# Valparaiso Beacons football

The Valparaiso Beacons football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Valparaiso University located in the U.S. state of Indiana. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL). Valparaiso's first football team was fielded in 1919. The team plays its home games at the 5,000-seat Brown Field in Valparaiso, Indiana. Andy Waddle has served as the team's head coach since 2025. Valparaiso was known as the Crusaders through the 2019 season.

## History
### Classifications

* 1941–1972: NCAA College Division
* 1973–1978: NCAA Division III
* 1979–1992: NCAA Division II
* 1993–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

### Conference memberships

* 1919–1923: Independent
* 1924–1925: Western Interstate Conference
* 1926–1933: Independent
* 1934–1947: Indiana Intercollegiate Conference
* 1948–1950: Independent
* 1951–1977: Indiana Collegiate Conference
* 1978–1989: Heartland Collegiate Conference
* 1990–1992: Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference
* 1993–present: Pioneer Football League

## Year-by-year results

Head coach George Keogan: :
| 1919 | 5-3 |
| 1920 | 5-3 |
| Head coach Earl Goheen: ||
| 1921 | 2-2-1 |
| 1922 | 3-2-2 |
| Head coach William Shadoan: ||
| 1923 | 5-2-1 |
| 1924 | 4-3-2 |
| Head coach Millard Anderson: ||
| 1925 | 1-6 |
| Head coach Conrad Moll: ||
| 1926 | 1-4-1 |
| Head coach Earl Scott: ||
| 1927 | 1-5 |
| 1928 | 1-6 |
| Head coach J.M. Christianson: ||
| 1929 | 1-7 |
| 1930 | 5-4 |
| 1931 | 8-1 |
| 1932 | 7-0 |
| 1933 | 7-1 |
| 1934 | 6-2 |
| 1935 | 4-4-1 |
| 1936 | 1-6-1 |
| 1937 | 4-4 |
| 1938 | 2-4-1 |
| 1939 | 2-6 |
| 1940 | 3-3-1 |
| Head coach Victor Dauer: ||
| 1941 | 0-7-1 |
| Head coach Loren Ellis: ||
| 1942 | 4-4 |
| 1943 | No Football due to WWII |
| 1944 | No Football due to WWII |
| 1945 | 6-1 |
| Head coach Emery Bauer: ||
| 1946 | 1-7 |
| 1947 | 2-5-1 |
| 1948 | 4-5 |
| 1949 | 7-2-1 |
| 1950 | 9-1 |
| 1951 | 9-0 |
| 1952 | 5-3-1 |
| 1953 | 5-2-1 |
| 1954 | 6-2-1 |
| 1955 | 6-3 |
| 1956 | 6-4 |
| (Walt Reiner joins as a Co-Head Coach): ||
| 1957 | 4-2-2 |
| 1958 | 6-3 |
| 1959 | 5-4 |
| 1960 | 3-6 |
| 1961 | 7-2 |
| 1962 | 6-3 |
| 1963 | 3-6 |
| 1964 | 6-3 |
| (Walt Reiner leaves program as Emery Bauer returns full responsibilities): ||
| 1965 | 3-6 |
| 1966 | 3-6 |
| 1967 | 3-6 |
Head coach Norm Amundsen: :
| 1968 | 4-5 |
| 1969 | 7-2 |
| 1970 | 5-3-2 |
| 1971 | 8-2 |
| 1972 | 6-4 |
| 1973 | 6-5 |
| 1974 | 3-6 |
| 1975 | 3-6 |
| 1976 | 2-7-1 |
| Head coach Bill Koch: ||
| 1977 | 3-6-1 |
| 1978 | 5-4 |
| 1979 | 5-4 |
| 1980 | 4-5-1 |
| 1981 | 1-9 |
| 1982 | 3-7 |
| 1983 | 4-6 |
| 1984 | 6-4 |
| 1985 | 6-4 |
| 1986 | 3-7 |
| 1987 | 3-6 |
| 1988 | 0-9-1 |
| Head coach Tom Horne: ||
| 1989 | 0-10 |
| 1990 | 1-9 |
| 1991 | 1-8-1 |
| 1992 | 3-8 |
| 1993 | 5-5 |
| 1994 | 7-3 |
| 1995 | 5-5 |
| 1996 | 4-6 |
| 1997 | 3-8 |
| 1998 | 5-6 |
| 1999 | 9-2 |
| 2000 | 7-4 |
| 2001 | 3-8 |
| 2002 | 1-10 |
| 2003 | 8-4 |
| 2004 | 5-6 |
| Head coach Stacey Adams: ||
| 2005 | 3-8 |
| 2006 | 3-8 |
| 2007 | 5-6 |
| 2008 | 3-8 |
| 2009 | 1-10 |
| Head coach Dale Carlson: ||
| 2010 | 0-11 |
| 2011 | 1-10 |
| 2012 | 1-10 |
| 2013 | 1-10 |
| Head coach Dave Cecchini: ||
| 2014 | 4-8 |
| 2015 | 1-9 |
| 2016 | 4-7 |
| 2017 | 6-5 |
| 2018 | 2-9 |
| Head coach Landon Fox: ||
| 2019 | 1-11 |
| 2020 | 4-2 |
| 2021 | 4-7 |
| 2022 | 5-7 |
| 2023 | 3-8 |
| 2024 | 4-7 |

### Bowl game appearances

| Season | Date | Bowl | W/L | Opponent | PF | PA | Coach | Notes |
| 1950 | January 1, 1951 | Cigar Bowl | L | La Crosse State | 14 | 47 | Emery Bauer | notes |
| Total | | 1 bowl game | 0–1 | | 14 | 47 | | |

## Championships
### Conference championships

| Year | Conference | Coach | Overall Record | Conference Record |
| 1945 | Indiana Intercollegiate Conference | Loren Ellis | 6–1 | 4–0 |
| 1951 | Indiana Intercollegiate Conference | Emory Bauer | 9–0 | 4–0 |
| 1952† | Indiana Intercollegiate Conference | Emory Bauer | 5–3–1 | 3–1–1 |
| 1954 | Indiana Intercollegiate Conference | Emory Bauer | 6–2–1 | 5–1 |
| 1964† | Indiana Intercollegiate Conference | Emory Bauer | 6–3 | 4–2 |
| 1968 | Indiana Intercollegiate Conference | Norm Amundsen | 4–5 | 4–0 |
| 1969† | Indiana Intercollegiate Conference | Norm Amundsen | 7–2 | 3–1 |
| 2000† | Pioneer Football League | Tom Horne | 7–4 | 3–1 |
| 2003 | Pioneer Football League | Tom Horne | 8–4 | 3–1 |
| Total conference championships | Total conference championships | Total conference championships | Total conference championships | 9 | 9 |
† Co-champions

### Divisional championships

From 2001 to 2005, the Pioneer Football League (PFL) was divided into North and South Divisions. As winners of the PFL's North Division, Valparaiso has made one appearance in the Pioneer Football League Championship Game, in 2003. Valparaiso shared the Division title with San Diego in 2003, but the tie-breaker allowed the Crusaders to represent the division in the championship game.
| Year | Division championship | Opponent | CG result |
| 2003† | PFL North | Morehead State | W 54–42 |
† Co-champions

## Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of February 21, 2025.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2028 |
| Virginia–Lynchburg | at Murray State | at Youngstown State |
| at Western Illinois | | |
| at North Dakota | | |