Minnesota Vixen

Minnesota Vixen
Founded 1999
League WPFL (1999-2007)
NWFA (2008)
IWFL (2009-2016)
WFA (2017-present)
Team history Minnesota Vixen
Based in Minneapolis-Saint Paul
Stadium Simley High School
Colors Black & Red
Owner Laura and James Brown
Head coach Laura Brown
Championships (0)
Conference titles

(2)

IWFL Eastern Conference (2016)
WFL American Conference (2018)
Division titles (3)
WPFL Central Division (2000)
IWFL Midwest Division(2016)
WFA Division II Midwest Region(2018)
Mascot B.A. Vixen

The Minnesota Vixen is a professional women's football team based in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities. The team has been known as the Minnesota Vixens and Minneapolis Vixens prior to being known as the Vixen (note lack of "s").

Established in 1999, the Vixen are the longest continuously operating women's American football team in the nation. The team plays full contact, tackle football following NCAA rules. The season is from April to June each year with playoffs in July. In April 2017, they will begin their 19th season.

In 2014, the Vixen's record was 6-2 with an invite to the inaugural Legacy Bowl in South Carolina. In 2016, the team went undefeated in the regular season winning the IWFL Midwest Division. They then faced the New York Shark for the IWFL Eastern Conference Championship, winning in double overtime and appeared in the IWFL World Championship Game in South Carolina against the Utah Falconz. In 2017, the Vixen changed leagues and joined the Women's Football Alliance (WFA) and will compete in the Great Plains Division.

Current owners are James and Laura Brown.

History

1999 Barnstorming Tour

Vixen history dates back to 1999, when businessmen Carter Turner and Terry Sullivan decided to explore the feasibility of a professional women's football league by gathering together top female athletes from across the United States and dividing them into two teams for a nationwide series of exhibition game. More than 100 women attended tryouts. The teams were named the Minnesota Vixens and the Lake Michigan Minx, and the "No Limits" Barnstorming Tour featured six games in such locations as Miami, Chicago, and New York. The final exhibition game was played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis (known worldwide as home to the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings). While the Vixens lost the game by a score of 30-27, the tour's success inspired the expansion of the Women's Professional Football League to 11 teams in 2000.

2000: WPFL kicks off

The success of the tour led Turner and Sullivan to form the Women's Professional Football League; although the Minx would not join the Vixen in the WPFL's first full season, the Austin Rage, Colorado Valkyries, Daytona Beach Barracudas, Houston Energy, Miami Fury, New England Storm, New York Galaxy, New York Sharks, Oklahoma City Wildcats, and Tampa Tempest would join the Vixen to form the WPFL's inaugural roster of teams. The Vixen would finish the regular season unbeaten at 5-0, clinch the Central Division title, and ensure home-field advantage throughout the American Conference playoffs. However, that playoff run would only last one game, as the Vixen lost the American Conference Championship Game to the eventual WPFL Champion Houston Energy by a score of 35-14.

2001

The Vixen played a three-game season, going 1-2 against the Arizona Caliente and the Indianapolis Vipers.

2002

The Vixen finished 2-3 and fourth place in the National Conference.

2003

The Vixen finished 2-7 and fourth place in the American Conference, North Division.

2004

The Vixen finished 6-4 and second place in the National Conference, North Division, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in four years. However, they would lose the National Conference Semifinal game to the Delaware Griffins.

2005

Once again, the Vixen finished 6-4, second place in the North Division, and qualified for a playoff spot. Although they defeated the Indiana Speed in the National Conference Semifinal, the Vixen lost to the New York Dazzles in the National Conference Championship game.

2006

The Vixen finished 2-6 and third place in the National Conference, East Division.

2007

In their final year in the WPFL, the Vixen finished 2-5 and third place in the National Conference, North Division. Soon afterwards, the Vixen left the WPFL to join the National Women's Football Association.

2008

In their first and only year in the NWFA, the Vixen qualified for the playoffs for the first time in three years, finishing 6-2 and second place in the Northern Conference, North Division. However, that playoff run would only last one game, as the Vixen lost by a score of 31-7 to the North Division Champions and eventual NWFA runners-up West Michigan Mayhem. After the season ended, the Vixen switched leagues again, this time to the Independent Women's Football League.

2014

In 2014, the current owner Laura Brown acquired the Vixen and runs operations with co-owner James Brown. They named Brandon Pelinka Head Coach along with Damion Topping as Defensive Coordinator and Adam Griffith as Special Teams Coordinator. The Vixen also brought in 2 new coaches, Running Backs Coach Jeff Gehring and Defensive Backs Coach Darrion Branscomb. That season, the Vixen went 6-2 and appeared in the Legacy Bowl facing the Carolina Queens. In 2014, the Minnesota Vixen also established a relationship with Northwestern Health Sciences University as their Official Integrative Sports Care Provider.

2015

In 2015, the Vixen moved to their current home stadium, Simley Athletic Field in Inver Grove Heights and brought in Brian 'Announcer Guy' Sweeney as the stadium voice for the team. In addition, Town Square Television started broadcasting all Vixen home games and by live web-stream. The Team had another successful year finishing 6-2 just missing the post-season.

2016

The Vixen added Coach Danny Ekstrand as Wide Receivers Coach in 2016. The Vixen team then went undefeated (8-0) with the Vixen defense only allowing once touchdown the entire regular season. They earned their first IWFL Midwest Division Title. The Vixen then hosted the New York Sharks at home stadium Simley Athletic Field setting a new attendance record of over 1,100 fans. The Vixen won the game in double overtime with a 101-yard interception returned for a touchdown by rookie Crystal Ninas. The winning play was highlighted on ESPN's Sports Center's Top Tens Plays of the Week. The Vixen then went on to face the Utah Falconz in the IWFL World Championship Game in South Carolina losing 6-49.

2017

In 2017, the Minnesota Vixen left the IWFL for the Women's Football Alliance (WFA) and competes in the Great Plains Division. Coach Stefan Dahl Holm was added to the staff as the Line Coach. The team finished the regular season 6-2. In the first round of the playoffs, the Vixen were victorious over the Kansas City Titans, only to fall to the Dallas Elite in round 2.

Season by season

SeasonWLTFinishPlayoff results
Minnesota Vixen (WPFL)
1999"No Limits" Barnstorming Tour (Lake Michigan): Results Unknown/Not Counted
20005001st American CentralLost American Conference Championship (Houston)
2001120Exhibition Team--
20022304th National--
20032704th American North--
20046402nd National NorthLost National Conference Semifinal (Delaware)
20056402nd National NorthWon National Conference Qualifier (Indiana)
Lost National Conference Championship (New York)
20062603rd National East--
20072503rd North Central--
Minnesota Vixen (NWFA)
20086202nd North NorthLost Northern Conference Quarterfinal (West Michigan)
Minnesota Vixen (IWFL)
20092603rd Tier I West Midwest--
20100808th Tier II West Midwest--
20110804th West-Mid West Division--
20122604th Midwest Division--
20136403rd Midwest DivisionLost Tier II Western Conference Championship (Arlington Impact)
20146302nd Midwest DivisionLost 2014 Legacy Bowl (Carolina Queens)
20156202nd Midwest Division--
20169101st Midwest Division
Eastern Conference Champions
Won Tier I Semifinals (New York Sharks)
Lost Tier I Championship (Utah Falconz)
Minnesota Vixen (WFA)
20177302nd Great Plains DivisionWon First Round Playoff Game (Kansas City Titans)
Lost Second round Playoff game (Dallas Elite)
20189201st Midwest Region (Division II)
American Conference Champions
1st Round Playoff Bye
WonSecond Round Playoff Game (Wisconsin Dragons)
Won Div II Semifinals(Mile High Blaze)
Lost Division II Championship (New York Sharks)
Totals79760 (including playoffs)

* = Current Standing

Season schedules

2009

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
April 11 Kansas City Tribe Away Lost 8-45
April 25 Chicago Force Home Lost 0-55
May 2 Wisconsin Warriors Home Lost 16-54
May 16 Iowa Crush Home Won 38-20
May 23 Chicago Force Away Lost 0-53
May 30 Wisconsin Warriors Away Lost 8-38
June 6 Iowa Crush Away Won 14-9
June 13 Kansas City Tribe Home Lost 0-65

2010

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
April 3 Wisconsin Wolves Away Lost 30-73
April 10 Iowa Crush Home Lost 14-35
April 24 Dallas Diamonds Away Lost 0-79
April 27 Iowa Crush Away Lost 0-37
May 8 Chicago Force Home Lost 0-56
May 15 Kansas City Tribe Home Lost 0-80
May 22 Wisconsin Warriors Away Lost 0-55
June 5 Wisconsin Wolves Home Lost 18-20

2011

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
April 9 Iowa Crush Home Lost 20-6
April 23 Madison Cougars Away Lost 0-16
April 30 Wisconsin Warriors Home Lost 46-14
May 7 Iowa Crush Away Loss 14-26
May 21 Wisconsin Warriors Away Lost 6-60
May 28 Madison Cougars Home Lost 7-6
June 4 Iowa Crush Away Lost 38-12
June 11 Madison Cougars Home Lost 26-14

2012

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
April 14 Rockford Riveters Home Won 44-0
April 28 Madison Cougars Home Lost
May 5 Rockford Riveters Away Won 32-0
May 12 Madison Cougars Away Lost 0-20
May 19 Wisconsin Warriors Home Lost
May 26 Iowa Crush Home Lost 30-36
June 9 Iowa Crush Away Lost 12-29
June 16 Wisconsin Warriors Away Lost

2013

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
April 27 Rockford Riveters Home Won by forfeit
May 4 Wisconsin Warriors Away Lost 20-26
May 18 Madison Blaze Home Lost 0-26
May 25 Iowa Crush Away Won 6-0
June 1 Rockford Riveters Away Won by forfeit
June 15 Wisconsin Warriors Home Won 51-7
June 22 Madison Blaze Away Lost 6-40
June 29 Iowa Crush Away Won 26-6
IWFL Tier II Playoffs
July 13 Wisconsin Warriors Away Won by forfeit
July 20 Arlington Impact Away Lost 14-18

2014

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
April 19 Missouri Thundercats Home Won by Forfeit
April 26 Wisconsin Warriors Away Won 12-6
May 3 Madison Blaze Away Lost 0-14
May 10 Iowa Crush Home Lost 6-14
May 24 Wisconsin Warriors Home Won 14-0
May 31 Missouri Thundercats Away Won by forfeit
June 7 Madison Blaze Home Won 18-14
June 14 Iowa Crush Away Won 12-6
Legacy Bowl
July 25 Carolina Queens Rock Hill, SC Lost 22 - 28

2015

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
April 11 Nebraska Stampede Away Won 22-6
April 18 Wisconsin Warriors Home Won 38-7
April 25 Iowa Crush Home Won 14-8
May 9 Madison Blaze Home Lost 8-14
May 16 Nebraska Stampede Home Lost 0-14
May 23 Wisconsin Warriors Away Won 40-0
May 30 Madison Blaze Away Won 12-7
June 13 Iowa Crush Away Won 28-14

2016

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
April 9 Rocky Mountain Thunder Katz Away Won 14-7
April 16 Iowa Crush Home Won 41-0
April 30 Madison Blaze Away Won 21-0
May 7 Detroit Pride Home Won 46-0
May 14 Iowa Crush Away Won 33-0
May 28 Detroit Pride Away Won 58-6
June 4 Madison Blaze Home Won 29-0
June 11 Rocky Mountain Thunder Katz Home Won by forfeit
July 9 (Conference Championship) New York Sharks Home Won 40-34
July 22 (World Championship) Utah Falconz Away Lost 6-49

2017

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
April 1 Madison Blaze Away Won 44-0
April 8 Minnesota Machine Away Won 62-2
April 22 Nebraska Stampede Home Won by forfeit
April 29 Kansas City Titans Home Won 41-0
May 6 Chicago Force Away Loss 0-53
May 20 Kansas City Titans Away Won 54-14
May 27 St Louis Slam Home Loss 21-35
June 3 Minnesota Machine Home Won by forfeit
June 10 WFA Playoffs Div I Round 1 Kansas City Titans Home Won 40-6
June 17 WFA Playoffs Div I Round 2 Dallas Elite Away Loss 0-53

2018

Date Opponent Home/Away Result
April 7 Madison Blaze Away Won 46-0
April 14 Wisconsin Dragons Away Won 40-6
April 21 Kansas City Titans Home Won 33-25
April 28 Detroit Dark Angels Away Won 22-6
May 5 Columbus Vanguards Home Won 40-0
May 19 Madison Blaze Home Won by forfeit
June 2 Wisconsin Dragons Home Won 48-0
June 9 Kansas City Titans Away Loss 19-47
June 30 WFA Playoffs Div II Round 2 Wisconsin Dragons Home Won 35-7
July 14 WFA Div II American Conference Championship Mile High Blaze Home Won 29-6
July 27 WFA Div II National Championship New York Sharks Home Loss 21-27
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