Wisconsin–Platteville Pioneers football
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (February 2023) |
| Wisconsin–Platteville Pioneers football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| First season | 1895 | ||
| Head coach | Ryan Munz 3rd season, 21–11 (.656) | ||
| Stadium | Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium | ||
| Location | Platteville, Wisconsin | ||
| NCAA division | Division III | ||
| Conference | Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) | ||
| All-time record | 445–449–33 (.498) | ||
| Bowl record | 1–0 (1.000) | ||
| Playoff appearances | 4 (1 NAIA Div. I, 3 NCAA Div. III) | ||
| Playoff record | 1–4 (.200) | ||
| Conference titles | 15 | ||
| Colors | Orange and blue[1] | ||
| Website | letsgopioneers.com | ||
The Wisconsin–Platteville Pioneers football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Wisconsin–Platteville located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin.
Championships
[edit]Conference championships
[edit]The Pioneers have won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship 15 times.[2]
| Year | Coach | Overall record | WIAC record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938† | Lester Leitl | 4–1 | 3–1 |
| 1941† | 3–0–2 | 3–0–1 | |
| 1942† | 3–1–1 | 3–0–1 | |
| 1952† | 5–1 | 4–0 | |
| 1953† | 6–0 | 4–0 | |
| 1956† | 6–1 | 5–0 | |
| 1957 | 5–1 | 5–0 | |
| 1968† | Monte Charles | 8–1 | 7–1 |
| 1969† | Gil Krueger | 8–1 | 7–1 |
| 1970 | 10–1 | 8–0 | |
| 1971† | 9–1 | 7–1 | |
| 1974† | Bob Seamans | 8–2 | 7–1 |
| 1976† | 8–2 | 6–2 | |
| 1980† | George Chryst | 7–3 | 6–2 |
| 2024 | Ryan Munz | 9–2 | 6–1 |
† Co-champions
Postseason appearances
[edit]NCAA Division III playoffs
[edit]The Pioneers have made three appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs, with a combined record of 1–3.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | First Round Second Round |
Concordia (WI) North Central (IL) |
W, 54–20 L, 24–52 |
| 2016 | First Round | Saint John's (MN) | L, 31–32 |
| 2024 | Second Round | Wartburg | L, 14–19 |
NAIA Division I playoffs
[edit]The Pioneers have made one appearance in the NAIA Division I playoffs, with a combined record of 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Semifinals | Texas A&I | L, 0–16 |
Bowl games
[edit]The Pioneers have a 1–0 bowl record after participating in the Culver's Isthmus Bowl in 2023.
| Year | Bowl | Coach | Opponent | Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Isthmus Bowl | Ryan Munz | Augustana (IL) | W 36–10 | 7–4 |
Facilities
[edit]From 1984 to 2001 the Chicago Bears of the National Football League used the Pioneers facilities for the team's annual preseason training camp.[3] The Bears were looking at Platteville, as well as Wisconsin–Whitewater, but ultimately chose Platteville after a tour with legendary coach and athletic director George Chryst. The Bears cited strong facilities, as well as fewer distractions for the team due to the remoteness of Platteville.[4] The decision seemed to have paid off, as the 1985 Bears went on to win Super Bowl XX. Five other NFL teams used campuses across Wisconsin and Minnesota for training camp, in what was known as the Cheese League.
Notable players
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "UW-Platteville Graphic Standards". Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- ^ "Football Team Champs (PDF) - Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference" (PDF). wiacsports.com. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
- ^ "Chicago Bears Training Camp Locations". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
- ^ Lucas, Mike (2023-08-04). "Platteville: Once home to Bears, Bo Ryan, Walter Payton and The Hill". The Cap Times. Retrieved 2025-01-04.