North Park Vikings football

North Park Vikings football
First season1934 (1934)
Athletic directorJohn Born
Head coachKyle Rooker
7th season, 17–43 (.283)
LocationChicago, Illinois
StadiumHolmgren Athletic Complex
(capacity: 3,000)
NCAA divisionDivision III
ConferenceCCIW
ColorsRoyal blue and gold[1]
   
RivalriesAugustana[2]
MascotVikings
Websiteathletics.northpark.edu

The North Park Vikings football team represents North Park University in college football at the NCAA Division III level. The Vikings are members of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), fielding its team in the CCIW since 1962 when it was known as the College Conference of Illinois. The Vikings play their home games at the Holmgren Athletic Complex in North Park, Chicago. The team's head coach is Kyle Rooker, a College of Wooster graduate and linebacker from 1997–2000. He was formally the associate head coach at Carthage College who took over the position starting the 2019 season.[3][4]

History

The school, originally known as North Park Junior College, fielded a football team starting in 1899. Playing their first game and losing to North Division High School, now known as Lincoln Park High School, on October 21. The 1903 squad would be the last until 1934 as the 1904 Covenant meeting directed the college to disband all athletics and activities that were “offensive to Christians.”[5] In 1942 the Vikings would have an undefeated season, going 5–0–1. The veracity of the statistics are debated as two separate games were forfeited by what is now Wilbur Wright College for unknown reasons. The team additionally had a draw with Morton College to close the season.[6]

Since joining the College Conference of Illinois in 1962, North Park has never reached the NCAA Division III tournament. The team also has no conference or regular season championships. Since the 1960s the university has historically struggled to field a competitive team, even going twelve straight seasons without a conference win between 2001 and 2012. The Vikings were the conference runner-up once in 1968, tying for second place with Illinois Wesleyan University.[7] That same year the Vikings defeated North Central College in a 100+ point game with a score of 104–32.[8] One of only eight college football games since 1960.

Conference affiliation

  • Independent (1934–1961)
  • CCIW (1962–present)

Year-by-year results

Year Coach Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
North Park Vikings (Independent) (1934–1961)
1934 Unknown 0–1–1
1935 Unknown 1–3–3
1936 Unknown 2–2–2
1937 Unknown 4–3–0
1938 Unknown 4–2–1
1939 Unknown 3–3–1
1940 Unknown 2–6
1941 Unknown 5–4
1942 Unknown 5–0–1
1943 No team—World War II
1944 Unknown 0–1
1945 Unknown 0–3–2
1946 Unknown 2–3
1947 Unknown 1–3–2
1948 Unknown 2–3–2
1949 Unknown 0–7
1950 Unknown 0–7
1951 Unknown 1–4–2
1952 Unknown 2–5
1953 Unknown 2–4–1
1954 Unknown 2–4–1
1955 Unknown 1–7
1956 Unknown 4–4
1957 Unknown 3–5
1958 Harold Swanson 7–1
1959 Harold Swanson 6–1–1
1960 Harold Swanson 4–5
1961 Bob Lord 3–5
North Park Vikings (College Conference of Illinois) (1962–1966)
1962 Bob Lord 2–6 1–6 7th
1963 Bob Lord 1–7 0–6 7th
1964 James Rooney 0–8 0–6 7th
1965 James Rooney 1–6 1–5 7th
1966 James Rooney 0–7–1 0–6 7th
North Park Vikings (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) (1967–present)
1967 Norm Rathje 3–6 1–5 5th
1968 Norm Rathje 6–3 5–2 2nd
1969 Charles Emery 2–7 2–5 7th
1970 William Gourley 2–6–1 2–5–1 7th
1971 William Gourley 4–5 4–4 T–5th
1972 William Gourley 2–6–1 2–5–1 7th
1973 Mike Watson 3–6 2–6 7th
1974 Mike Watson 3–6 2–6 7th
1975 Gene Mitz 1–8 1–7 9th
1976 Gene Mitz 1–8 0–8 9th
1977 Gene Mitz 0–9 0–8 9th
1978 Bill Anderson 0–9 0–8 9th
1979 Bill Anderson 4–5 4–4 6th
1980 Bill Anderson 3–6 2–6 7th
1981 Bill Anderson 2–7 2–6 8th
1982 Bill Anderson 1–8 1–7 8th
1983 Bill Anderson 3–6 2–6 8th
1984 Bill Anderson 0–9 0–8 9th
1985 Bill Anderson 2–7 2–6 T–6th
1986 Ron Ellett 0–9 0–8 9th
1987 Craig Fouhy 0–9 0–8 9th
1988 Craig Fouhy 1–8 1–7 9th
1989 Mel Boehland 1–8 1–7 9th
1990 Tim Rucks 1–8 1–7 8th
1991 Tim Rucks 0–9 0–8 9th
1992 Tim Rucks 1–6–2 1–4–2 6th
1993 Tim Rucks 4–4 2–4 5th
1994 Tim Rucks 3–6 1–6 7th
1995 Mike Liljegren 2–7 1–6 8th
1996 Mike Liljegren 0–9 0–7 8th
1997 Mike Liljegren 0–9 0–7 8th
1998 Mike Liljegren 2–7 1–6 T–6th
1999 Mike Liljegren 2–7 1–6 T–7th
2000 Mike Liljegren 3–7 1–6 T–6th
2001 Robin Cooper 2–8 0–7 8th
2002 Robin Cooper 1–9 0–7 8th
2003 Robin Cooper 2–8 0–7 8th
2004 Robin Cooper 1–9 0–7 8th
2005 Robin Cooper 3–7 0–7 8th
2006 Scott Pethtel 1–9 0–7 8th
2007 Scott Pethtel 1–9 0–7 8th
2008 Scott Pethtel 1–9 0–7 8th
2009 Scott Pethtel 1–9 0–7 8th
2010 Scott Pethtel 2–8 0–7 8th
2011 Scott Pethtel 3–7 0–7 8th
2012 Scott Pethtel 1–9 0–7 8th
2013 Mike Conway 3–7 3–4 T–4th
2014 Mike Conway 2–8 2–5 T–5th
2015 Mike Conway 3–7 2–5 6th
2016 Mike Conway 1–9 0–8 9th
2017 Mike Conway 3–7 2–6 T–6th
2018 Mike Conway 2–8 1–8 9th
2019 Kyle Rooker 1–9 1–8 T–8th
2020–21 No team—COVID-19
2021 Kyle Rooker 2–8 2–7 9th
2022 Kyle Rooker 1–9 1–8 9th
2023 Kyle Rooker 5–5 4–5 T–5th
2024 Kyle Rooker 5–5 4–5 T–5th
2025 Kyle Rooker 3–7 2–7 T–8th
Total: 136–471–6 (.335)

References

  1. ^ "Sports Information". Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  2. ^ Craig Shelton (October 3, 2025). "Viking rival comes to town for Homecoming". North Park University Football. North Park University Athletics. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  3. ^ "Kyle Rooker". Football. North Park University Athletics. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  4. ^ Tyler Woolbrigh (January 2019). "North Park names Kyle Rooker as new head football coach". College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin. College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
  5. ^ "Football, ca. 1899-1904". Historical Photograph Collection (North Park University). CARLI Digital Collections. March 27, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  6. ^ "1934-2000 Results" (PDF). Football Archived Statistics. North Park University Athletics. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
  7. ^ The 1969 Official National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Guide (Centennial Celebration ed.). Phoenix, Arizona: College Athletics Publishing Service. 1969. p. 51. Retrieved March 6, 2026 – via Internet Archive.
  8. ^ "College Game Ends 104–32". Schenectady Gazette. October 24, 1968. Retrieved March 6, 2026.
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