Concordia-St. Paul Athletic Hall of Fame
An immediate force in the Concordia football program, Joseph Mapson was named the NSIC Offensive Newcomer of the Year in his first season on campus in 2001. He went on to be three-time All-NSIC selection and by his senior year he earned All-NSIC First Team honors at as a wide receiver and as a returner.
He helped the program reach the next level in his career, capturing Concordia’s first NSIC championship in football in 2003 along with securing the squad’s first-ever postseason game to the 2003 Mineral Water Bowl where he played both ways and on special teams. In the loss to Missouri Western State, he had 8-76 receiving, a tackle and interception on defense and 3-51 on kickoff returns to finish with 127 all-purpose yards.
In his career, Concordia football had a 25-9 overall record and 20-6 mark in the Northern Sun, finishing third twice before winning the league title in 2003.
His awards cabinet also includes 2003 All-America Third Team honors as well as All-Region First Team honors by two different publications as a senior as part of a two-time All-Region career, earning Second Team honors as a junior.
His name is still featured prominently in the CSP football records across game, season and career categories. In single games, he holds the records for most all-purpose yards (320) and kickoff return yards (7-180) against Northern State in 2003 and in punt return yards with 162 on six attempts against Bemidji State in 2002. His 11 catches at Southwest Minnesota State in 2003 is second most and one shy of his twin brother Joe’s single game record.
In a season, he holds the records for most receptions and yards with his 90-1,165 senior campaign in 2003 when he also set the record for all-purpose yards (2,310) and had previously held the record for kickoff returns (35) and yards (809) that same year which was only recently broken.
His 394 punt return yards remains a record, achieved on just 22 attempts in 2002 and his 17.9 average that year helped him carve out a 16.0 career average on 58 punt returns for 912 yards – all team records.
His 16.0 career punt return average remains the 14th-best career mark in Division II football history and was ranked sixth when his career came to a close at CSP in 2003.
He holds the career receptions record with 200 with his 2,743 yards ranking second today and was a record when his career ended. He finished with 23 career receiving touchdowns which is fifth all-time and his 5,129 career all-purpose yards remains second in team history.
He had the distinction of playing with his twin brother, Joe, for his first two years as a Golden Bear as the duo heads into the CSP Athletic Hall of Fame together in 2019.
He continues to excel on the gridiron locally with the St. Paul Pioneers at the semi-professional level where he has won multiple championships.
He earned his degree in child learning and development in 2005 and is applying his degree as lead preschool teacher at Jack & Jill Preschool in Blaine, Minnesota where he lives with his girlfriend and CSP alum Carly Christensen and their son, Joseph. He is also site coordinator for Jack & Jill’s Jam Summer School Age Camp program, and has been with the school for 14 years.
