With a school-record .784 winning percentage, one NCAA Division II title, two NCAA Division II title game appearances, five North Central Conference Championships and three NCC Coach of the Year Awards, head coach Dale Lennon has cemented his legacy in the annals of Fighting Sioux football in just seven seasons at the helm.
His 80 career wins at UND rank third on the school’s all-time list, trailing only C.A. “Jack” West (89) and his predecessor, current NCC commissioner Roger Thomas (90).
Last season Lennon guided UND to an 11-2 overall record, highlighted by a NCC championship and a fourth consecutive berth in the NCAA postseason. Among UND’s most thrilling victories last season was a stunning road victory over Division I-AA power Northern Iowa.
A former defensive coordinator for the Fighting Sioux from 1990-96, Lennon became the 24th head coach in UND football history when he was hired on March 29, 1999.
It did not take Lennon long to continue UND’s winning tradition. In his first season (1999) as head coach, the Sioux finished 9-2, won a share of the NCC title and advanced to the first round of the NCAA playoffs.
In 2000 Lennon and the Sioux went 8-3 and narrowly missed out on another NCAA berth.
The 2001 season proved to be a watershed year for the UND football program. Lennon guided the team into a new era that year as the Sioux began play in the 13,500-seat Alerus Center, an indoor facility that has become one of the most exciting places to play in all of Division II football.
The new home helped propel the Sioux on a memorable post-season run that culminated with the first national championship in program history, a 17-14 win over Grand Valley State.
As a result, Lennon was named 2001 American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Coach of the Year, also a first in program history. The award earned the University of North Dakota a $10,000 academic scholarship from the AFCA to benefit the athletic department and its student-athletes.
In addition to the AFCA national coaching honor, Lennon was recognized as the 2001 AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year and the 2001 NCAA Coach of the Year, the first time he received either honor. He was also named Division II National Coach of the Year by Don Hansen’s Weekly Football Gazette.
In 2003 Lennon led the Fighting Sioux to a 12-2 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II championship game for the second time in three years. The Sioux finished a perfect 7-0 in NCC play and captured the program’s 22nd conference title (15th outright).
Lennon capped the 2003 season by being named NCC Coach of the Year, Minnesota Vikings College Coach of the Year and the D2Football.com Midwest Region Coach of the Year.
In 2004 the Fighting Sioux went 11-3 and advanced to the NCAA Division II semifinal round. In 2005 Lennon guided the Sioux to a fourth NCC crown during his tenure and a third consecutive NCAA postseason berth.
Lennon’s Fighting Sioux teams have matched their on-field success with success in the classroom, exceeding a 3.0 grade point average (out of 4.0) in seven of his eight seasons. In all, more than 50 Sioux have earned academic all-conference honors during Lennon’s tenure.
Prior to returning to UND as head coach, Lennon served as head coach at the University of Mary (Bismarck, N.D.), where he posted a 12-9 record during the 1997 and 1998 seasons. In 1998 the Marauders were 8-3, won the league championship and advanced to the NAIA playoffs. Lennon was named the North Dakota Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.
A native of Knox, N.D., Lennon graduated from Rugby High School before starting his athletic career at UND. A former running back for the Sioux, Lennon served as team captain in 1983 and was named the team’s most valuable offensive back. A three-year letterwinner, Lennon earned All-NCC honorable mention honors as a senior.
After graduating from UND in 1985, Lennon earned his master’s degree from Northern State (S.D.) in 1986 while serving as a graduate assistant coach. He also spent seasons at Valley City State (1986) and Dickinson State (1987) before returning to UND for the 1988 season as a defensive line coach.
He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1990 and began transforming the Sioux defense into one of the top squads in the league and the nation. Under Lennon’s watch as defensive coordinator, UND led the NCC in scoring defense four times and total defense twice. The Sioux also appeared in the NCAA playoffs four straight years during that time.
Lennon and his wife, Chris, have three sons: Jared (18), Trevor (17) and Cody (13).
