Dennis McCulloch

Dennis J. McCulloch is an American college football coach and athletic director. He has served as the athletic director at Valley City State University since 2023 and as the school's head football coach since 1997. He previously coached at Northern State and served as head football coach at Frazee HS in Minnesota in 1993. McCulloch is the winningest head football coach in Valley City State history.

Coaching career

McCulloch began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northern State University in 1988. After earning his master's degree in 1989, he remained on the coaching staff through 1992, coaching linebackers, defensive linemen, defensive backs, and serving as the program's recruiting coordinator.

In 1993, McCulloch accepted his first head coaching position at Frazee HS (MN) in Minnesota, leading the Hornets to a 2–6 record and an appearance in the Minnesota State High School League Section 8B playoffs.

The following season, McCulloch joined Valley City State University as defensive coordinator. During his three seasons directing the Vikings' defense from 1994 to 1996, Valley City State captured the 1996 North Dakota College Athletic Conference championship while finishing with the nation's second-ranked scoring defense in the NAIA.

McCulloch was promoted to head coach in December 1996 and has remained in the position since the 1997 season. Under his leadership, Valley City State has won multiple conference championships, qualified for the NAIA Football National Playoffs on four occasions, and transitioned from the Dakota Athletic Conference to the North Star Athletic Association before joining the Frontier Conference in 2025. He became the winningest football coach in school history in 2016 and has led the Vikings for more than three decades.

Administrative career

Alongside his coaching duties, McCulloch has served in several athletic administration roles at Valley City State. He was assistant athletic director from 2009 to 2016, interim athletic director during portions of 2016 and 2022, and was appointed the university's full-time athletic director in 2023 while continuing as head football coach.

In 2021, McCulloch was elected president of the NAIA Football Coaches Association.

High school football

College