Charleston Golden Eagles football
| Charleston Golden Eagles football | |
|---|---|
| First season | 1904 |
| Athletic director | Bren Stevens |
| Head coach | Mike Tesch 1st season, 8–3 (.727) |
| Stadium | UC Stadium at Laidley Field (capacity: 18,500) |
| Year built | 1918 |
| Location | Charleston, West Virginia |
| NCAA division | Division II |
| Conference | Mountain East |
| All-time record | 305–280–19 (.521) |
| Playoff record | 1–3 (.250) |
| Bowl record | 3–1 (.750) |
| Unclaimed national championships | |
| 1950 | |
| Conference championships | |
| WVIAC: 1938, 1941, 1942, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954 MEC: 2023, 2024, 2025 | |
| Conference division championships | |
| MEC South: 2020 | |
| Consensus All-Americans | 1 |
| Rivalries | Concord Glenville State West Virginia State WVU Tech (defunct) |
| Colors | Maroon and gold[1] |
| Mascot | MoHarv |
| Marching band | University of Charleston Band[2] |
| Outfitter | Nike |
| Website | Charleston Golden Eagles |
The Charleston Golden Eagles football program represents the University of Charleston in college football at the NCAA Division II level as a member of the Mountain East Conference (MEC).[3] The Golden Eagles play their home games at University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field in Charleston, West Virginia.
History
The University of Charleston first fielded a football team in 1904, when the school was known as Morris Harvey College. The program competed as an independent before joining the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) in 1924.
The 1950 team finished undefeated at 10–0 and defeated Emory and Henry 35–14 in the 1951 Tangerine Bowl. Under head coach Eddie King, the Golden Eagles won five WVIAC championships between 1948 and 1954, including an extended conference winning streak that began after a loss to West Virginia Tech in 1949 and continued without another conference defeat through the end of the 1956 season.[4] The university discontinued the football program following the 1956 season.
The 1950 Golden Eagles are recognized by the university as the “Unofficial Small College National Champions,” the only team in school history to receive a national designation.[5]
On November 19, 2002, the university announced that after a 47-year hiatus, football would be reinstated for the 2003 season, with the school rejoining the WVIAC and competing at the NCAA Division II level. Charleston played its first football game since 1956 against rival West Virginia Tech at Laidley Field, falling 17–21. Following the dissolution of the WVIAC in 2012, Charleston became a charter member of the newly formed Mountain East Conference (MEC) in 2013.
Under head coach Pat Kirkland, who took over in 2011, the Golden Eagles recorded a breakout season in 2015, finishing 10–2 and earning the program's first berth in the NCAA Division II Football Championship, placing No. 20 in the final national poll.[6] Kirkland led the program to six MEC runner-up finishes before departing for Jacksonville State following the 2021 season. Former UC player and assistant coach Quinn Sanders was hired in 2022.
The 2023 team finished 10–2, reached No. 19 in the national rankings, and captured the university's first MEC championship, securing its first NCAA postseason appearance since 2015. Charleston defeated New Haven in the first round before falling to Kutztown. The 2024 squad completed an undefeated regular season, climbed as high as No. 6 nationally, and averaged 43.9 points per game.[7] Junior running back Chavon Wright rushed for 2,235 yards and an NCAA Division II-record 38 rushing touchdowns, finishing as the runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy.[8] The team finished No. 15 following a first-round playoff loss to Ashland.
Following the 2024 season, head coach Quinn Sanders stepped down to become the offensive coordinator at Northern Illinois. Michael Tesch was named head coach for the 2025 campaign. The Golden Eagles entered the year ranked No. 14 nationally and finished 8–3, earning a share of the MEC title.[9]
Conference affiliations
- Independent (1904–1923)
- West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1924–1956)
- Football program discontinued after 1956 and reinstated for 2003
- Independent (2003–2004)
- West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (2005–2012)
- Mountain East Conference (2013–present)
Head coaches
Since its inception in 1904, Charleston has had 21 head coaches.[4]
| Years | Coach | Record | Pct. | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1904–1907 | Walter Ropp | 5–5 | .500 | 4 |
| 1910–1913 | Skeeter Shelton | 8–10–3 | .452 | 4 |
| 1917, 1921–1923 | Herman R. Beckelheimer | 12–19–2 | .394 | 4 |
| 1919 | William W. Lovell | 1–5 | .167 | 1 |
| 1920, 1926–1928 | Elbert M. Fulton | 13–21–1 | .386 | 4 |
| 1924–1925 | Heyward J. Hindman | 1–10 | .091 | 2 |
| 1929 | Arthur Rezzonico | 0–11 | .000 | 1 |
| 1930 | Frank Arritt | 2–5–2 | .333 | 1 |
| 1931 | Gibby Welch | 5–5 | .500 | 1 |
| 1932–1933 | Red Weaver | 1–17 | .056 | 2 |
| 1933–1935 | Walter Walker | 5–12–1 | .306 | 3 |
| 1936 | Homer C. Martin | 0–9 | .000 | 1 |
| 1937–1941 | Thurman Ward | 28–14–4 | .652 | 5 |
| 1942 | Cebe Ross | 6–1–2 | .778 | 1 |
| 1946 | Alderson Propps | 0–2 | .000 | 1 |
| 1946–1956 | Eddie King | 63–33–4 | .650 | 11 |
| 2003–2004 | Mike Springston | 5–16 | .238 | 2 |
| 2005–2010 | Tony DeMeo | 43–23 | .652 | 6 |
| 2011–2021 | Pat Kirkland | 70–41 | .631 | 11 |
| 2022–2024 | Quinn Sanders | 27–8 | .771 | 3 |
| 2025–present | Mike Tesch | 8–3 | .727 | 1 |
Championships
Conference
Throughout the history of the University of Charleston football program, the Golden Eagles have secured 11 conference championships, spanning multiple coaching eras and conference affiliations.
| Year | Conference | Coach | Record | Conference record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | WVIAC | Thurman Ward | 8–1–1 | 7–0–1 |
| 1941† | WVIAC | Thurman Ward | 5–3–1 | 3–0–1 |
| 1942 | WVIAC | Cebe Ross | 6–1–2 | 4–0 |
| 1948 | WVIAC | Eddie King | 5–2–2 | 3–0–1 |
| 1950 | WVIAC | Eddie King | 10–0 | 5–0 |
| 1951 | WVIAC | Eddie King | 6–3–1 | 4–0 |
| 1953 | WVIAC | Eddie King | 6–4–1 | 4–0 |
| 1954 | WVIAC | Eddie King | 8–2 | 4–0 |
| 2023 | MEC | Quinn Sanders | 10–2 | 8–1 |
| 2024 | MEC | Quinn Sanders | 11–1 | 9–0 |
| 2025† | MEC | Michael Tesch | 8–3 | 7–1 |
| † Co-champions | ||||
Source:[10]
Division
For the 2020 season, the Mountain East Conference temporarily adopted a divisional format.
| Year | Division | Head Coach | Opponent | CG Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | MEC South | Pat Kirkland | Notre Dame (OH) | L, 34–51 |
Source:[11]
Undefeated seasons
The 1950 Golden Eagles remain the only squad in school history to complete an undefeated season, finishing 10–0 and capping the year with a 35–14 victory over Emory and Henry in the 1951 Tangerine Bowl.
| Year | Overall Record | Conf. Record | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10–0 | 5–0 | Eddie King |
Postseason
NCAA Division II playoffs
The Golden Eagles have made three appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs with a combined record of 1–3.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | First Round | IUP | L, 21–47 |
| 2023 | First Round Second Round |
New Haven Kutztown |
W, 52–44 L, 31–32 |
| 2024 | First Round | Ashland | L, 38–40 |
Bowl games
The Golden Eagles appeared in four bowl games between 1951 and 1954, finishing with a 3–1 record.
| Date | Bowl | W/L | Opponent | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1951 | Tangerine Bowl | W | Emory and Henry | 35 | 14 |
| November 22, 1951 | Burley Bowl | W | Lebanon Valley | 27 | 20 |
| January 2, 1954 | Elks Bowl | W | East Carolina | 12 | 0 |
| December 17, 1954 | Cigar Bowl | L | Tampa | 0 | 21 |
| Total | 4 bowl games | 3–1 | 74 | 55 |
National rankings
As of the end of the 2025 season, Charleston has ended the season ranked five times in either the AFCA poll or D2Football.com rankings.
| Year | Record | AFCA | D2† |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 9–2 | 23 | — |
| 2012 | 9–2 | 25 | — |
| 2015 | 10–2 | 20 | — |
| 2023 | 10–2 | 19 | 18 |
| 2024 | 11–1 | 15 | 18 |
† D2football.com rankings began in 2019.
Individual awards and achievements
The Charleston Golden Eagles football program has produced numerous standout players and coaches throughout its history.
National awards
List of All-Americans
Since 1939, twenty-four Charleston players have earned All-America honors through the 2024 season. One was a consensus First Team honoree, indicated in bold.
- 1939: Al Thacker (G)
- 1941: Al Thacker (G)
- 1950: Leon McCoy (C), Dewey Romine (HB), Charley Hubbard (End)
- 1954: Fauster Vittone
- 2006: Blake Burr (HB)
- 2009: Chris Almonte (DE)
- 2011: Jordan Roberts (RB)
- 2012: Jordan Roberts (RB)
- 2014: Justin Avery (LB), Torie Wagner (CB)
- 2015: Brett Benes (P), Torie Wagner (CB), Justin Johnson (G)
- 2016: Brett Benes (P), Justin Johnson (G)
- 2017: Jalen Nelson (DL)
- 2018: John Cominsky (DE), Kahzin Daniels (DE)
- 2019: Mike Strachan (WR), Kei Beckham (CB)
- 2021: Tyreik McAllister (RB)
- 2022: Ninon Washington (CB), Chavon Wright (RB)
- 2023: Chavon Wright (RB), Donovan McCollister (G), Nick Evans (DL), Javonte Howard (QB)
- 2024: Donovan McCollister (G), Chavon Wright (RB), Cashawn Beasley (S)
Harlon Hill Trophy
- 2024: Chavon Wright – 2nd place[12]
Conference awards
At the conclusion of the 2025 season, Charleston players have earned eight Offensive or Defensive Player of the Year awards, achieved by seven different athletes. One player has received Freshman of the Year honors, and Charleston coaches have earned five Coach of the Year awards.
Offensive Player of the Year
- 2012: Jordan Roberts (RB)
- 2021: Tyreik McAllister (RB)
- 2023: Chavon Wright (RB)
- 2024: Chavon Wright (RB)
Defensive Player of the Year
- 2014: Justin Avery (LB)
- 2018: John Cominsky (DE)
- 2023: Nick Evans (DL)
- 2025: Aden Miller (LB)
Offensive Freshman of the Year
- 2022: Chavon Wright (RB)
Coach of the Year
- 1954: Eddie King
- 2005: Tony DeMeo (D2Football.com)
- 2012: Pat Kirkland
- 2023: Quinn Sanders
- 2024: Quinn Sanders
Regional awards
Charleston competes in NCAA Division II Region 1.
D2CCA Region 1 Offensive Player of the Year
- 2024: Chavon Wright (RB)
Hardman Award
- 2024: Chavon Wright (RB)
All records per UC Athletics[13]
Year-by-year results
| Legend | |
|---|---|
|
† Conference champions | |
| Season | Team | Head coach | Conference | Division | Regular season results | Postseason | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Conference | |||||||||||
| Win | Loss | Tie | Win | Loss | Tie | Finish | ||||||
| Morris Harvey Golden Eagles (1904–1956) | ||||||||||||
| 1904 | 1904 | Walter Ropp | Independent | — | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1905 | 1905 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1906 | 1906 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1907 | 1907 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1908 | 1908 | No Coach | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1909 | 1909 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1910 | 1910 | Skeeter Shelton | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1911 | 1911 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1912 | 1912 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1913 | 1913 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1914 | 1914 | Unknown | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1915 | No team | |||||||||||
| 1916 | 1916 | Unknown | Independent | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1917 | 1917 | Herman R. Beckelheimer | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1918 | No team | |||||||||||
| 1919 | 1919 | William W. Lovell | Independent | — | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1920 | 1920 | Elbert M. Fulton | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1921 | 1921 | Herman R. Beckelheimer | 6 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1922 | 1922 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1923 | 1923 | 0 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1924 | 1924 | Heyward J. Hindman | WVIAC | 0 | 4 | — | ||||||
| 1925 | 1925 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 3 | DNQ | — | |||||
| 1926 | 1926 | Elbert M. Fulton | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 | DNQ | — | ||||
| 1927 | 1927 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | DNQ | — | ||||
| 1928 | 1928 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 11th | — | |||||
| 1929 | 1929 | Arthur Rezzonico | 0 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 14th | — | ||||
| 1930 | 1930 | Frank Arritt | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8th | — | ||
| 1931 | 1931 | Gibby Welch | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3rd | — | ||||
| 1932 | 1932 | Red Weaver | 0 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 7th | — | ||||
| 1933 | 1933 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 7th | — | |||||
| 1934 | 1934 | Walter Walker | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | ||
| 1935 | 1935 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 4th | ||||||
| 1936 | 1936 | Homer C. Martin | 0 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 9th | |||||
| 1937 | 1937 | Thurman Ward | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4th | |||||
| 1938 | 1938 † | 8 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1st | ||||
| 1939 | 1939 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4th | ||||
| 1940 | 1940 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3rd | ||||
| 1941 | 1941 † | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | T-1st | ||||
| 1942 | 1942 † | Cebe Ross | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1st | ||||
| 1943 | No team — World War II | |||||||||||
| 1944 | ||||||||||||
| 1945 | ||||||||||||
| 1946 | 1946 | Alderson Propps / Eddie King | WVIAC | — | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7th | |||
| 1947 | 1947 | Eddie King | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 7th | |||||
| 1948 | 1948 † | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1st | ||||
| 1949 | 1949 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3rd | ||||||
| 1950 | 1950 † | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1st | Tangerine Bowl: (W) Emory and Henry, 12-0 | |||||
| 1951 | 1951 † | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1st | Burley Bowl: (W) Lebanon Valley, 27-20 | ||||
| 1952 | 1952 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2nd | ||||||
| 1953 | 1953 † | 6 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1st | Elks Bowl: (W) East Carolina, 12-0 | ||||
| 1954 | 1954 † | 8 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1st | Cigar Bowl: (L) Tampa, 0-21 | |||||
| 1955 | 1955 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | DNQ | ||||||
| 1956 | 1956 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | DNQ | ||||||
| Totals (1904–1956) | All-time: 153–188–19 (.451) |
Conference: 70–66–8 (.514) |
— | Postseason: 3–1 (.750) | ||||||||
| Season | Team | Head coach | Conference | Division | Regular season results | Postseason | Final ranking | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Conference | AFCA | D2 | |||||||||
| Win | Loss | Finish | Win | Loss | ||||||||
| Charleston Golden Eagles (2003–present) | ||||||||||||
| 2003 | 2003 | Mike Springston | Independent | — | 2 | 9 | – | – | – | – | — | — |
| 2004 | 2004 | 3 | 7 | – | – | – | – | — | — | |||
| 2005 | 2005 | Tony DeMeo | WVIAC | 8 | 3 | 3rd | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | |
| 2006 | 2006 | 5 | 6 | T–3rd | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | |||
| 2007 | 2007 | 8 | 3 | T–2nd | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | |||
| 2008 | 2008 | 7 | 4 | T–4th | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | |||
| 2009 | 2009 | 9 | 2 | T–2nd | 6 | 2 | — | 23 | — | |||
| 2010 | 2010 | 6 | 5 | T–5th | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | |||
| 2011 | 2011 | Pat Kirkland | 5 | 6 | T–4th | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | ||
| 2012 | 2012 | 9 | 2 | T–2nd | 6 | 2 | — | 25 | — | |||
| 2013 | 2013 | MEC | 6 | 5 | 3rd | 6 | 3 | — | — | — | ||
| 2014 | 2014 | 8 | 3 | T–3rd | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | |||
| 2015 | 2015 | 10 | 2 | 2nd | 9 | 1 | Lost NCAA Division II First Round vs. IUP, 21-47 | 20 | — | |||
| 2016 | 2016 | 3 | 8 | T–6th | 3 | 7 | — | — | — | |||
| 2017 | 2017 | 4 | 6 | T–4th | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | |||
| 2018 | 2018 | 6 | 5 | 4th | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | |||
| 2019 | 2019 | 8 | 3 | 2nd | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | |||
| 2020 | 2020 ‡ | South | 3 | 1 | 1st (South) | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | ||
| 2021 | 2021 | — | 8 | 2 | 2nd | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | ||
| 2022 | 2022 | Quinn Sanders | 6 | 5 | T–4th | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | ||
| 2023 | 2023 † | 10 | 2 | 1st | 8 | 1 | Won NCAA Division II First Round vs. New Haven, 52-44 Lost NCAA Division II Second Round vs. Kutztown, 31-32 |
19 | 18 | |||
| 2024 | 2024 † | 11 | 1 | 1st | 9 | 0 | Lost NCAA Division II First Round vs. Ashland, 38-40 | 15 | 18 | |||
| 2025 | 2025 † | Mike Tesch | 8 | 3 | T–1st | 7 | 1 | – | – | – | ||
| Totals (2003–2025) | All-time: 152–92 (.623) |
Conference: 125–53 (.702) |
Postseason: 1–3 (.250) |
|||||||||
| Era | Seasons | Overall W–L–T | Conference W–L–T | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morris Harvey (1904–1956) | 51 | 153–188–19 (.451) | 70–66–8 (.514) | 3–1 (.750) |
| Charleston (2003–present) | 23 | 152–92 (.623) | 125–53 (.702) | 1–3 (.250) |
| Combined | 74 | 305–280–19 (.521) | 195–119–8 (.618) | 4–4 (.500) |
- Note: The University of Charleston, then known as Morris Harvey College, discontinued its football program after the 1956 season and reinstated it in 2003.
References
- ^ UC Branding Manual (PDF). Retrieved August 4, 2016.
- ^ https://www.ucwv.edu/uc-life/music/
- ^ "UC Football Decade Page" (PDF). s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ a b "University of Charleston Football Game Notes" (PDF). University of Charleston Athletics. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ {{cite web |title=1950 Football Season — Historical Archive |url=https://ucgoldeneagles.com |publisher=University of Charles
- ^ "NCAA Division II Football Championship History". NCAA.com. NCAA. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ "2024 Football Statistics". ucgoldeneagles.com. University of Charleston Athletics. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ "Wright Named to AFCA, D2 CCA All-America Teams". mountaineast.org. Mountain East Conference. December 19, 2024. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ^ "MEC Football Saturday Scoreboard – Week 11". Mountain East Conference. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ https://wvswa.org/index466.htm
- ^ "2020 Football Standings (To be Played in Spring 2021)". Mountain East Conference.
- ^ https://www.d2football.com/zach-zebrowski-wins-harlon-hill-trophy17347024023425/
- ^ https://mountaineast.org/sports/2014/7/30/FB_0730145022.aspx
- ^ https://ucgoldeneagles.com/documents/2014/8/27/Morris_Harvey_Football.pdf
- ^ https://ucgoldeneagles.com/documents/2016/12/13/UC%20Football%20Decade%20Page.pdf
- ^ https://www.d2football.com/d2football.com-top-25-poll17349039580709/