Main Story

Winona State’s football history from 1929 to 1970 was marked by coaching changes, interruptions during World War II and a run of conference titles. The Warriors won their first recorded conference championship in 1939, added titles in 1947, 1956 and 1957, then captured three more under Madeo Molinari. His tenure ended in 1970 with a 54-0 win over UI-Chicago Circle.

By the Numbers
  • 297 games covered, bringing Winona State’s total to 401.
  • 18 conference championships in the program’s first 75 years; seven came during this period.
  • Glen Galligan finished with a 30-23-4 record; Madeo Molinari went 49-53-4.
  • Winona State played no games from 1943 to 1945.
State of Play
  • Molinari’s 13-season tenure included conference titles in 1962, 1964 and 1968.
  • Defensive records set in 1959 and 1961 still stand, including 1,039 total yards allowed in a season and 20 completions allowed in a season.
What's Next

The next installment will cover Winona State’s “Lean Years and the Turnaround” from 1971 to 1995.

Bottom Line

Across four turbulent decades, Winona State built a foundation of conference success—and several defensive records that have endured.