Dennis McCulloch

Dennis McCulloch
Current position
TitleAthletic director & head coach
TeamValley City State
ConferenceFrontier
Record169–121
Biographical details
Born (1963-03-08) March 8, 1963
Milbank, South Dakota, U.S.
EducationNorthern State University (B.S. 1987) (M.S. 1989)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1988–1989Northern State (GA)
1990–1992Northern State (LB/DL/DB)
1993Frazee HS (MN)
1994–1996Valley City State (DC)
1997–presentValley City State
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2009–2016Valley City State (assistant AD)
2016Valley City State (interim AD)
2017–2022Valley City State (assistant AD)
2022Valley City State (interim AD)
2023–presentValley City State
Head coaching record
Overall169–121 (college)
2–6 (high school)
Tournaments0–4 (NAIA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 DAC (2000, 2005, 2011)
2 NSAA (2013–2014)
Awards
2× NSAA Coach of the Year (2013–2014)

Dennis J. McCulloch is an American college football coach and athletic director. He has served as the athletic director at Valley City State University since 2023 and as the school's head football coach since 1997.[1][2] He previously coached at Northern State and served as head football coach at Frazee HS in Minnesota in 1993. McCulloch is the winningest head football coach in Valley City State history.[3][4]

Coaching career

McCulloch began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northern State University in 1988. After earning his master's degree in 1989, he remained on the coaching staff through 1992, coaching linebackers, defensive linemen, defensive backs, and serving as the program's recruiting coordinator.[5]

In 1993, McCulloch accepted his first head coaching position at Frazee HS (MN) in Minnesota, leading the Hornets to a 2–6 record and an appearance in the Minnesota State High School League Section 8B playoffs.

The following season, McCulloch joined Valley City State University as defensive coordinator. During his three seasons directing the Vikings' defense from 1994 to 1996, Valley City State captured the 1996 North Dakota College Athletic Conference championship while finishing with the nation's second-ranked scoring defense in the NAIA.[6]

McCulloch was promoted to head coach in December 1996 and has remained in the position since the 1997 season. Under his leadership, Valley City State has won multiple conference championships, qualified for the NAIA Football National Playoffs on four occasions, and transitioned from the Dakota Athletic Conference to the North Star Athletic Association before joining the Frontier Conference in 2025. He became the winningest football coach in school history in 2016 and has led the Vikings for more than three decades.[7]

Administrative career

Alongside his coaching duties, McCulloch has served in several athletic administration roles at Valley City State. He was assistant athletic director from 2009 to 2016, interim athletic director during portions of 2016 and 2022, and was appointed the university's full-time athletic director in 2023 while continuing as head football coach.[8]

In 2021, McCulloch was elected president of the NAIA Football Coaches Association.[9]

High school football

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Frazee HS (MN) (MSHSL) (1993)
1993 Frazee HS 2–68thL MSHSL Section 8B Quarterfinals
Frazee: 2–6
Total:2–6

College

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs NAIA Coaches'#
Valley City State Vikings (North Dakota College Athletic Conference) (1997–1999)
1997 Valley City State 5–52–45th
1998 Valley City State 0–100–67th
1999 Valley City State 7–23–2T–2nd23
Valley City State Vikings (Dakota Athletic Conference) (2000–2011)
2000 Valley City State 9–28–1T–1stL NAIA First Round10
2001 Valley City State 9–28–12ndL NAIA First Round13
2002 Valley City State 7–36–34th
2003 Valley City State 5–54–5T–5th
2004 Valley City State 5–55–4T–4th
2005 Valley City State 7–36–1T–1st22
2006 Valley City State 6–44–3T–4th
2007 Valley City State 4–63–4T–4th
2008 Valley City State 5–53–4T–5th
2009 Valley City State 3–73–5T–5th
2010 Valley City State 4–63–56th
2011 Valley City State 9–26–01stL NAIA First Round16
Valley City State Vikings (NAIA independent) (2012)
2012 Valley City State 7–324
Valley City State Vikings (North Star Athletic Association) (2013–2024)
2013 Valley City State 5–53–1T–1st
2014 Valley City State 9–26–01stL NAIA First Round17
2015 Valley City State 7–34–2T–2nd
2016 Valley City State 7–35–12nd
2017 Valley City State 5–54–44th
2018 Valley City State 6–45–2T–2nd
2019 Valley City State 7–35–2T–2nd
2020–21 Valley City State 5–25–22nd
2021 Valley City State 8–26–22nd
2022 Valley City State 5–54–2T–2nd
2023 Valley City State 3–73–52nd
2024 Valley City State 3–72–65th
Valley City State Vikings (Frontier Conference) (2025–present)
2025 Valley City State 6–43–34th (East)
2026 Valley City State 0–00–0(East)
Valley City State: 169–121119–79
Total:169–121
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. ↑ "Dennis McCulloch - Head Football Coach - Football Coaches". Valley City State University. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Dennis McCulloch". Valley City State University. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  3. ↑ "McCulloch all-time winningest football coach at Valley City State". Detroit Lakes Tribune. October 18, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  4. ↑ "McCulloch all-time winningest football coach at Valley City State". InForum. October 18, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Dennis McCulloch - Head Football Coach - Football Coaches". Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Dennis McCulloch - Athletic Director". Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Dennis McCulloch - Athletic Director". Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Dennis McCulloch - Athletic Director". Retrieved August 21, 2026.
  9. ↑ Times-Record, Special to (January 6, 2021). "Dennis McCulloch Named President of NAIA Football Coaches Association". Valley City Times-Record. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
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