Loras College Athletics

Steve Helminiak enters his 35th year as a football coach and his 12th as the head football coach at Loras College in 2025. Helminiak returned to Loras College in 2011, rejoining the Duhawk football staff as the offensive line coach. A 1991 graduate of Loras College with a degree in business management, Helminiak played four seasons as an offensive and defensive lineman for coach Bob Bierie, who is the all-time wins leader at Loras College.

After his playing career as a Duhawk, Helminiak joined Bierie’s staff as a student-assistant, working his way up to become the offensive line coach and eventually the offensive coordinator at the conclusion of his first go-round with the Duhawks. Helminiak spent 11 seasons (1990-2000) on Bierie’s staff and was his longest tenured assistant. During those 11 seasons, the Duhawk football program went 64-45-1, a winning percentage of 59 percent.

Prior to Helminiak’s return to Loras, he was the head football coach at Southern Oregon University (2006-2010), an NAIA program. During his time at Southern Oregon, Helminiak steered the program through turbulent times. With no conference and only three NAIA programs on the west coast at the time, SOU played more NCAA Division II and NCAA FBS I teams than NAIA opponents. Helminiak compiled an 11-6 record versus NAIA opponents, including a 4-1 record against perennial NAIA power Azusa Pacific University.

Throughout his time at SOU, he coached one AFCA All-American, five VSN All-Americans, the 2009 NAIA Independent Offensive Player of the Year and 31 NAIA All-Independent selections. Helminiak was also instrumental in starting the Raider Red Zone – the Football Alumni Club of Southern Oregon University. In the 2004 and 2005 seasons, Helminiak served as the offensive coordinator/offensive line coach at Rockford College. In those two years, Rockford posted back-to-back seven-win seasons, compiling a 14-6 overall record. In just two seasons, his offenses produced one Nationally Ranked Quarterback – Passing Efficiency – 12th NCAA Division III, one Nationally Ranked Rusher – 21st NCAA Division III, one Nationally Ranked Rushing Offensive – 15th NCAA Division III, one All-Conference Most Valuable Lineman, 22 All-Conference Selections, and one Academic All-Conference selection.

In all, during Helminiak’s two stretches at Loras, he has coached three All-Americans, one CoSIDA Academic All-American, one GTE Academic All-District selection, five NCAA III All-West Region selectees, 63 All-Conference Selections and numerous Honorable Mention All-Conference selections. His offensive line units paved the way for ten 1,000-yard rushers, and the top two rushers in Loras College history, both of whom rank among the all-time leading rushers in Division III.

Helminiak and his wife, Kelli (Forde) (’98), live in Dubuque with their five children: Elizabeth, Emily, Kathryn, Joseph and Lauren.