Winona State Warriors

Infobox college athletics
name = Winona State Warriors

university = Winona State University
conference = Northern Sun | division = Division II
director = Larry Holstad
city = Winona
state = Minnesota
stateabb = MN
teams = 15
stadium = Maxwell Field at Alltel Stadium
arena = McCown Gym
arena2 =
mascot = Wazoo [ [http://www.alumni.winona.edu/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=241&srcid=316 Winona State University Alumni and Friends - Benefits ] ]
nickname = Warriors
fightsong =
color1 = Purple
color2 = White
hex1 = 800080
hex2 = FFFFFF
pageurl = http://www.winona.edu/athletics
pagename =

"The Winona State Warriors" is the name of the athletic teams of Winona State University, located in the city of Winona, Minnesota. They complete in the NCAA, Division II for all sports except for women's gymnastics, which completes in the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association.

Athletics

*Football - men's
*Basketball - men's and women's
*Baseball - men's
*Cross country - men's and women's
*Golf - men's and women's
*Gymnastics - women's
*Soccer - women's
*Softball - women's
*Track and field - women's
*Tennis - men's and women's
*Volleyball - women's

The men's football, men's and women's basketball, women's soccer, men's baseball, women's softball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, women's track and field, women's tennis and women's volleyball teams all compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The men's tennis team competes in the North Central Conference. The women's gymnastics team competes in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Championships

Winona State University has enjoyed a varied level of success since the first fielding athletic teams in the late 1800s. Several teams have captured conference, regional and national honors.

NSIC Championships
*Baseball - 21 (1961, 1962, 1963*, 1966, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1980*, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001)
*Men's Basketball - "Regular Season" 13 - (1938, 1939, 1950^, 1969*, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1999*, 2005, 2006, 2007); "Tournament Titles" 3 - (2001, 2006, 2008)
*Men's Cross Country - 1 (1988)
*Women's Cross Country - 1 (2004)
*Football - 17 (1939, 1947*, 1956, 1957*, 1962, 1964, 1968*, 1983, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003*, 2004, 2005*, 2007)
*Men's Golf - 11 (1958, 1965, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
*Women's Golf - 5 (1988, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2006)
*Women's Soccer - "Regular Season" 5 - (1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007); "Tournament Titles" 5 - (1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005)
*Softball - 2 (2003, 2005)
*Men's Tennis - 1 (1974)
*Women's Tennis - 7 (1994, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)
*Women's Track and Field - "Indoor" 2 - (2005, 2006); "Outdoor" 1 - (2005)
*Wrestling (no longer sponsored by the school) - 4 - (1966, 1967, 1970, 1971)(* indicates co-champions, ^ indicates tri-champions)

NCAA Regional Titles
*Men's Golf - 3 (1993, 1994, 2006)
*Men's Basketball - 3 (2006, 2007, 2008)

NCAA National Titles
*Men's Basketball - 2 (2006, 2008)

NAIA National Titles
*Women's Gymnastics - 2 (1985, 1987)

Football

The Winona State Warriors are coached by alum Tom Sawyer. The Warriors have won conference titles ten times in a 15 year span, from 1993 to 2007.

The Warriors' first playoff appearance came in 1993 as Winona State hosted a NAIA national quarterfinal match against Central State (OH). The Warriors lost 58-7. [ [http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/naia/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2006FBChampHistory.pdf All-Time Football Championship Results ] ]

In 2000, Winona State played in the Mineral Water Bowl. The Warriors faced off against Missouri Western State College. The invited teams are the highest finishing teams in their respective conferences to not make the NCAA playoffs. The Warriors won the game in triple overtime, 43-41. [ [http://www.mineralwaterbowl.net/his_ly.html Excelsior Springs Mineral Water Bowl ] ]

The following season, the Warriors made NSIC history becoming the first team to achieve a bid to the NCAA playoffs. Winona State faced off against North Dakota. The Warriors lost 28-42. [ [http://www.northernsun.org/Archives/Football/Stats/2001/12wsuund.htm Winona State vs North Dakota ] ] North Dakota would go on to win the championship. [ [http://www.d2football.com/champions/10/ NCAA National Champions ] ] The Warriors 28 points was more points than were scored on North Dakota by the three other teams they played combined in the playoffs that season. [http://www.fightingsioux.com/fls/13500/pdf/fb139_168.pdf?SPSID=70897&SPID=6399&DB_OEM_ID=13500]

In 2002, the Warriors were once again in the Mineral Water Bowl, as they took on Emporia State University. Like the 2000 game, regulation was not enough as the game went to overtime. The Warriors however fell short, losing 27-34 in the first overtime. [ [http://www.mineralwaterbowl.net/his_scores.html Excelsior Springs Mineral Water Bowl ] ]

In 2003, Winona State once again made it to the NCAA playoffs. That year they were #1 in the region and #3 overall in the country in Division II football. This time they hosted the regional semifinal game, against Emporia State. For the first time in school history, the Warriors were victorious in an NCAA playoff game, winning 10-3. The following weekend, the Warriors traveled to face off against North Dakota. The Warriors managed to battle back from an early deficit to take the lead 29-28 with 1:52 left in the fourth quarter. North Dakota was able to counter and scored with under a minute left in the game, as the Sioux escaped, victorious 36-29.

In 2004 The Warriors continued their post season habit by playing the playoffs. With the NCAA Division II playoffs expanded, the Warriors hosted a first round game against Grand Valley State University, then the two time defending Division II national champions. Winona State played a close game, yet lost 16-13. [ [http://gvsulakers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/111304aaa.html Grand Valley State Claims 16-13 NCAA Victory Over Winona State :: Lakers Advance To Play Northwood Next Saturday ] ]

In 2006, the Warriors failed to win the NSIC title, yet were still selected for the NCAA playoffs. The Warriors played North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux won 42-0. [ [http://www.northernsun.org/Archives/Football/Stats/2006/wsuund2.htm Winona State vs North Dakota (Nov 18, 2006) ] ]

The football team was selected for the 2007 playoffs, playing at North Dakota for the fourth time in seven seasons. The game will be played on Saturday, November 18, 2007.

occer

Women's Soccer has been a sponsored sport at Winona State since the 1995 season. As of the end of the 2007 season, the Warriors all-time record is 175-65-13. Ali Omar has been the only head coach in the team's history. The Warriors made the NCAA playoffs in 2001 and 2007.

Facilities

Maxwell Field at Alltel Stadium is the home the men's football team, women's soccer team and women's softball team. McCown Gym is home to men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the women's volleyball team. Home tennis match are played at the SMU Tennis Center, near WSU's west campus. Baseball games are played at Loughrey Field.

References

External links

* [http://www.winona.edu/athletics Official WSU Athletics website]
* [http://www.winona.edu/winonan/S2006/4-19-06/ThePerspectiveWhyWarrior.htm History of Warriors nickname]