Longtime Becker High School coach earns 400th football win Thursday

A longtime Minnesota High School Football coach has earned an exclusive milestone, notching his 400th career victory on Thursday.

Dwight Lundeen began his coaching career at Becker High School when he was 23 in 1970. He founded the very program he has continued to coach for the last 55 seasons of high school football in Minnesota and remains the only head coach the Bulldogs have ever known.

The historic achievement came at a home game Thursday as the Bulldogs battled Hill-Murray in Becker, fittingly at Dwight Lundeen Stadium, named after the long-time coach. Becker won 51-0, elevating Lundeen to become the second-ever MFCA coach to achieve 400 wins in a career.

In that time, the Becker Bulldogs have had an incredible journey under his tutelage, winning 25 Conference and Sub-District Championships, 17 State Football Tournament appearances, eight Prep Bowl appearances, five state runner-up finishes, and three State Championships, according to the Minnesota Football Coaches Association.

The victory now puts Lundeen at 400-167-3 in his career with a .704 win percentage. The win also makes the Bulldogs 1-0 to begin the year. The chase for win 401 will begin on Friday, September 6, on the road against Providence Academy.

The only other coach to have done so was Mike Mahlen of Verndale, who is also the all-time career wins leader with 432 career wins.