IUP Crimson Hawks | |
---|---|
Head coach |
Paul Tortorella 1st year, 0–0–0 (–) |
Stadium | Miller Stadium |
Seating capacity | 6,500 |
Field surface | Artificial |
Location | Indiana, Pennsylvania |
NCAA division | Division II |
Conference | Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference |
Division | West |
All-time record | 496–248–23 (.662) |
Bowl record | 18–18–0 (.500) |
Conference titles | 1934, 1940, 1986, 1987, 2012 |
Division titles | 1964, 1965, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2012 |
Consensus All-Americans | 52 |
Colors | Crimson and Gray |
Rivals |
Clarion Golden Eagles California Vulcans Slippery Rock "The Rock" |
Website | IUP Football |
The IUP Crimson Hawks football program represents Indiana University of Pennsylvania in college football at the NCAA Division II level. The Crimson Hawks play their home games at George P. Miller Stadium in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
The Crimson Hawks' current head coach is Paul Tortorella, who was named acting head coach for the 2017 season after Curt Cignetti resigned to take the head coach position at Elon University. Cignetti had been introduced as IUP's head coach on January 21, 2011 to replace Lou Tepper. Before coming to IUP, Cignetti served as an assistant at the Division I level for 28 years.
While little information is available, the Indiana Normal School played organized football games as early as 1890, when the school tied 6–6 with the Greensburg Athletic Association. Early on the school played other institutions such as Washington & Jefferson, West Virginia University and Western University of Pennsylvania, club teams such as the Greensburg Athletic Association and the Latrobe Athletic Association, the first professional football team. From 1895 to 1903, the Normal School played Latrobe six times, being outscored a total of 201–0, but playing one 0–0 tie. In 1892 they played against the Allegheny Athletic Association at Exposition Park in Pittsburgh, losing 20–6.
John Brallier became the first professional football player in 1895 after playing at the Normal School for two years. Born in Cherry Tree, Pennsylvania, Brallier played on the West Indiana Public School team. He began attending the Normal School in 1893 at age 17 so that he could play on the team. That year, the team won three of their four games. The team included Alex Stewart, father of actor Jimmy Stewart. In 1894, the team played other colleges and teams with former college players, winning only two of five games. The Normal School played Washington & Jefferson, losing 28–0. In December, Washington & Jefferson coach E. Gard Edwards wrote to Brallier, impressed by his play, encouraging him to attend the university. Brallier agreed if all his expenses were paid, and left the Normal team after graduating from public school in the spring.