Mike Schmidt begins his fourth season as UW-La Crosse head football coach in 2019. Named the 13th head football coach in school history February 4, 2016, Schmidt is 20-10 overall and 12-9 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in his first three seasons at the helm of the Eagles.
UWL finished 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the WIAC in 2018, placing second in the league standings for the first time since 2006. Ten players were named to the 2018 All-WIAC Team. The Eagles received votes in the final 2018 D3football.com and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top-25 Polls.
Schmidt led UWL to an 8-2 overall and 5-2 conference record in 2017. The Eagles' eight overall and five league wins were the most since finishing 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the WIAC in 2006. UWL placed third in the 2017 conference standings, its highest finish since second in 2006.
Named the 2017
La Crosse Tribune Sportsperson of the Year, Schmidt led the Eagles to be ranked in the final two national polls of the 2017 season, finishing 24th on D3football.com and 25th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
Mike Schmidt is 20-10 in his first three seasons as UWL's head coach.
The Eagles have recorded at least five WIAC victories in back-to-back seasons (2017-18) for the first time since 2003 (6-1) and 2004 (5-2).
UWL set a single-season school record with 29 passing touchdowns in 2017. The Eagles' 200 completions, 381 attempts and 3,024 passing yards each ranked second in single-season school history. UWL's 226 first downs in 2017 ranks fourth while its 4,312 total yards is fifth.
Opponents scored 151 points (15.1 average) in 2017 versus UWL, the fewest points for an opponent since 2000. The Eagles allowed eight passing touchdowns, the fewest since 2000. UWL also allowed 3,311 yards of offense, the fewest for an opponent since 2007.
A total of 34 All-WIAC selections have been earned in Schmidt's first three seasons, including five first team honors. Fourteen players were named to the 2017 All-WIAC Team while the team earned 10 selections in 2016.
Senior wide receiver
Nick Holcomb earned three first team All-America honors in 2017 for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III, being named to the AFCA, Associated Press (AP) Little All-America and D3football.com First Teams.
Schmidt led the Eagles to a 5-5 overall record in 2016. UWL set single-season school records for passing completions (258), attempts (421) and yards (3,084) in 2016 while finishing second in first downs (250), total offensive attempts (883) and total offensive yards (4,748).
The Eagles finished second in the WIAC in pass defense (163.8 yards per game) and third in total defense (352.9) in 2016 with Schmidt serving as the team's defensive coordinator.
A native of Menomonie, Wisconsin, Schmidt served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at UW-Platteville in 2015. He coached
Andrew Robinson while at UW-Platteville, the 2015 WIAC Defensive Player of the Year and All-WIAC First Team selection. Robinson was named a finalist for the 2015 Cliff Harris Award, an award presented to the top defensive player represented in the nation's small colleges.
Prior to arriving at UW-Platteville, Schmidt was the defensive coordinator and coached the linebackers and defensive backs at the University of Dubuque (Iowa) from 2011-14. He also served as the recruiting coordinator from 2009-14.
Named the 2013 AFCA National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Assistant Coach of the Year, Schmidt coached running backs (2009-10), defensive backs (2009) and offensive line (2010) at Dubuque (Iowa). He served as a graduate assistant coach at Minnesota State University Mankato in 2008, coaching the defensive line. Schmidt is a member of the AFCA and the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA).
A 2008 graduate of UWL, Schmidt was a four-year football and baseball letter winner for the Eagles. He served as a two-sport team captain in 2007-08 while earning his bachelor's degree in marketing. Named to the 2007 WIAC Honorable Mention Football Team as an all-purpose back, Schmidt recorded two rushing touchdowns one receiving touchdown. He was a 2008 all-conference honorable mention selection in baseball after hitting .340 and leading the Eagles in home runs (6) and RBI (38). Schmidt was also named to the 2008 All-WIAC All-Sportsmanship Baseball Team.
Schmidt was a member of Menomonie (Wis.) High School state football championship team his senior season in 2002 under
Joe LaBuda while earning first team all-state honors. He graduated from Menomonie (Wis.) in 2003.
He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Missional Christianity degree at Dubuque (Iowa) Theological Seminary. Schmidt and his wife, Morgan, have three children.
