Edgar's Jerry Sinz is second on the career wins list and this year captured his ninth WIAA state title, tying recently retired Bob Hyland of St. Mary's Springs for the most in Wisconsin
The end of the football season is in the rearview mirror, which means it is time to update the football coaching wins list record book.
A total of 61 coaches in state history have at least 200 wins, the threshold to be included on the all-time list. Of those, 10 were active in the 2024 season.
Of note, the state's winningest coach will hang it up this year, as Saint Mary's Springs head man Bob Hyland ends his career with a record of 522-118-2. The Ledgers were shocked in the first playoff game, falling to Winnebago Lutheran, a team they'd beaten handily just a week earlier, ending the legendary career of Hyland, who won nine WIAA state titles and eight in WISAA.
Second place belongs to Edgar's Jerry Sinz, who guided the Wildcats to a Division 7 state title, his ninth championship, as he has 483 victories and just 93 losses.
Third place also belongs to an active head coach, with Catholic Memorial's Bill Young moving his career record to 413-127 after a Division 3 runner-up finish.
Scott Erickson of Iola-Scandinavia and Scott Erickson of Hurley are no longer tied on the list as they had been coming into the season. Hurley's Erickson is now 236-105 after moving to 8-player this year, while Iola-Scandinavia's Erickson is 235-104. Ironically, they've only faced each other once, with Scott Erickson getting the win...of Iola-Scandinavia that is. The T-Birds took down the Northstars 35-6 in a 2020 culminating event game.
Waunakee's Pat Rice remains the top coach in winning percentage (minimum 200 career wins), as he sports a a 0.886 career mark, winning 342 games with just 44 losses, as he stepped down after the 2023 season.
Saint Mary's Springs' Bob Hyland still has the lead with nine WIAA state titles, joining the eight he captured in WISAA. Edgar's Jerry Sinz moved into a tie for WIAA championships with Hyland after guiding the Wildcats to a D7 title this year. John Hoch of Lancaster and Pat Rice of Waunakee are second with seven. Bill Young has five WIAA titles to go with four in WISAA.
Records only include varsity wins as head coach.
*denotes active coach
Rank | Name | School | Wins | Losses | Ties | Total | New % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bob Hyland | Saint Mary’s Springs | 522 | 118 | 2 | 642 | 0.815 |
2 | Jerry Sinz * | Edgar | 483 | 93 | 0 | 576 | 0.839 |
3 | Bill Young * | Catholic Memorial | 413 | 127 | 0 | 540 | 0.765 |
4 | Bob Raczek | Pacelli | 360 | 165 | 2 | 527 | 0.685 |
5 | Dick Basham | Marquette | 350 | 87 | 0 | 437 | 0.801 |
6 | Pat Rice | Waunakee | 342 | 44 | 0 | 386 | 0.886 |
7 | John Hoch | Lancaster | 327 | 117 | 0 | 444 | 0.736 |
8 | Joe LaBuda | Menomonie | 321 | 60 | 0 | 381 | 0.843 |
9 | Bill Turnquist | West De Pere | 303 | 144 | 1 | 448 | 0.677 |
10 | Dave Keel | Homestead | 292 | 70 | 0 | 362 | 0.807 |
11 | Ken Belanger | Frederic | 288 | 211 | 0 | 499 | 0.577 |
12 | Ron Grovesteen | Evansville | 283 | 121 | 0 | 404 | 0.7 |
13 | Phil Datka | Germantown | 280 | 156 | 0 | 436 | 0.642 |
14 | Jim Bylsma | Cambria-Friesland | 279 | 136 | 0 | 415 | 0.672 |
15 | Wayne Steffenhagen | D.C. Everest | 278 | 80 | 0 | 358 | 0.777 |
16 | Chuck Raykovich * | Chippewa Falls | 274 | 195 | 0 | 469 | 0.584 |
17(tie) | Win Brockmeyer | Wausau | 265 | 43 | 14 | 322 | 0.845 |
17(tie) | John Koronkiewicz | Waupaca | 265 | 90 | 0 | 355 | 0.746 |
17(tie) | Tom Taraska | Arrowhead | 265 | 96 | 0 | 361 | 0.734 |
20 | Dan Pedersen | Elk Mound | 261 | 128 | 0 | 389 | 0.671 |
21 | Doug Miller | Waterloo/Dodgeland | 255 | 125 | 0 | 380 | 0.671 |
22 | Walt Kroll | Columbus Catholic | 243 | 105 | 2 | 350 | 0.697 |
23 | Ken Biegel | Wis.Rapids/Northland Pines | 241 | 109 | 4 | 354 | 0.686 |
24(tie) | Cal Tackes | Stratford | 236 | 48 | 0 | 284 | 0.831 |
24(tie) | Keith Hensler | Mukwonago | 236 | 104 | 3 | 343 | 0.692 |
24(tie) | Scott Erickson | Hurley | 236 | 105 | 0 | 341 | 0.692 |
27 | Scott Erickson * | Iola-Scandinavia | 235 | 104 | 0 | 339 | 0.693 |
28 | Bob Nodolf | Cambridge | 234 | 76 | 2 | 312 | 0.753 |
29 | Mike Moreau | Hilbert/Kaukauna | 232 | 81 | 0 | 313 | 0.741 |
30(tie) | Al Urness | Port Washington | 230 | 79 | 2 | 311 | 0.743 |
30(tie) | Jerry Fitzgerald | Stevens Point | 230 | 117 | 2 | 349 | 0.662 |
32 | John Nowak | Premontre/Notre Dame | 225 | 115 | 0 | 340 | 0.662 |
33 | Alex Hilber | Mayville/Cassville | 224 | 45 | 0 | 269 | 0.833 |
34 | Paul Engen | Appleton North/Appleton West | 223 | 123 | 2 | 348 | 0.644 |
35 | Mike Strebel | Peshtigo | 222 | 94 | 2 | 318 | 0.701 |
36 | Jerry Leiterman | Denmark | 221 | 102 | 5 | 328 | 0.681 |
37(tie) | Mike Hahn | Sun Prairie | 220 | 110 | 2 | 332 | 0.666 |
37(tie) | Terry Laube * | Owen-Withee | 220 | 143 | 0 | 363 | 0.606 |
39 | Jerry Schleim | Milton | 218 | 119 | 1 | 338 | 0.646 |
40(tie) | Pat Martin | Monroe | 217 | 82 | 0 | 299 | 0.726 |
40(tie) | Avitas Ripp | Richland Center/North Crawford/Weston/St. John's/St. Mary Catholic | 217 | 107 | 0 | 324 | 0.67 |
40(tie) | Tim Wagner * | Johnson Creek | 217 | 151 | 0 | 368 | 0.59 |
43 | Ed Rux | Oconomowoc | 216 | 92 | 2 | 310 | 0.7 |
44 | Steve Klister * | Wrightstown | 215 | 69 | 0 | 284 | 0.757 |
45(tie) | Ron Schultz | Fall Creek | 211 | 79 | 4 | 294 | 0.724 |
45(tie) | Dennis Murphy | Black Hawk | 211 | 123 | 4 | 338 | 0.63 |
47 | Jack Gregory | Edgerton | 209 | 130 | 1 | 340 | 0.616 |
48(tie) | Gary Hanson | Cashton | 208 | 64 | 6 | 278 | 0.759 |
48(tie) | Larry Thurston | Poynette | 208 | 81 | 1 | 290 | 0.719 |
50 | Bob Lieberman | Manawa | 207 | 72 | 5 | 284 | 0.738 |
51(tie) | Dan Juedes | Sheboygan Falls | 206 | 60 | 0 | 266 | 0.774 |
51(tie) | Jim Haluska | Saint Thomas More | 206 | 60 | 4 | 270 | 0.77 |
51(tie) | Jerry Usgaard | River Ridge | 206 | 108 | 1 | 315 | 0.656 |
54 | Stan Grove | Hamilton | 204 | 106 | 1 | 311 | 0.658 |
55(tie) | Gayle Quinn | Waunakee | 203 | 81 | 4 | 288 | 0.712 |
55(tie) | Al Minnaert | Holy Name/Edgewood | 203 | 136 | 0 | 339 | 0.599 |
55(tie) | Richard Salava | Eleva-Strum | 203 | 136 | 2 | 341 | 0.598 |
58(tie) | Don Dalton | Burlington | 202 | 57 | 1 | 260 | 0.779 |
58(tie) | Earl Wilke | Edgewood | 202 | 69 | 19 | 290 | 0.729 |
58(tie) | Dave Richardson | Verona/Dominican/Assumption/Holy Name | 202 | 110 | 0 | 312 | 0.647 |
61 | Roger Meyer | Horicon | 201 | 145 | 0 | 346 | 0.581 |
Travis Wilson serves as the Bound Wisconsin Manager. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisBound or reach him at [email protected].