Football | 3.10.04

Concordia University Director of Athletics David Herbster announced today that Mark Mauer has been named the ninth head coach in Concordia football history. Mauer joins the Bears staff after serving as the wide receivers coach at New Mexico State for the last three seasons, where the Aggies, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, went 16-18. He will begin his coaching duties at CU on March 19.

"Mark is inheriting a strong program that won its first NSIC championship in 2003," Herbster said. "He will provide the direction and leadership that will allow Concordia's football program to continue to excel and remain a top program in the NSIC and the region."

Mauer returns to his native St. Paul after being gone for seven years. He was inducted in to the St. Paul Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

Prior to his stint at New Mexico State, Mauer served as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator from 1996-99 at North Dakota State, where the Bison went 34-13 and earned postseason bids in 1997 and 1999.

Before heading to North Dakota State, Mauer was out of the coaching business for six years. He served as a member of the St. Paul City Council in 1997 and was a legislative assistant for the state of Minnesota from 1992-1997.

Prior to that, Mauer served as wide receivers coach at Wisconsin from 1987-91. He was the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach at Ball State from 1984-86. Mauer began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Nebraska from 1982-83. The Huskers went 24-2 during those two years and were a perfect 14-0 in Big Eight action. They ranked third in the nation following the 1982 season and were second in 1983. Nebraska led the country in rushing and scoring offense both years and led the nation in total offense in 1982.

Mauer played for the Huskers from 1977-81, earning three letters and helping the Cornhuskers to two Big Eight titles. Nebraska went 40-8 during his four seasons (he red-shirted in '77), including a 25-3 mark in conference action and finished in the nation's top 10 each year. As the Huskers' starting quarterback his senior season, Mauer led Nebraska to the Big Eight championship with a perfect 7-0 conference mark. He served as team captain and was named the team's Most Valuable Offensive Player. He was named the Game MVP in nebraska's regular-season finale, a victory over rival Oklahoma. Following his football career, Mauer played one year of baseball at Nebraska, serving as the team's designated hitter in 1982.

He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1977. Mauer earned a degree in education from Nebraska in 1982. He graduated in 1977 from Harding High School in St. Paul, Minn., where he competed in football, basketball and baseball.

He is married to the former Jennifer Graham of Omaha, Neb. They have three daughters, Mia, Marlo and Macy.