Munz named UW-Platteville Head Football Coach

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. - Ryan Munz has been named the 16^th head football coach in University of Wisconsin-Platteville history, as announced today by Director of Athletics and Recreation and Assistant Chancellor for Sports Administration Dr. Kristina Navarro.

A well-known name to Pioneer football, the Highland, Wisconsin native and former UW-Platteville football quarterback has served as the Pioneers' interim head coach since November following the retirement of Mike Emendorfer. 

"Coach Munz embodies the next great chapter of Pioneer Athletics and has a clear plan to move us forward in alignment with our renewed mission and vision," Navarro said. "As an educator, Coach Munz shares a common focus to provide transformational experiences for our student-athletes in partnership with campus. As a man who prides himself on relationships, he will continue to intentionally engage our stakeholders across Pioneer Nation. His clear strategy for competitive excellence will move us forward to the next chapter of Pioneer Football."

The 2012 WIAC Assistant Coach of the Year completed his 15th season as the Pioneers offensive coordinator and fifth season as associate head coach in 2021. 

"I thank Dr. Navarro for her support and trusting me with the future of this program," Munz said. "She is dedicated to the success of our student-athletes and has invested into creating a transformational experience at this university."

Sharing why being named head coach at UW-Platteville is meaningful to him personally Munz said, "UW-Platteville is my home, I am a Pioneer. It means more to me, it means more to alumni, and it means more to the community for me to be named head coach at UW-Platteville. I know the people. I know our history. I know where we have been, and I know where we are going. I take great pride in ushering a new era in Pioneer Football. I look forward to seeing Pioneer Nation rise up!"

Munz is a two-time graduate of UW-Platteville, earning his bachelor's in Business Finance in 2006 and a master's in Project Management in 2008. He was a four-year letter winner for the Pioneers and was voted varsity captain his senior year.

Munz expressed gratitude to many others at UW-Platteville and thanked, "Chancellor Shields, for understanding how athletics can positively impact a person's life and for always standing by this program. His investment into athletics is the driver behind our success. To the search and screen, thank you for deciding that I was the best candidate in the nation to take the Pioneers into a new era. Our current players who continue to persevere and continue to 'Swing The Axe'. Our coaching staff for the dedication to the process. To our alumni, boosters, parents, and community, your encouragement and energy has been unbelievable. We have a ton of momentum built up. Let's keep it rolling."

A total of 61 players have earned All-WIAC honors since taking over the offensive side of the ball in 2007. Munz recruited and coached eight All-Region players and three All-Americans in former wide receiver and current Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Dan Arnold ('16), quarterback John Kelly ('13) and strong safety Ryan McWethy ('12).

Influenced by many in coaching, Munz thanked, "Mitch Wainwright for hiring me for my first coaching position as an eighteen-year-old college student. The late, Aaron Lancaster, for taking me on a campus visit to UW-Platteville. Mike Emendorfer for allowing me to walk-on as a quarterback, hire me as a graduate assistant, promote me as the youngest offensive coordinator in the WIAC and prepare me for this day. Words are simply not enough."

With the 2022 season just six months away and the "interim" title dropped Munz said, "I am looking forward to building a dream team of coaches who represent and believe in the mission at hand. I look forward to seeing our players hustle and compete in spring ball. I look forward to seeing our alumni come back to relive the 'glory years' and connect with our team. There is a lot to look forward to. Time to buckle up and get started!"

Following a year off from competition while instead navigating the team through the pandemic, UW-Platteville finished at the top of the WIAC this past season in passing offense and had 11 All-WIAC selections. The Pioneers finished 4-6 last season with four losses to top 17 teams. The 2021 squad outscored its opponents 321-316 and suffered four losses by six points or fewer.

The Pioneers have been ranked in the top 20 in nine out of the last 11 seasons.

Munz led the offense in both of the program's two NCAA Division III playoff runs in 2013 and 2016 and tied the school's record for most wins in a season with 10 in 2013. UW-Platteville has finished in the top four of the WIAC in nine of the last eleven season, recording at least seven wins in eight campaigns.

The Pioneer offense has attacked the record books over the last decade setting program records in total yards in a season (5,991 – 2013), single season rushing leader (1,252 – 2014), total touchdowns in a season (66-2016), single season passing yards (3,626 – 2013), fewest sacks allowed in a season (5 on 434 attempts – 2012), most first downs in a game (40 – 2012), and touchdown passes in a game twice with two different quarterbacks (7 – 2012, 2013).

In 2019, UW-Platteville led the WIAC in scoring offense averaging 34.7 points a game and in 3^rd down conversions, converting on 65 of 144 attempts. The Pioneers' offense also led the league in pass efficiency, completing 227 of 377 attempts for 2,902 yards and 25 touchdowns with just six interceptions. The Pioneers received 16 All-WIAC selections that season with four First Team selections on offense including junior quarterback Colin Schuetz.

The 2016 Pioneers had the best scoring offense in the WIAC as they averaged over 40 points a game in route to their second NCAA playoff berth in four seasons. Tom Kelly set the single season touchdown passing record (37), WIAC Offensive Player of the Year, Dan Arnold, broke the single season receiving yards per game record (1,176), and Wyatt Thompson's single game rushing record (316) led the way to the playoffs where the Pioneers fell 32-31 in a controversial last play game in the First Round at Saint John's University.

UW-Platteville's 2013 offense was one of the best in the country as they ranked in the top 30 in seven offensive categories. The Pioneers set a program record in total offense (5,991 yards), first downs (308), points scored (455), passing yards (4,186 yards), completions (363) and touchdown passes (42). Under Munz's direction, the Pioneers had a pair of wide receivers with over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in program history. UW-Platteville received its first NCAA playoff berth and was eliminated in the second round by North Central College.

A life-long resident to Southwest Wisconsin, Munz graduated from Highland High School in 2002. He then came to UW-Platteville and has remained at the university for 20 years. In 2006 he earned the prestigious George Chryst Award recognizing integrity and leadership. In the summer of 2009, Munz traveled to Furstenfeldbruck, Germany and played for the Furstenfeldbruck Razorbacks in the Senior Semi-Professional Division of the AFV Bayern Football League. While in Germany, he also had the opportunity to coach youth teams and teach techniques and promote the sport in the region.

Today, he resides in Platteville with wife Jessica (Langholf), a UW-Platteville alumnus (2011), and their two-year-old son JJ.

Expressing thanks to those in his life Munz said, "I would like to thank my wife, Jessica, for her support through good and bad. She has been my sounding board, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her. Our son JJ, for trading tractors and cookies at the end of the day. My mom and dad for getting me involved in sports at a young age and their belief in me to pursue my dreams. My brother, for never letting me win at one-on-one basketball and showing me how to compete."

Munz will be formally introduced as the Pioneers' head coach at a press conference to be held in the Markee Pioneer Student Center University North Room at the UW-Platteville main campus on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 4 p.m.

The press conference will be live streamed at: https://www.letsgopioneers.com/Head_Football_Coach. The new head coach will be made available for interviews starting after 4 p.m. on Wednesday. All media requests can be directed to Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, Marketing and Branding Lindsay Dietmeier at dietmeierl@uwplatt.edu or 608.342.6002.

Following the press conference, a special introduction will then be made at halftime of the Pioneer men's basketball game against UW-Whitewater Wednesday night on Bo Ryan Court. The Garding Against Cancer game will tip off at 7 p.m.

The Athletic Department will be hosting two meet and greets over the next week and invite the public to attend to meet the new head coach. A local social will be held on Thursday, Feb. 10 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Platteville Golf and Country Club (cash bar and appetizers provided). A second meet and greet will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 15 at the River Run Club in Naperville, Illinois from 7-9 p.m. with food and drink provided.