Central Washington Wildcats football
| Central Washington Wildcats football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1901 (1901) | ||
| Athletic director | Dr. Dennis Francois | ||
| Head coach | Chris Fisk6th season, 38–20 (.655) | ||
| Stadium | Tomlinson Stadium(capacity: 4,000) | ||
| Location | Ellensburg, Washington | ||
| Conference | Lone Star Conference | ||
| All-time record | 489–338–26 (.589) | ||
| Claimed national championships | |||
| 1 (1995) | |||
| Conference championships | |||
| 32 | |||
| Consensus All-Americans | 31 | ||
| Colors | Crimson and black[1] | ||
| Website | wildcatsports.com/football | ||
The Central Washington Wildcats program represents Central Washington University in college football at the NCAA Division II level. The Wildcats are normally members of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, but when that conference dropped football after the 2021 season, they joined the Lone Star Conference as football-only members.[2]
Conference affiliations
- 1901–1921: Independent
- 1922–1937: Tri-Normal Conference
- 1938–1947: Washington Intercollegiate Conference
- 1948–1984: Evergreen Conference
- 1985–1986: Columbia Football League
- 1987–2000: Columbia Football Association
- 2001–2005: Great Northwest Athletic Conference
- 2006–2007: North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
- 2008–2021: Great Northwest Athletic Conference
- 2022–present: Lone Star Conference
Championships
National championships
The Wildcats have one claimed national championship.
| Year | Association | Division | Head coach | Record | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | NAIA (1) | Division II (1) | Jeff Zenisek | 10–3–1 (4–1 CFA) | Findlay | T, 21–21 |
Playoff appearances
NCAA Division II
The Wildcats have made nine appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 5–9.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | First Round | UC Davis | L, 6–24 |
| 2007 | First RoundSecond RoundRegional Final | AshlandNebraska–OmahaGrand Valley State | W, 40–24W, 20–17L, 21–41 |
| 2008 | First Round | West Texas A&M | L, 42–49 |
| 2009 | Second RoundRegional Final | Tarleton StateNW Missouri State | W, 27–6L, 20–21 |
| 2017 | Second Round | Texas A&M–Commerce | L, 31–34 2OT |
| 2021 | First Round | NW Missouri State | L, 21–50 |
| 2023 | First RoundSecond RoundRegional Finals | Western ColoradoBemidji StateColorado Mines | W, 16–13 OTW, 21–17L, 14–38 |
| 2024 | First Round | Western Colorado | L, 21–28 |
| 2025 | First Round | Western Colorado | L, 20–27 |
NAIA
The Wildcats made nine appearances in the NAIA playoffs, with a combined record of 10–8–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | QuarterfinalsSemifinals | East CentralCentral Arkansas | W, 22–20L, 6–44 |
| 1987 | First Round | Southern Oregon | L, 14–21 |
| 1988 | First Round | Carroll (MT) | L, 7–28 |
| 1989 | First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinals | Lewis & ClarkDickinson StateWestminster (PA) | W, 51–0W, 49–7L, 10–21 |
| 1990 | First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinals | GreenvillePacific LutheranWestminster (PA) | W, 43–13W, 24–6L, 17–24 |
| 1991 | First Round | Pacific Lutheran | L, 0–27 |
| 1993 | First RoundQuarterfinals | LinfieldPacific Lutheran | W, 28–26L, 17–35 |
| 1995 | First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsNational Championship | Western WashingtonHardin–SimmonsMary (ND)Findlay | W, 28–21W, 40–20W, 48–7T, 21–21 |
| 1998 | First RoundQuarterfinals | Rocky MountainAzusa Pacific | W, 41–38 OTL, 28–35 |
Stadium
The Central Washington Wildcats have played their home games at Tomlinson Stadium since its construction in 1959 (Field named to Steve Hertling Field in 2024). The current permanent capacity of the stadium is 4,000.[3]
Rivalries
Western Washington
Notable players
References
- ^CWU Brand Identity Standards Quick Guide(PDF). October 20, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ^"Three football teams to join LSC as affiliate members". Lone Star Conference. November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
- ^"Facilities". Central Washington University Athletics. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
External links
