Ed Meierkort visits with some of the Coyote supporters, coaches and staff that attend the press conference on Dec. 18 when Meierkort was named the head football coach.

VERMILLION, S.D. - A new era of football began today (Dec. 18) at The University of South Dakota with the naming of Ed Meierkort of Menomonie, Wisc., as the school's 28th head football coach. USD Director of Athletics Joel Nielsen introduced Meierkort at a press conference in the Allen H. Neuharth Media Center on the USD campus.

Meierkort's appointment is subject to approval of the South Dakota Board of Regents. Meierkort, who had served as head coach at Wisconsin-Stout since 1993, was selected after a national search was conducted.

"As we began this search, we wanted to move swiftly and at the same time, find a candidate that is a proven winner," said Nielsen, who served as the football search committee chair Joel Nielsen. "We found those characteristics in Ed Meierkort. He is a highly respected football coach who brings leadership skills and values that are representative of our mission at this university.

"This is an exciting day for Coyote football. We believe that Coach Meierkort will lead a program, already rich in tradition, back to the top of Division II football," Nielsen said.

Meierkort is optimistic about the opportunity to lead a program that has won nine conference titles since football began in 1889. "I will bring tremendous energy to this program. This is a chance to do something I always wanted to do - coach in one of the nation's best Division II conferences," said Meierkort, who has led Wisconsin-Stout to a 29-11 record during the past four seasons.

The University of South Dakota President James W. Abbott, Coach Ed Meierkort, and Athletic Director Joel Nielsen visit prior to the announcement on Dec. 18 at the Neuharth Media Center

A relentless recruiter, Meierkort, 44, has been responsible for a turnabout in football fortunes at Wisconsin-Stout, which did not own a tradition of winning in its 75 years of football. By going to a balanced offense to complement its perennially strong defense, the Blue Devils became one of the best teams in the WIAC. In 2000, Meierkort began the resurgence in Blue Devil football by taking registering one of the great turnaround seasons in not only Wisconsin-Stout history but in all of Division III. From a 2-8 record in 1999, Wisconsin-Stout won its first 10 games of the 2000 season, losing only in the NCAA Division III playoffs to St. John's (Minn.), 26-19. During that special season, the Blue Devils had a 7-0 record in one of the best Division III conference in the nation. Wisconsin-Stout became just the 11th team to record a perfect conference mark since 1965.

Meierkort was the 2000 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year and the American Football Coaches Association Region 5 Coach of the Year That year, he was a finalist for the AFCA National Coach of the Year award.

From 2001-03, Wisconsin-Stout has been nationally ranked each of the past three seasons, including a No. 5 ranking in 2000. His team's accomplishments in that span include an 18-2 record at home as well as an 11-6 record against the top five teams in the WIAC. Equally impressive is his record vs. NCAA Division II opponents. He has played 19 Division II squads, recording nine wins at a program that does not offer athletic scholarships. In addition, Meierkort has recruited and coached 16 All-Americans and had two players move on to the National Football League.

Meierkort's 1998 team finished second in the nation in passing offense and was nationally ranked in total offense (435 yards per game) and points scored (36 points per game). That same season he coached the Gagliardi finalist and the nation's total offense leader, Matt Bunyon. In 1998, Wisconsin-Stout defeated national semifinalist Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 35-7. His 1997 team finished second in the WIAC with the best record in 33 years at the school. In that 6-4 season, the Blue Devils were nationally ranked and defeated Wisconsin-River Falls, Wisconsin-Lacrosse, and Wisconsin-Stevens Point for the first time in school history. His 2002 team opened the season 7-1 before dropping its final two games by a combined four points.

Meierkort is the all-time wins leader at the school with an overall mark of 55-55.

During the next two weeks, Meierkort plans to meet with the members of the football team, define his staff, and hit the recruiting trail.

"South Dakota has great pride and tradition and I am excited about the opportunity to rekindle its past success. The key thing for everyone associated with Coyote football to realize is that we are in this together," Meierkort said. "This program is on solid ground with a talented group of student athletes. I believe we can be competitive right away while striving for the long-term goal of being successful every year."

Meierkort also served as an assistant (assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator and strength coach) at Southwest Minnesota State from 1983-89. He was the assistant head coach from 1989-93 and defensive coordinator from 1984-89. During his time with the Mustangs, the squad twice won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and qualified for the NAIA playoffs two times. Southwest Minnesota State finished in the top-10 twice, including a No. 5 ranking in 1990. He was the defensive coordinator for the NAIA's number-one ranked defense in 1988 and defensive coordinator for the nation's No. 2 ranked team in 1991.

Prior to going to Southwest Minnesota State, he served as a graduate assistant at South Dakota State in 1983. During the 1982 season, he was defensive coordinator and head coach for baseball at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, S.D.

Meierkort earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration in 1982 from Dakota Wesleyan. Originally of Chicago, Ill., he also has a Master of Arts degree in athletic administration from South Dakota State University in 1987.

He is a member of the NCAA National Rating Committee, AFCA, Wisconsin State High School Coaches Association and the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association. He also served on the Chancellor's Athletic Advisory Board and the Chancellor's Commission for Gender Equity at Wisconsin-Stout.

He and his wife, Terri, have two sons, Reid and Chase. Terri is originally from Custer, S.D.

Ed Meierkort was named the 28th head football coach at The University of South Dakota on Dec. 18.

Meierkort - On the Record
2003 - 6-4, 4-3, 3rd
2002 - 7-3, 4-3. 3rd
2001 - 6-3, 4-3, 3rd
2000 - 10-1, 7-0, 1st
1999 - 2-8, 1-6, 8th
1998 - 5-5, 3-4, 6th
1997 - 6-4, 5-2, 2nd
1996 - 4-6, 1-6, 7th
1995 - 3-7, 1-6, 7th
1994 - 4-6, 2-5, 6th
1993 - 2-8, 1-6, 7th