Mike Aldrich is in his sixth season as head football coach at Minot State University. He became Minot State’s 21st head coach in nearly 100 years of football in January 2017.
In 2021, Coach Aldrich led a determined Beaver squad that battled adversity and injuries throughout a 2-9 season. That determination showed up as offensive lineman Sebastian Gutierrez was named an All-American and signed with the NFL’s Denver Broncos, running back Ali Mohamed led the NSIC in rushing and was also named an All-American, defensive lineman Jordan Will was named an Academic All-American, Gutierrez, Mohamed, Knylen Miller-Levi, and Jaxon Lundeen all were named to the NSIC All-Conference team, and 17 Minot State players were named to the NSIC All-Academic Team.
The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic but the Beavers went through a full fall and spring camp to continue working toward 2021.
The Beavers made some steps forward in the rebuild during the 2019 season, improving their win total to three games. The Beavers defeated Mary, taking the Battle of the Big Lake Trophy for the fifth consecutive season, and following up with another victory the next week over Minnesota Crookston. Minot State won it’s third game of the season against a 4-2 Concordia-St. Paul.
Over the course of the season, Ben Bolinske, JoseLuis Moreno, and Cory Carignan were named NSIC Players of the Week. Once the season concluded, eight Beaver athletes earned All-NSIC honors including Ali Mohamed being named NSIC Newcomer of the Year, and JoseLuis Moreno being named a first team honoree at kicker and punter. Moreno went on to be honored in several publications, being named to the following; Don Hansen Honorable Mention All-America, AFCA All-America First Team (P), AP All-America Second Team (P), CCA All-America Second Team (P), D2Football.com All-America Second Team (P), and CCA All-Super Region Four First Team (P).
In 2018 the Beaver Football team won one contest, defeating Mary for the Battle of the Big Lake Trophy for the fourth consecutive season.
Following the season, five Minot State players were honored with All-NSIC honors including JoseLuis Moreno being named a first team honoree at both kicker and punter.
In his first season at the helm of the Beavers program, Aldrich led Minot State to a 3-8 overall record and a 3-8 mark in the NSIC. Minot State closed the 2017 season with a 22-13 victory at St. Cloud State, which marked the first time the Beavers had defeated a team with a winning record since joining NCAA Division-II. The victory over the Huskies gave Minot State a 3-3 road record, which marked the first time the Beavers had won three road games in NSIC play and also the first time MSU posted an even .500 record in road contests.
Following the season, six Minot State players earned All-NSIC honors including first team honorees Bryce Broome and JoseLuis Moreno. Additionally, junior Kiante Goudeau was a nominee for the Cliff Harris Award and was named to the Don Hansen Super Region team.
Aldrich comes to Minot State after two successful seasons as the assistant head coach and defensive line/linebackers coach at Southwest Minnesota State University. He was named the 2016 AFCA Division-II Assistant Coach of the Year.
Aldrich was the head coach at Augustana College (now Augustana University) from 2010-2012, spent three seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator and coached the Vikings for 11 years total. He was named the 2010 AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year and was a Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year finalist that same season.
He finished with a 22-13 overall record as head coach with the Vikings, making one NCAA Division-II playoff appearance in 2010. During the 2010 season, he guided Augustana to a school-record 11 wins and the team’s berth in the NCAA Division-II playoffs was the first for the Vikings in 21 seasons.
In between his time at SMSU and Augustana, Aldrich spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Wayne State College. He coached at the University of Louisville (2003-2004), the Sioux Falls Storm of the Professional Indoor Football League (2000-2002 & 2005-2009), California Lutheran (2000), College of the Sequoias (1999) and St. Olaf College (1995-1998).
Aldrich, a native of Burnsville, Minn., played collegiately for St. Olaf where he holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics and social studies education. He earned his Master’s degree in kinesiology/sports management from the University of Minnesota in 1999.
Aldrich and his wife, Kristen, have three children Makenna, Joseph and Brianna.
MIKE ALDRICH SEASON-BY-SEASON
|
|
OVERALL |
|
|
NSIC |
|
|
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
W |
L |
PCT |
W |
L |
PCT |
| 2021 |
Minot State |
2 |
9 |
.181 |
2 |
9 |
.181 |
| 2020 |
Canceled |
(COVID) |
|
|
|
|
|
| 2019 |
Minot State |
3 |
8 |
.273 |
3 |
8 |
.273 |
| 2018 |
Minot State |
1 |
10 |
.091 |
1 |
10 |
.091 |
| 2017 |
Minot State |
3 |
8 |
.273 |
3 |
8 |
.273 |
| 2012 |
Augustana |
5 |
6 |
.455 |
5 |
6 |
.455 |
| 2011 |
Augustana |
6 |
5 |
.545 |
6 |
4 |
.600 |
| 2010 |
Augustana |
11 |
2 |
.846 |
9 |
1 |
.900 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Career |
Totals |
31 |
48 |
.392 |
29 |
46 |
.387 |
| MSU |
Totals |
9 |
35 |
.205 |
9 |
35 |
.205 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
