1949 Valley City State Vikings football team

1949 Valley City State Vikings football
NDCAC champion
Conference	North Dakota College Athletic Conference
Record	8–1 (6–0 NDCAC)
Head coach	Bill Richter (2nd season)
Seasons ← 1948 1950 →

1949 North Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Valley City State $	5	–	0	–	0			8	–	1	–	0
Minot State	4	–	1	–	0			5	–	1	–	1
Ellendale	4	–	1	–	0			4	–	2	–	0
Dickinson State	3	–	2	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Jamestown	3	–	2	–	0			3	–	5	–	0
Wahpeton Science	3	–	3	–	0			3	–	4	–	1
Mayville State	2	–	5	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Bottineau	1	–	5	–	0			1	–	5	–	1
Bismarck JC	0	–	6	–	0			0	–	6	–	0
$ – Conference champion

The 1949 Valley City State Teachers College Vikings football team represented Valley City State Teachers College (now known as Valley City State University) as a member of the North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC) during the 1949 college football season. Led by head coach Bill Richter, the Vikings completed the regular season with a perfect 8–0 record and went 6–0 in NDCAC play, claiming the conference championship. The team outscored its opponents 235–126 over the course of the season and advanced to a postseason pick-up game against St. Ambrose, where they suffered their only loss to finish 8–1 overall. ^{[1] [2]}

Season overview

Richter’s 1949 squad is recognized as one of the early standard-bearers in Valley City State football history. The Vikings opened the year with a shutout of Huron and followed with decisive victories over North Dakota State College of Science (then commonly referred to as Wahpeton), Jamestown College, and Black Hills State. They then defeated NDCAC rivals Dickinson State, Mayville State and North Dakota-Ellendale, and capped the unbeaten regular season by edging Northern State in a one-point road win. ^[2]

In conference play, Valley City State finished 6–0, claiming the NDCAC championship. The Vikings’ only defeat came in a postseason pick-up game at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, where they fell 58–6. ^[1]

The 1949 team was later inducted into the Viking Hall of Fame in recognition of its perfect regular season and conference title. ^[1]

Schedule

Opponent	Site	Result
Huron *		W 27–0
North Dakota State College of Science		W 23–6
Jamestown College		W 45–0
Black Hills Teachers College *		W 21–12
Dickinson State Teachers College		W 21–13
Mayville State Teacher's College		W 39–6
North Dakota State Normal and Industrial School		W 33–12
Northern State Teachers College		W 20–19
St. Ambrose College *		L 6–58
*Non-conference game

^[2]

Coaching staff

• Bill Richter – head coach ^[1]

Roster

Team members recognized with the 1949 Viking Hall of Fame induction include Alton Urness, Leo Stumpf, Eugene Burns, Chuck Taylor, Marven Carlson, Larry Stenshoel, John Beitia, Kenny Koehn, Chuck Johnson, Ralph Undem, Francis Dahl, Leonard Ratzlaff, Al Johnson, Tommy Kerns, Don Nasseth, Pete Call, Bob Lentz, Dick Starke, Bill Woods, Brad Hanna, Ernie Janisch, Norman Furuseth, Erling Dahl, Dick Myatt, Clarence Laber, James Buehler, Harry Dalos, Bill Brinker, Paul Sundstrom, David Borchert, Glenn Berg, Duane Holly, Bud Dahl, Dick Oeffner, Vince Olson, Wayne Wilkins, Jim Detar, Dean Belwas, John Sinclair, Vern Hansen, Les Martin, Dale Thorstenson, Chuck Asker, Dick Schindler, Arnold Flath, John Grim, Hugo Carlson, Jack Moore, Gary Valiere, Ridgeway Koppi, Marvin Martilla and Jim Seminary. ^[1]

References

1. "1949 Football Team – Viking Hall of Fame". Valley City State University Alumni Association. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
2. "Valley City State Results (1949)". College Football Results. Retrieved December 1, 2025.