Concordia University Wisconsin

Greg Etter completed his 18th season as Concordia University Wisconsin’s head football coach in 2025, coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Falcons advanced to the NCAA Division III Championships for the second time under his leadership after capturing their second Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) title with a perfect 8-0 conference record and a 9-2 overall mark. Etter was named the 2025 NACC Coach of the Year following the historic campaign.

Etter first led the Falcons to a NACC championship in 2013, when his team also finished undefeated in conference play (6-0). Under his guidance, CUW has recorded seven second-place and one third-place finishes in NACC competition. He owns a 74-48 career conference record and has earned NACC Coach of the Year honors twice (2013, 2025). He was also named Wisconsin Private College Coach of the Year in both seasons.

During Etter’s tenure, CUW football has produced 206 All-NACC selections, three All-Region honorees, and one All-American. His players have earned Wisconsin Private College Player of the Year recognition four times: quarterback Austin Damaschke (2012, 2013), linebacker Justice Kaneta (2023), and defensive lineman Marquiton Sellers (2025). The Falcons have also excelled statistically, including a 2011 defense that ranked first nationally in passing defense and a 2019 unit that led the nation with zero blocked punts. Under Etter, CUW has claimed the Cheese Bowl in each of the past four seasons and has won the Luther Cup in six of the last eight meetings.

Since Etter’s arrival, the football program has grown to as many as 150 participants, while maintaining a strong emphasis on academics. The Falcons consistently post a team GPA above 3.0 and have produced 481 NACC Scholar-Athletes during his tenure. CUW has recorded 30 or more Scholar-Athletes on 10 different occasions. Academic success has included 13 CoSIDA/CSC Academic honors, highlighted by Evan Lischka becoming the first Academic All-American in program history in 2023.

Etter’s teams are also deeply involved in community service, supporting initiatives such as Mentors for Mequon Young Life, Longario Family Housing Project, Read Across America, campus blood drives, youth football programs, and numerous charitable fundraisers. The program has raised funds for causes including a veterans memorial, Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics, breast cancer awareness, and the Donald Driver Foundation.

Etter brings experience across all three NCAA divisions. Prior to CUW, he served as defensive coordinator at Carthage College, where his defenses ranked nationally in multiple categories, including leading the nation in interceptions in 2004. That season’s team finished No. 5 nationally, earning Etter recognition on American Football Monthly’s “Hot Coaches List.”

Earlier, Etter spent 12 seasons at South Dakota State University, serving as defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, and defensive backs coach. His units produced nationally ranked special teams and set school records in interceptions. Two of his former players went on to NFL careers: Adam Vinatieri and Scott Connot.

Etter began his collegiate coaching career at the University of Wisconsin, where he assisted with the defensive backs and helped coach future NFL standout Troy Vincent under Hall of Fame coach Barry Alvarez.

Greg Etter and his wife, Kerry, have two sons.

* Won the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference title
** Advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship first round