Augustana College Football Camps
Head Coach

Mike Aldrich
Head Coach

Mike Aldrich’s debut as Augustana’s 21st head coach was one for the books.

Aldrich took the reins in 2010 and guided the Vikings to a school-record 11 wins. Augustana ended a 21-year drought in NCAA Division II playoff appearances and in the second round defeated four-time national champion Grand Valley State 38-6 at Kirkeby-Over Stadium. It was the first time Augustana hosted a playoff game in addition to earning its first playoff win.

Augustana earned a share of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division championship with a 5-1 record and tied for second overall at 9-1. The Vikings finished the season with an overall record of 11-2 and were ranked sixth in the final American Football Coaches Association poll to match the highest billing in school history. Seventeen Vikings were named to the 2010 All-NSIC team, eight to the Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-Super Region Three team and five to the Hansen All-America team.

In addition to serving as head coach, Aldrich also directs the Viking defense. In 2010, Augustana led the NSIC in total defense and rushing defense and was second in passing defense and scoring defense. Buoyed by 26 interceptions, the Vikings led the conference and nation in pass-defense efficiency.

Aldrich was chosen Region 5 Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year award. He was also tabbed College Men’s Coach of the Year by the South Dakota Sportswriters Association.
Prior to being appointed head coach, Aldrich spent four seasons as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator after serving as assistant defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator the previous two seasons.

Aldrich, who is in his second stint on the Viking coaching staff, returned to Augustana in 2004 as the team's assistant defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator and secondary coach.

He spent the 2003 season as the defensive graduate assistant at the University of Louisville after serving a two-year stint as the secondary coach and assistant special teams coordinator at Augustana. Under Aldrich’s guidance, the Vikings special teams developed a knack for blocking kicks. In 2004, Augustana blocked eight kicks, and in 2005, the Vikings blocked nine kicks.

During his first stint at Augustana, Aldrich was the driving force behind one of the top secondaries in the Division II ranks. Producing five all-conference honorees and one All-America during his tenure, the Aldrich-coached Viking secondary ranked among the nation’s top 10 for interceptions and was anchored by the league leader in interceptions in each of his two seasons at Augustana.

In addition to his duties at Augustana, Aldrich served as the head coach and defensive coordinator for the Sioux Falls Storm of the National Indoor Football League from 2000 to 2002. Aldrich’s impact was immediately felt in the NIFL as the Storm’s defense quickly developed into one of the toughest units in the league.

He returned to the Storm bench midway through the 2005 season as the team’s defensive coordinator, a position held through the 2009 season. During his final four seasons, the Storm won four straight United Indoor Football (UIF) championships and recorded a professional sports record 40-straight wins. In 2006, the Storm featured the No. 1 scoring defense in the UIF.

Aldrich also served as the special teams coordinator and linebacker coach for California Lutheran University in 2000 after serving as the assistant defensive line coach at the College of the Sequoias in 1999.

A native of Burnsville, Minn., Aldrich started in the coaching ranks at his alma mater, St. Olaf College, where he served as the defensive line coach in 1995, the tight ends coach and assistant offensive coordinator in 1996 and the linebackers coach during the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

A four-year letter winner at St. Olaf, Aldrich served as special teams captain during his junior and senior seasons. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and social studies education from St. Olaf in 1995. He also earned a master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Minnesota in 1999. Presently, Aldrich is working on a doctorate degree in sports management from the University of Louisville.

Aldrich and his wife, Kristen, live in Sioux Falls. They have a daughter, Makenna, and son, Joseph.