Concordia University, St. Paul Men's Football

CURRIER QUICK FACTS 2023 marks Currier's 17th season overall, 12th at Concordia69-96 career record in 15 years as Division II head coach49-61 career record in 10 years at Concordia (2000-03, 2016-pres.)42-58 record in NSIC play at ConcordiaProduced 2021 NFL Draft Pick Chris Garrett (LA Rams, 7th round)2003 NSIC Coach of the Year & NSIC Champion2003 Midwest Region Coach of the Year, honorable mentionBA, physical education from Hamline University (1993)MS, health, physical education and recreation from Bemidji State (2002)   Shannon Currier was hired to lead the Concordia football program in December, 2015 for his second head coaching stint with the Golden Bears. This is a great day for Concordia football, said Tom Rubbelke, athletic director at CSP when Currier was hired. Shannon has already proven he can win at Concordia at the Division II level and he is hungry to take the program to the next level. We are thrilled that he is bringing his passion for football back to campus. The eighth head coach in program history when hired in 2000, Currier led the Golden Bears for four seasons until 2003 and became the program's all-time wins leader in 2018. In 2021, the program produced its second-ever NFL Draft pick when Chris Garrett was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round after leading NCAA Division II in sacks and setting the NCAA DII career record for most fumbles forced. Early in his coaching career, Currier tied the program record for wins with a 9-2 campaign in 2002 and followed that up with a 2003 NSIC Championship, earning NSIC Coach of the Year honors along with taking the team to its first-ever postseason game in the 2003 Mineral Water Bowl. Im really excited to get back into coaching and working with young men, and especially excited that its at Concordia which provides a phenomenal environment to work in, said Currier. I have a lot of respect for the leadership at Concordia with President Ries, Dr. Eric LaMott and Tom Rubbelke. Concordia feels like home to me. I look forward to working with the current players and Im anxious to start finding excellent student-athletes that fit into the overall mission of Concordia. Additionally, working with the alumni across our programs history is exciting. Concordia went 25-9 (.795) in Northern Sun play with winning conference seasons all four years and cracked the Division II Top-25 in each of Curriers final three seasons. As head coach of the Golden Bears, Currier put together the most wins in a four year span in program history, winning at least seven games each season after inheriting a team that debuted at the Division II level in 1999 with a 2-8 record the year before. No other coach has been able to put together four consecutive or cumulative winning campaigns since the program started in 1969. In the 11 years between Currier's head coaching stints at CSP, the Golden Bears put together four winning campaigns - a feat he accomplished in each of his first four years leading the program. Following the 2003 season, Currier was named the 20th head coach at Truman State University where he led the Bulldogs for five seasons (2004-08) in the strong Mid-America Athletics Association (MIAA) with a 20-35 overall record. The Bulldogs posted back-to-back winning campaigns with 6-5 records in 2006 and 2007 including a 6-3 MIAA record in 2006 for a fourth place league finish as the Bulldogs were ranked in the final NCAA regional poll. He holds a career Division II head coaching record of 69-96 (.418), coached his 100th career Division II game in the 2016 season opener, his 100th game at Concordia in the 2022 season opener and his 100th NSIC football game in the 2022 finale. Following his time at Truman, Currier spent seven years at iHigh.com as a senior sales manager working to build a digital platform for Minnesota high school sports, reaching 1.5 million Minnesotans last year. Part of his responsibilities included creating a revenue stream through the sales of digital advertising while also managing and training a team field representatives. A native of Cosmos, Minnesota, Currier was a quarterback for Hamline University where he graduated with a degree in physical education in 1993. Prior to arriving at Concordia in 1999 as offensive coordinator for Dan OBrien, Currier spent six seasons coaching at the college level starting as a graduate assistant at Bemidji State where he earned a masters in physical education. He then was hired as offensive coordinator at Minnesota Crookston and later Southwest Minnesota State.

Jake Munkwitz joined the Concordia coaching staff in 2016 as a graduate assistant, and has earned multiple promotions since. He enters the 2024 season as the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach on the staff. After working as the team's run defense coordinator in 2016, Munkwitz was moved into the special teams coordinator position following his first season on staff, and earned the recruiting coordinator duties prior to his second season in 2017. He made an immediate impact on special teams, as the team's punt unit led the Northern Sun in punt average, ranked third in net punting, led the NSIC in fewest kickoff return yards against and led NCAA Division II in kickoff touchback percentage in 2017. The 2018 squad was ranked third in the Northern Sun in fewest kickoff return yards allowed and fourth in the league in net punting. He coached the NSIC's All-Conference punter, Sam Maedke as well as a two-time Fred Mitchell Award national finalist and All-America kicker, Jonas Schenderlein. In the summers of 2018 and 2019, Munkwitz added national experience to his background as he coached the USA Football U14 National Team. In 2018, he was coached the U14 Stars to a 28-14 win over the U14 Stripes and in 2019 he was elevated to defensive coordinator, leading the U14 Stars to a 28-7 win over the U14 Courage in the games played at The Star in Frisco, Texas - headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys.

Mike Bond was promoted to a full time assistant coaching position on the Golden Bear staff during the summer of 2021. He initially came to the Concordia football coaching staff prior to the 2018 season, specializing with the cornerbacks. In addition to his on-field duties, Bond has earned a promotion during his tenure to the program's recruiting coordinator, the leadership and team building coordinator and mental health and wellness coordinator for the program. A staple within the CSP football program, Bond's influence on campus transcends football as he has held a leadership position as the program assistant for the Dr. Cheryl Troutman Chatman Diversity Center during his experience on Concordia's campus. He brings two years of prep football coaching experience to the program, spending the 2015 and 2016 seasons on the staff at Menomonie High School. Bond's background transcends the football field, having earned a master of science degree in clinical mental health counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2017 with an emphasis in AODA and child/adolescence counseling. He earned a bachelor's degree in vocational rehabilitation with an emphasis in mental health and recreational rehabilitation from UW-Stout, as well. While earning his degree at UW-Stout, Bond earned three varsity letters for the football program where he was a standout defensive back with 11 career pass breakups, three interceptions and 58 total tackles (4.0 for loss, 1.0 sack). Prior to relocating to the Twin Cities, Bond was a clinical case manager at Milwaukee Mental Health Associates for nearly three years, one of three positions he's gained experience in the profession.

Stern's defensive unit is coming off of a nationally-prominent 2019 season, leading the country in team sacks per game (3.73), ranking ninth in most fumble recoveries (13) and 30th in tackles for loss per game (7.7). Stern also presided over a defense that secured the program's second-ever NFL Draft Pick when All-America defensive end Chris Garrett was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round in 2021.   Im very excited to have Coach Stern back at Concordia, said Currier. He was a major factor in our success in our first tenure at CSP as our defenses were always among the best in the NSIC. His experiences since his time here have only allowed him to grow. In fact, we both have grown, matured and are even more prepared to elevate CSP football towards the top of the NSIC. I am extremely confident that we are making the necessary improvements to allow us to become a contender.   Sterns first tenure at CSP came to a close following the 2003-04 academic year when Currier left the program to coach at Truman State University. From there, Stern stayed near the Twin Cities metro area and took an assistant coach position at St. Olaf College, where he coached for 13 seasons including the previous four as head coach of the Oles.   I am incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to join Coach Curriers staff at CSP and to return to the Division II level for the next chapter of my coaching career, said Stern. The thing that I am most excited about is the opportunity to work at an institution that serves a wide array of students and learners. One of Coach Curriers primary tenants of running a program is the ability to make a difference in young mens lives on and off the field which is a passion of mine that Im excited to reignite here.  In my time away from Concordia, Ive grown as man and coach and I hope to prove that my growth and development has kept pace with the Universitys own advances. I am looking forward to helping the CSP football program #BeGolden every day!   Initially hired in 1999, Stern earned a quick promotion to defensive coordinator in his second season with the team in 2000 when Currier was named head coach. Inheriting the ninth ranked defense in the NSIC, Stern presided over a dramatic improvement as the unit would rank second by his third year leading the defense in 2002. By 2003, the Golden Bears were NSIC Champions and on their way to the first postseason game in program history at the Mineral Water Bowl.   Under his leadership, Concordias defense would rank as high as fourth in Division II football during the conference championship campaign.   Upon his move to St. Olaf, Stern was originally hired as defensive backs coach, recruiting coordinator and head strength & conditioning coach in 2004. He would earn a pair of promotions during his tenure in Northfield as he was bumped up to the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach position in 2010 and was named the programs head football coach in 2013, spending four years leading the program.   The defensive-minded Stern also coordinated the defense for the Oles while serving as head coach. During his 13 years at St. Olaf, Stern was credited for much of the programs recruiting success in building some of the largest rosters in school history.   As an assistant, Stern and the Oles produced nine consecutive .500 or better seasons with three third place finishes and one second place finish in the MIAC.   His first collegiate coaching experience came at Dana College (Neb.) and his first coaching experience came at the prep level at St. Cloud Apollo High School and Kimball High School while finishing his degree at St. Cloud State University.   He earned his bachelor of science from SCSU in secondary education in 1996 with dual minors history and coaching. He completed his masters degree at Concordia in 2001 in education with an emphasis in youth development.