| Presentation Saints football | |
|---|---|
| First season | 2011 (2011) |
| Last season | 2022 (2022) |
| Location | Aberdeen, South Dakota |
| Stadium | Clark Swisher Field (now Golden Eagle Field) (capacity: 6,000) |
| Colors | Green and Gold |
| All-time record | 39–83 (.320) |
The Presentation Saints football team represented Presentation College in college football from 2011 through 2022. The program competed initially at the NCAA Division III level before transitioning to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), where it was a charter member of the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA). The Saints played home games at Clark Swisher Field (renamed Golden Eagle Field in 2022) in Aberdeen, South Dakota.[1][2]
Presentation College announced in January 2023 that it would cease educational operations after the summer 2023 term, following its final football season in fall 2022.[3][4]
History
In February 2010, Presentation announced plans to add football, targeting a 2011 kickoff.[5] Former Southwest Minnesota State assistant coach Andy Carr was hired in 2010 as the Saints’ first head coach to build the startup program.[6][7]
Presentation played its inaugural season in 2011 as a member of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) at the NCAA Division III level, earning its first win on October 1, 2011 (28–6 vs. Martin Luther).[8] The Saints later moved to the NAIA as a charter member of the NSAA beginning with the 2013–14 academic year.
Stadium
Home games were played at Clark Swisher Field (capacity ~6,000) in Aberdeen, shared with Northern State University and local high schools. The venue was officially renamed Golden Eagle Field by the Aberdeen School Board in 2022.[9][10]
Conference affiliations
- Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (NCAA D-III) (2011–2012)
- NCAA Division III Independent (2012–2013)
- North Star Athletic Association (NAIA) (2013–2022)
All-time record by opponent
North Star Athletic Association opponents
| Opponent | Games | W–L–T | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota State | 14 | 3–11 | .214 |
| Mayville State | 14 | 6–8 | .429 |
| Valley City State | 13 | 1–12 | .077 |
| Waldorf | 13 | 4–9 | .308 |
| Dickinson State | 12 | 0–12 | .000 |
| Jamestown | 5 | 2–3 | .400 |
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference opponents
| Opponent | Games | W–L–T | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville | 1 | 0–1 | .000 |
| Westminster (MO) | 1 | 0–1 | .000 |
| Northwestern (MN) | 2 | 0–2 | .000 |
| Minnesota–Morris | 2 | 0–2 | .000 |
| Martin Luther | 2 | 1–1 | .500 |
| Crown | 3 | 2–1 | .667 |
Other opponents
| Opponent | Games | W–L–T | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Bible College | 7 | 6–1 | .857 |
| Haskell Indian Nations | 3 | 3–0 | 1.000 |
| Luther | 3 | 2–1 | .667 |
| Briar Cliff | 2 | 2–0 | 1.000 |
| Concordia–Moorhead | 2 | 0–2 | .000 |
| Dakota Wesleyan | 2 | 0–2 | .000 |
| Finlandia | 2 | 2–0 | 1.000 |
| Iowa Wesleyan | 2 | 0–2 | .000 |
| Lawrence | 2 | 2–0 | 1.000 |
| Trinity International | 2 | 0–2 | .000 |
| Cole College | 1 | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Eureka | 1 | 0–1 | .000 |
| MacMurray | 1 | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Maranatha Baptist | 1 | 1–0 | 1.000 |
| Menlo | 1 | 0–1 | .000 |
| Mount Marty | 1 | 0–1 | .000 |
| Northwestern (IA) | 1 | 0–1 | .000 |
| South Dakota Mines | 1 | 0–1 | .000 |
| St. John's (MN) | 1 | 0–1 | .000 |
| Wisconsin–Stout | 1 | 0–1 | .000 |
Head coaches
Over its 12 seasons of competition, Presentation College was led by three head coaches. Records below reflect official totals during the program’s history.
Key
| General | Overall | Conference | Postseason[A 1] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Order of coaches[A 2] | GC | Games coached | CW | Conference wins | PW | Postseason wins |
| DC | Division championships | OW | Overall wins | CL | Conference losses | PL | Postseason losses |
| CC | Conference championships | OL | Overall losses | CT | Conference ties | PT | Postseason ties |
| NC | National championships | OT | Overall ties[A 3] | C% | Conference winning percentage | ||
| † | Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame | O% | Overall winning percentage[A 4] | ||||
All head coaches (2011–2022)
| No. | Name | Season(s) | GC | OW | OL | OT | O% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andy Carr | 2011–2016 | 50 | 27 | 33 | 0 | 0.450 |
| 2 | Chuck Miesbauer | 2017–2018 | 20 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 0.400 |
| 3 | Steve Heimann | 2019–2022 | 42 | 4 | 38 | 0 | 0.095 |
Year-by-year results
| Program discontinued | Winning season (≥ .500) |
| Season | Head coach | Association | Conference | W | L | T | Pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation Saints football | |||||||
| 2011 | Andy Carr | NCAA Division III | UMAC | 3 | 7 | 0 | .300 |
| 2012 | Andy Carr | NCAA Division III | Independent | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 |
| 2013 | Andy Carr | NAIA | NSAA | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 |
| 2014 | Andy Carr | NAIA | NSAA | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 |
| 2015 | Andy Carr | NAIA | NSAA | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 |
| 2016 | Andy Carr | NAIA | NSAA | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 |
| 2017 | Chuck Miesbauer | NAIA | NSAA | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 |
| 2018 | Chuck Miesbauer | NAIA | NSAA | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 |
| 2019 | Steve Heimann | NAIA | NSAA | 1 | 9 | 0 | .100 |
| 2020 | Steve Heimann | NAIA | NSAA | 0 | 10 | 0 | .000 |
| 2021 | Steve Heimann | NAIA | NSAA | 0 | 11 | 0 | .000 |
| 2022 | Steve Heimann | NAIA | NSAA | 3 | 8 | 0 | .273 |
| Program totals (2011–2022): 39–83 (.320) | |||||||
All-time records compiled from Presentation College athletic archives and NAIA statistics.
Program highlights
Notable milestones throughout the Saints’ football history include:
- First football game: September 3, 2011 vs. Trinity Bible College – L, 13–39.[14]
- First win in program history: October 1, 2011 vs. Martin Luther College – W, 28–6.[15]
- Joined the North Star Athletic Association as a charter football member in 2013.
- First winning season: 2014 (6–4 overall).
- Received votes in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time – October 31, 2016 (7 points).[16]
- Final season of competition: 2022, prior to the college’s closure in 2023.[17]
- Last program win: October 29, 2022 vs. Mayville State University – W, 21–0.[18]
All-Americans
| Year | Player | Position | Honor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Jeff Branch | Defensive Line | 1st Team NAIA All-American[19] |
Program conclusion
Presentation College announced in January 2023 that it would close after the 2023 summer term; athletics, including football, ceased with the 2022–23 year.[20][21]
Notes
- Although the first Rose Bowl Game was played in 1902, it has been continuously played since the 1916 game, and is recognized as the oldest bowl game by the NCAA. "—" indicates any season prior to 1916 when postseason games were not played.[11]
- A running total of the number of head coaches, with coaches who served separate tenures being counted only once. Interim head coaches are represented with "Int" and are not counted in the running total. "—" indicates the team played but either without a coach or no coach is on record. "X" indicates an interim year without play.
- Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.[12]
- When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss.[13]
References
- "Swisher Field - Facilities". Northern State University Athletics. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Football, track at Central High School know Brownell Activities Complex". Aberdeen American News. March 29, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Presentation College plans to close after summer term in August 2023". Higher Ed Dive. January 18, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Presentation College to close campus after summer session". Dakota News Now. January 17, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Presentation well on its way to fielding a football team in 2011". UMAC Athletics. February 11, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Andy Carr resigns to become Presentation head coach". SMSU Athletics. April 29, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Presentation College joins D-III, begins preparations for football in 2011". The Daily Orange. October 20, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Presentation College notches first win in program history". National Football Foundation. October 5, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Swisher Field - Facilities". Northern State University Athletics. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Football, track at Central High School know Brownell Activities Complex". Aberdeen American News. March 29, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2011). Bowl/All-Star Game Records (PDF). Indianapolis, Indiana: NCAA. pp. 5–10. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. McLean, Virginia. Archived from the original on September 6, 2010. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
- Finder, Chuck (September 6, 1987). "Big plays help Paterno to 200th". The New York Times. New York City. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
- "Presentation College 2011 Season (results)". Bisonville Football Fan Guide. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Presentation College notches first win in program history". National Football Foundation. October 5, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "2016 NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll – No. 8 (October 31)". NAIA. October 31, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Presentation College to close campus after summer session". Dakota News Now. January 17, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "2022 Presentation College Football Schedule/Results". North Star Athletic Association. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- https://www.naia.org/sports/fball/2016-17/releases/20161213umhhu
- "Presentation College plans to close after summer term in August 2023". Higher Ed Dive. January 18, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- "Presentation College to close campus after summer session". Dakota News Now. January 17, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2025.