966 | 1966 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 5th | 3 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1967 | 1967 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 7th | 1 | 4 | 2  | —  | —
1968 | 1968 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5th | 3 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1969 | 1969 | Maury Waugh | 1 | 7 | 0 | 8th | 0 | 7 | 0  | —  | —
1970 | 1970 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 6th | 2 | 5 | 0  | —  | —
1971 | 1971 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 7th | 0 | 6 | 1  | —  | —
1972 | 1972 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4th | 3 | 3 | 1  | —  | —
1973 | 1973 | Division III | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4th | 3 | 3 | 1  | —  | —
1974 | 1974 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 7th | 1 | 6 | 0  | —  | —
1975 | 1975 | Larry Pohlman | 3 | 5 | 2 |  | 3 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1976 | 1976 | 1 | 9 | 0 |  | 1 | 6 | 0  | —  | —
1977 | 1977 | Don Birmingham | 4 | 6 | 0 | T-6th | 2 | 5 | 0  | —  | —
1978 | 1978 | 7 | 2 | 0 | T-1st | 5 | 2 | 0  | Conference champions | —
1979 | 1979 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1st | 7 | 0 | 0  | Playoff berth | —
1980 | 1980 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1st | 6 | 1 | 0  | Playoff berth | —
1981 | 1981 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 4th | 4 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
1982 | 1982 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4th | 4 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
1983 | 1983 | 4 | 6 | 0 | T-4th | 3 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1984 | 1984 | Myron Smith | 3 | 7 | 0 |  | 2 | 5 | 0  | —  | —
1985 | 1985 | 0 | 10 | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0  | —  | —
1986 | 1986 | 2 | 9 | 0 |  | 2 | 6 | 0  | —  | —
1987 | 1987 | Don Turner | 6 | 5 | 0 | T-4th | 4 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
1988 | 1988 | 3 | 7 | 0 | T-6th | 3 | 5 | 0  | —  | —
1989 | 1989 | 4 | 6 | 0 | T-6th | 3 | 5 | 0  | —  | —
1990 | 1990 | Mike Messer | 2 | 7 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1991 | 1991 | 1 | 8 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1992 | 1992 | 1 | 9 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1993 | 1993 | Mike Messer (games 1–2) / Don Caves (remainder)  | 2 | 8 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1994 | 1994 | Jim Collins | 1 | 9 | 0 | 8th | 1 | 7 | 0  | —  | —
1995 | 1995 | 2 | 8 | 0 | T-6th | 2 | 6 | 0  | —  | —
1996 | 1996 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9th | 0 | 8 | 0  | —  | —
1997 | 1997 | Mike Murray | 3 | 7 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1998 | 1998 | 0 | 10 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
1999 | 1999 | 1 | 9 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
2000 | 2000 | 0 | 10 | 0 |  |  |  |  | —  | —
2001 | 2001 | Vince Brautigam | 2 | 8 | 0 | 10th | 1 | 8 | 0  | —  | —
2002 | 2002 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 10th | 0 | 9 | 0  | —  | —
2003 | 2003 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10th | 0 | 8 | 0  | —  | —
2004 | 2004 | 2 | 8 | 0 | T-8th | 1 | 7 | 0  | —  | —
2005 | 2005 | 2 | 8 | 0 | T-8th | 1 | 7 | 0  | —  | —
2006 | 2006 | 6 | 4 | 0 | T-3rd | 5 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
2007 | 2007 | 7 | 3 | 0 | T-3rd | 5 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
2008 | 2008 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 8th | 1 | 7 | 0  | —  | —
2009 | 2009 | Stan Zweifel | 5 | 5 | 0 | T-5th | 4 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
2010 | 2010 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 6th | 3 | 5 | 0  | —  | —
2011 | 2011 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1st | 7 | 1 | 0  | Playoff berth | —
2012 | 2012 | 5 | 5 | 0 | T-2nd | 4 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
2013 | 2013 | 5 | 5 | 0 | T-3rd | 4 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
2014 | 2014 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 5th | 3 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
2015 | 2015 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1st | 7 | 0 | 0  | Playoff berth | —
2016 | 2016 | 8 | 2 | 0 | T-2nd | 6 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
2017 | 2017 | 6 | 4 | 0 | T-4th | 4 | 4 | 0  | —  | —
2018 | 2018 | A-R-C | 7 | 3 | 0 | T-2nd | 6 | 2 | 0  | —  | —
2019 | 2019 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | 6 | 2 | 0  | —  | —
2020–21 | 2020–21 | 1  | 0  | 0  | T-2nd  | 1  | 0  | 0  |  |
2021 | 2021 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4th | 5 | 3 | 0  | —  | —
2022 | 2022 | 6 | 4 | 0 | T-2nd | 6 | 2 | 0  | —  | —
2023 | 2023 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4th | 5 | 3 | 0  | —  | —

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Although the first Rose Bowl Game was played in 1902, it has been continuously played since the 1916 game, and is recognized as the oldest bowl game by the NCAA. "—" indicates any season prior to 1916 when postseason games were not played.[5]
2. ^ A running total of the number of head coaches, with coaches who served separate tenures being counted only once. Interim head coaches are represented with "Int" and are not counted in the running total. "--" indicates the team played but either without a coach or no coach is on record. "X" indicates an interim year without play.
3. ^ Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.[6]
4. ^ When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss.[7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ University of Dubuque University Relations 2014 Identity and Style Guide (PDF). Retrieved June 12, 2016.
2. ^ danny.miller@thmedia.com, DANNY MILLER. "College football: Area athletes shine for Wartburg in victory over Dubuque". TelegraphHerald.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
3. ^ "University of Dubuque Names 21st Head Football Coach". udspartans.com. University of Dubuque Athletics. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
4. ^ "2022 Football". rollrivers.com. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
5. ^ National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2011). Bowl/All-Star Game Records (PDF). Indianapolis, Indiana: NCAA. pp. 5–10\. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2011.5-10&rft.pub=NCAA&rft.date=2011&rft.au=National+Collegiate+Athletic+Association+(NCAA)&rft_id=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2011/Bowls.pdf&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Dubuque+Spartans+football" class="Z3988">
6. ^ Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. McLean, Virginia. Archived from the original on September 6, 2010. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
7. ^ Finder, Chuck (September 6, 1987). "Big plays help Paterno to 200th". The New York Times. New York City. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
8. ^ a b c d e f "UD Football Record Book by @UDubuqueSports - Issuu". issuu.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
9. ^ "John Chalmers". www.dbq.edu. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
10. ^ "McCaffrie is coach at Dubuque | IndexUNI: Database of University Articles". indexuni.library.uni.edu. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
11. ^ admin. "Bob Fitzke – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved March 25, 2023.
12. ^ "Simpson". Simpson. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
13. ^ "Maurice Waugh". www.dbq.edu. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
14. ^ "Clipped From The Des Moines Register". The Des Moines Register. May 26, 1977. p. 29. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
15. ^ "Don Birmingham". www.dbq.edu. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
16. ^ "Obituary for Don Turner at Bella Vista Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc". www.funeralmation.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
17. ^ CCAMPBELL@WCINET.COM, CLETE CAMPBELL TH STAFF WRITER *. "College football: Change of culture at Dubuque". TelegraphHerald.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
18. ^ "Collins Added to Football Staff". Army West Point. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
19. ^ "Mike Murray Named Head Football Coach". Elmhurst University Athletics. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
20. ^ Pannier, Robert (November 14, 2015). "Vince Brautigam Making Cornell College His Newest Diamond". Minor League Sports Report. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
21. ^ Courrier, Chad. "MSU's Zweifel lands new job". Mankato Free Press. Retrieved March 25, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

American Rivers Conference football

Current teams|

* Buena Vista Beavers
* Central Dutch
* Coe Kohawks
* Dubuque Spartans
* Loras Duhawks
* Luther Norse
* Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves
* Simpson Storm
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Championships & awards|

* Conference champions

Seasons|

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