Gregg Horner begins his 14th year in the Viking program, serving as the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator.

The Fargo native is a 1990 graduate of VCSU and a member of the 1988 squad that captured a NDCAC title and an NAIA Playoff berth. Gregg was also selected as the VCSU Student Senate President in 1989. Horner spent one season as a student assistant coach at VCSU working with the defensive line under former Head Coach Jim Dew.

Following graduation, Gregg moved on to spend two years as an assistant coach and social science teacher at Gardner-Edgerton High School in Gardner, Kansas.

Getting the opportunity to get back into the college game he earned his Masters degree while serving as a graduate assistant coach at South Dakota State from 1992-94. 

In 1994, Gregg returned to VCSU where he served as the defensive line coach and Director of Student Activities.

In 1996, he was named the Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Football Coach.

As a coach at VCSU Coach Horner has been a part of three conference championships and three national playoff appearances. His defenses have finished #1 in both scoring defense and total defense in the DAC-10 2000 and 2001 and have produced 29 All-DAC performers, nine NAIA Scholar All-Americans and four NAIA All-Americans.

In 2004, linebacker Josh Kasowski was named to the NAIA’s 1st team defense while setting the VCSU record for tackles.

Since becoming the defensive coordinator, the Horner led defense has set 16 team or individual school records.

Gregg is also a Lecturer in the Health Physical Education department at VCSU. Gregg and his wife Kathleen have two children, Iain and Maren.

Denny Ziegler begins his first year at VCSU.  He comes from Marietta College in Ohio where he coached the defensive backs and outside linebackers. His other duties included being a resident director for campus housing. He graduated with a Master of Arts in Liberal Learning with a concentration in Education and Management.

Prior to his stint at Marietta College, Ziegler was a three year starter at defensive back for the football team and varsity letter winner for the baseball team at Otterbein College.

Coach Ziegler will also serve as a Head Resident on campus.

Dave Rausch begins his 21st season as a member of the Viking coaching staff.

An All-American linebacker for the Vikings in 1976 and 1977, Rausch led the 1976 team to the NAIA playoffs and the 1977 team to an undefeated 9-0 season.

After receiving his degree in 1978, Rausch was employed by Grotberg Electric as an accountant from 1978 up until 1997. In 1998 Rausch opened his own branch of Raymond James Financial Services Incorporated.

Under his guidance, Rouper saw linebacker Ben Aarestad break his school record for tackles in a career with 328 eclipsing his record of 310. Rausch still owns the school record for assisted tackles in a career with 230. In 1988, Dave was inducted into the Viking Hall of Fame.

Travis Engen begins his 5th season at VCSU rejoining the Vikings coaching staff after a short leave away. The Rogers, MN native played 1 year at VCSU in 1996 before turning to the coaching field.

Engen begins his ninth year of college coaching. Engen served 3 years as a student assistant at VCSU from 1998-2000 where helped the Vikings claim a DAC-10 Championship.

In 2001 he coach as a graduate assistant at South Dakota State before transferring to complete his degree at the University of Mary where he was a part of the Marauders 2002 conference championship.

Travis coaches the defensive line for the Vikings squad. He is employed as a Physical Education teacher at North Central of Barnes High School.

Steve LeGrand returns to the coaching staff at Valley City State University again this year as the Offensive Line coach.   LeGrand was the head coach at VCSU from 1994-96, when he posted a 17-13 mark in three years including a 9-2 mark and a conference championship in 1996 that included a trip to the NAIA National Playoffs.

A native of Fergus Falls, MN, LeGrand attended Fergus Falls Community College and the University of North Dakota-Ellendale where he competed in football, basketball and baseball.

While at UND-Ellendale, LeGrand received his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1968 and his Master of Science Degree from St. Cloud State University in 1981.

LeGrand is in his 40th season of coaching football, spending 17 successful years as a coach at the high school level. His 23 years of college coaching include experiences as a head coach, defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Besides Fergus Falls Community College and VCSU, LeGrand also coached at St. Cloud State, Northern State, Minot State, the University of Mary and Carleton College.

As the head coach at Fergus Falls Community College he received Minnesota Community College Coach of the Year honors in both 1980 and 1981 as his teams were the number one ranked defensive teams in the nation with the 1981 team ranked fourth overall.

Steve and his wife, Teri, reside in Valley City.

Jeremiah Stokka
Running Backs

Coach Stokka begins his second year coaching the runningbacks with the Vikings.  Jeremiah graduated from VCSU in the spring of 2007 with a Spanish degree.

The Cooperstown, ND native punted for the Vikings and then served as a student assistant coach his senior year.