Concordia-St. Paul Athletic Hall of Fame
The most prolific running back in Concordia football history, Chris Washington was a four year starter who holds the season and career rushing records as well as the third and fourth most yards in a game and the second longest run in CSP’s 49 years of football.
As a freshman in 2000, he rushed for 1,227 yards in just 10 games, averaging over 120 yards per contest and nearly six yards per carry (5.8). Over his four years, he reached the 1,100 yard barrier each season and averaged at least five yards per tote each year as well. He's one of 10 players in Division II football history to rush for at least 1,000 yards all four seasons and was the fifth to accomplish the feat in 2003.
The result of the four fantastic seasons was a CSP career record 5,288 rushing yards which ranked 14th in NCAA Division II football history at the time his career came to a close following the 2003 season, and 15 years later still ranks 27th on the DII list. Washington scored 55 of his CSP record 58 career touchdowns (350 points) on the ground, but was a versatile back as he compiled over 1,000 career receiving yards on nearly 100 catches (98-1080) with three receiving scores for a career record 6,420 all-purpose yards.
Additionally, in 34 Northern Sun (NSIC) contests, Washington shattered the conference rushing record with 4,216 yards, averaging 5.7 per carry with 43 of his 55 career rushing touchdowns coming against league opponents. He held the NSIC rushing record for nearly a decade with the new record holder having played seven more games to top his mark by just under 600 yards.
As a senior, Washington had his top individual season with school records of 1,569 yards and 20 touchdowns, adding 36-450 through the air with another score as he topped 2,000 all-purpose yards (2,071) and set the single season record for most points (128; 21 TD & 1 2pt). He holds the first, second, seventh and eighth most rushing yards in a season and the top two single season touchdown totals.
His strong, consistent and dynamic running ability wasn’t just individual statistics as Washington helped the Golden Bear football team achieve a 32-12 overall record (25-9 NSIC). The team success culminated the school’s first NSIC football championship during his senior year. The conference title earned the program’s first postseason appearance in the 2003 Mineral Water Bowl, where Washington was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player with 18-106 rushing with a touchdown and long run of 44 and four catches for 58 yards with a long of 30.
Washington’s freshman season performance helped the program improve by five wins from a 2-8 1999 season in the team’s first NCAA DII and NSIC season to a 7-3 record and third place finish in 2000 (5-3 NSIC). The team putting together four straight winning seasons was also a program-first for the young DII squad.
The Minneapolis native was a four-time All-NSIC selection, earning First Team honors as a sophomore and senior and Second Team honors as a freshman and junior.
Washington was named to the Don Hansen’s Football Gazette All-America honorable mention list as a senior and earned All-Region Second Team honors by both the Football Gazette and D2Football.com award committees.
A criminal justice major at Concordia, Washington currently works for the State of Minnesota with developmentally disabled adults in a residential setting and is CPR/first aid certified to respond in medical emergency situations.
Chris and his wife, Julie reside in St. Paul, Minnesota’s Como Park neighborhood. They have four energetic, talented, intelligent and beautiful children: three sons, Julius, Xavier and Titus, and their daughter, Katarina.
