Mike Schmidt is entering his first season with the Pioneers, where he will serve as Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach.
Previously, Schmidt served as defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Dubuque from January 2011 until being named to his recent position at UW-Platteville.
He was named the American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division III National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013.
"There's never been a better time to be a member of Pioneer football than right now," said Schmidt. "And where this place is set up to go, between the facilities and the coaching staff and the campus community, within the league there's never been a better time to be a member of this football program. The greatest thing about jumping on board now is that I get to jump in mid-climb where the summit is within reach. The opportunity to compete at a national level and win a conference championship is within grasp for sure and there's never been a better time to do that than right now."
Schmidt began at the University of Dubuque in 2009 as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Prior to that he was a graduate assistant and defensive line coach from June 2008 through December 2008 at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
Schmidt played at UW-La Crosse nearly 10 years ago and grew up in Menomonie, Wis. He earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing from UW-La Crosse in 2008 and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Missional Christianity at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary.
