--2018 NSIC Coach of the Year
--2018 Don Hansen Football Gazette Region 4 Coach of the Year
Steve Laqua is entering his 15th year as the head football coach at Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2025. The Cavalier, N.D., native has taken on the challenge of helping restore Dragon football to its past glory.
The Dragons went 6-5 overall in 2024 as MSUM's high-powered offense was again led by quarterback Jack Strand. Strand was an All-NSIC First Team performer and reset every major school passing record in his junior campaign. Wide receivers Brady Perryman (First Team) and Gage Florence (Second Team) were also all-conference performers for the Dragons. MSUM was the king of the comeback in 2024, winning four games in come-from-behind fashion. This was highlighted by ranked wins over #19 Minnesota Duluth and #18 Augustana. The win over the Bulldogs on September 14 was Laqua's first ranked victory as leader of the Dragons.
The 2023 season saw a true resurgence in Dragon football thanks to the leadership of Laqua. The Dragon head coach guided MSUM to a 7-4 mark and put the Dragons in the national spotlight. Thanks to the incredible, record-setting season from quarterback Jack Strand, MSUM's football program reaped the benefits both on and off the field. MSUM set single-season records in passing yards (3,914), pass completions (370), pass attempts (550) and passing touchdowns (36) in 2023.
Strand was named the NSIC's Offensive Player of the Year as well as earning All-NSIC honors. The Dragons also saw All-NSIC seasons from wide receivers Gage Florence and Brady Perryman, defensive lineman Hayden Carr, linebacker Josiah Behm and defensive back Jake Bettcher. Florence, Bettcher and Behm were all named D2CCA All-Super Region 4 while Florence and Strand were named Don Hansen Gazette All-America Honorable Mention.
2022 saw the Dragons work towards a 4-7 mark with quarterback Jack Strand, Marcus Gulley and Gage Florence all being named to the All-NSIC team. Florence was named the conference's Offensive Newcomer of the Year following a season which saw him snap the single-season school receptions record (100).
The 2021 season saw MSUM go 5-6, with four losses coming by six points or less. The Dragons had a 3-2 record. Senior defensive end Darius Woods-Steichen and senior punter Justin Czech were named to the All-NSIC North First Team while Josiah Behm, Jordan Magnuson and Matt Schoh were second-team honorees.
MSUM recorded another winning season in 2019 despite some key injuries to starting players. MSUM ended the season with a 24-13 win over St. Cloud State to finish 6-5 to give MSUM back-to-back winning seasons for the second time in the Laqua era.
2018 was a big year for Dragon football. MSUM finished 8-4, and advanced to play in the Mineral Water Bowl for the first time in school history. The Dragons finished second in the NSIC North, and the eight wins are the most for the program since 1991. Laqua was named the NSIC Coach of the Year as well for the first time in his Dragon tenure.
Laqua is the 17th coach in Dragon history, being named to the post in the spring of 2011. He came to the Dragons after a turning around the Fargo Shanley High School program as its head coach for four seasons.
In 2015, the Dragons, despite losing two key offensive starters to injury, recorded their first winning season in nine years by posting a 6-5 mark. MSUM opened 3-0, highlighted by a last-second win at Concordia-St. Paul in Week 2 and a 35-34 win over playoff qualifier Augustana in Week 3. The Dragons regained the Paddle with a 37-0 win over Mary in Week 10.
MSUM had two players named to the All-NSIC North Division Second Team, Bennen Bierman and Jake Busse, while six players were honorable mention selections.
The 2014 campaign saw the MSUM offense reach new heights. MSUM ranked fourth in the nation in first downs (292), a mark that led the NSIC. The Dragons were sixth in total offense (517.6, which also led the NSIC) and 13th in rushing offense (260.7).
The Dragons (12 on offense, one on special teams) accounted for 13 school records in 2014. Six were single-game records while five were single-season and two were career records. A highlight was MSUM setting a new single-game record for total yardage twice, including in the finale win over Minnesota Crookston.
Six players earned All-NSIC North Division honors, led by first-team selections Adam Jiskra (junior wide receiver) and Zayne Medhaug (junior running back). Jiskra and Medhaug also earned all-region honors from Don Hansen and the Beyond Sports Network.
The 2013 season saw the Dragons make significant progress. MSUM finished third in the eight-team NSIC North Division with a 4-3 mark after being picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll. MSUM finished the season strong, going 4-2 in its last six games.
The Dragons had seven All-NSIC players, including sophomore wide receiver Adam Jiskra, who was first-team all-conference. Jiskra was also named to the Don Hansen Super Region 3 Second Team.
MSUM's offense set eight school records, including most total yards in a game (685) and most passing yards in a game.
The team's offense was ranked 35th in all of Division II in total yards per game. Sophomore quarterback Jake Hodge ranked fourth in the nation for points responsible for and seventh in total offense.
MSUM also beat Mary for the first time in school history to claim the "Paddle" for the first time, and the Dragons also regained the Battle Axe for the first time since 2008 with a 35-17 win over Bemidji State.
The Dragons fielded one of the youngest teams in the NSIC -- starting as many as 11 freshmen in a game -- in 2012 and finished with a 1-10 mark, although the team had close calls against St. Cloud State and Bemidji State in games taken down to the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
Safety Shea DeJong was named the NSIC Defensive Newcomer of the Year, while senior defensive lineman Steve Parks was named first-team All-NSIC.
In his first season, Laqua led the Dragons to a 2-9 record including an opening-day victory and a thrilling overtime win on homecoming. Four players were named to the All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference team while making a national impact. Jeff Schuette, named to the All-NSIC Second Team, was eighth in the country in tackles followed closely by Tyler Brody, named to the All-NSIC Honorable Mention Team, who was 18th. Laqua signed 23 recruits during his first full offseason to prepare his team for the 2012 season.
Prior to his reign at Shanley, the Deacons had two winless seasons, and under Laqua’s guidance became North Dakota State Football Champions during his third year (2009). The team won a tight battle over Devils Lake, 31-30. In 2010, he coached the Deacons to their second state title, as the team topped Devils Lake on a field goal as time expired, 24-21.
Laqua was honored as the the 2009 and 2010 North Dakota High School AA Coach of the Year. During the 2009 season, the Deacon’s began their 20-game winning streak, a streak that was active when Laqua resigned his position.
Prior to joining the prep-ranks, Laqua served as the Running Backs, Tight Ends and Punt Team Coach at North Dakota State from January 2005-March 2007, where he coached five All-Americans including Tyler Roehl and Mike Dragosavich.
While at NDSU, Laqua was one of the team’s top recruiters, as he was heavily involved in recruiting players from North Dakota, South Dakota and western Minnesota.
He also served as the Bison’s academic coordinator where he implemented a program that put an emphasis on study skills and a college degree. As a result, the team had 21-Academic All-Conference players during his two-year stint at NDSU.
For the 2004 season, Laqua was the Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles' Offensive Coordinator, where he led an offense that led the NSIC in rushing yards, yards per attempt and least turnovers. During that season, he directly coached an NCAA DII All-American Frederic Rollins, who was also named a National Player of the Week during the season.
The Golden Eagle offense set records for rushing yards in a season, as well as single game marks. He directed the Golden Eagle offense that led the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in rushing yards, yards per attempt and least turnovers per game.
His coaching experience also extends to one season at St. Olaf College, in Northfield, Minn., where he was the Outside Linebackers Coach. He also served his first stint at NDSU as a Graduate Assistant Coach for tight ends in 2002-03.
Laqua had a decorated career at North Dakota State as a Division II student-athlete, playing safety for the Bison. He was an Academic All-Conference member for three years as well as graduated with honors. He earned his Masters of Education from NDSU in 2007.
Laqua and his wife, Patty, have eight children.
