Mike Aldrich is the only head football coach in Augustana history to post winning records in the first two seasons.
Last year the Vikings registered an overall record of 6-5. They were 6-4 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular-season standings, with a 4-2 mark in the South Division.
Augustana won six of its last eight games in 2011 after a 0-3 start. Three of the Vikings’ setbacks came by a total of six points.
Aldrich’s inaugural season in 2010 was one for the record books. He guided the Vikings to a school-record 11 wins (11-2). A 21-year drought in NCAA Division II playoff appearances came to an end, and in the second round the Vikings eliminated four-time national champion Grand Valley State with a convincing 38-6 win at Kirkeby-Over Stadium. It was the first time Augustana hosted a playoff game, while earning the school’s first playoff win.
The Vikings claimed a share of the NSIC South Division title (5-1) and tied for the second best overall record in conference play (9-1). Augustana was ranked sixth in the final American Football Coaches Association poll, matching the highest billing in school history. Seventeen Vikings were named to the 2010 all-conference team, eight to the Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-Super Region Three team, and five to the Hansen All-America team.
Aldrich was selected Region 5 Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year award. He was also tabbed College Men’s Coach of the Year by the South Dakota Sportswriters Association.
As the architect of Augustana’s defense, Aldrich’s unit topped the NSIC in total defense in 2010. Buoyed by 26 interceptions, the Vikings led the nation in pass-defense efficiency.
In 2011, the Vikings led the league in rushing defense and were second in total defense and pass defense. Sixteen Vikings were named to the all-conference team and two to the Daktronics All-Super Region Three team.
Aldrich began a second stint with Augustana in 2004 as the team’s assistant defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, and secondary coach.
In 2003 he was a graduate assistant at the University of Louisville following a two-year assignment as the secondary coach and assistant special teams coordinator at Augustana. Under Aldrich’s tutelage, Viking special teams developed a reputation for blocking kicks. Augustana stuffed eight kicks in 2004 and nine in 2005.
During his first term at Augustana, Aldrich molded one of the top secondary defenses in NCAA Division II. Producing five all-conference selections and an All-America choice during his tenure, the Aldrich- directed Viking secondary ranked among the nation’s top 10 for interceptions and was anchored by the league-leader in interceptions each of his two seasons.
In addition to his duties at Augustana, Aldrich was the head coach and defensive coordinator for the Sioux Falls Storm of the National Indoor Football League (NIFL) from 2000 to 2002. Aldrich’s impact on the NIFL was immediate as the Storm defense became one of the league’s strongest.
He returned to the Storm midway through the 2005 season as the defensive coordinator, an appointment he held through the 2009 campaign. During his final four seasons with the organization, the Storm won four consecutive United Indoor Football (UIF) championships and recorded a professional sports record 40 straight wins. The Storm featured the No. 1 scoring defense in the UIF in 2006.
Aldrich was the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach at California Lutheran University in 2000 following a stint as the defensive line coach and assistant defensive coordinator at the College of the Sequoias in 1999.
A native of Burnsville, Minn., Aldrich began coaching at St. Olaf College, his alma mater. He coached the Oles defensive line in 1995, was the assistant offensive coordinator and tight ends coach in 1996, and was in charge of the linebackers in 1997 and 1998.
A four-year letter winner at St. Olaf, Aldrich served as special teams captain during his junior and senior seasons. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and social studies education from St. Olaf in 1995, and received a master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Minnesota in 1999.
Aldrich and his wife, Kristen, are the parents of Makenna and Joseph.
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Mike Aldrich Year-by-Year
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Overall |
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Conf. |
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Year |
School |
W |
L |
T |
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W |
L |
T |
Finish |
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2010 |
Augustana |
11 |
2 |
0 |
* |
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9 |
1 |
0 |
2nd |
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2011 |
Augustana |
6 |
5 |
0 |
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6 |
4 |
0 |
7th |
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2012 |
Augustana |
5 |
6 |
0 |
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5 |
6 |
0 |
9th |
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22 |
13 |
0 |
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20 |
11 |
0 |
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* = NCAA postseason |
