Mark Stein took over the Martin Luther College football program in August of 2015, and enters his seventh season at the helm of the program in 2021.
After a difficult transition in 2015, when he was named Head Football Coach in early August, Stein's program started to roll in 2017 with a 5-5 finish (4-5 in UMAC play).Â
In year four, the Knights took off, finishing 8-0 in UMAC play and winning the UMAC Championship on the way to securing the program's first ever bid in the NCAA Postseason Tournament. The conference title was the program's first since the 2009 season, and the team's nine wins broke the previous program single-season record of seven.
Stein was named UMAC Football Coach of the Year for the second straight season for his efforts, while 12 MLC players were received All-UMAC honors (including 10 First Team All-UMACÂ honorees, as well as running back Austin DeNoyer winning the league's Offensive Player of the Year award).
The program solidified its standing as a UMAC power in 2019 with its second consecutive conference championship and another undfeated (8-0) season in league play (9-2 overall). The 2019 Knights set new MLC single-season records for total yards, rushing yards, points, total offense allowed, rushing yards allowed, sacks and interceptions. The Knights also finished with 16 All-UMAC honorees, as well as both the UMAC Most Valuable Offensive (Joshuah Kren) and Defensive (Ian Paulsen) Players.Â
The Knights were able to play four games in the spring of 2021 as part of a shortened year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MLC went 3-1 in those games.
After starting his coaching career with a 2-18 record his first two seasons, Stein's now holds a career record of 28-28.
Prior to taking over the MLC program, Stein gained experience as a high school football coach in Wisconsin, including 12 years as the head football coach at Shoreland Lutheran High School (1999-2011).Â
During his tenure at Shoreland, Stein led the program to a conference championship in 2005, which marked the first of seven consecutive seasons in which the program qualified for the WIAA state playoffs.
Stein also held the titles of Admissions Director and Athletics Director during his time at Shoreland.
Prior to his years at Shoreland, Stein was an assistant coach at Wisconsin Lutheran High School for five years. During that time, Stein helped lead that program to a WISAA State Championship in 1998.
Stein arrived at MLC in 2011, and has served as the school's Director of Admissions since his arrival. After taking the football coaching position at MLC, small changes were made to that role to comply with NCAA regulations, but his primary duties remain the same.
Stein and his wife, Melissa, have three children - Megan, Mariah, and Matthew.
