Warrior Football Camps

Defensive Coaching Staff

Brian Curtin
Co-Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs

Brian Curtin has been on the sideline with the Warrior coaching staff for over 20 years. Curtin tutors WSU defensive backs while also serving as the team’s co-defensive coordinator.

Curtin has been a member of head coach Tom Sawyer’s staff almost from the beginning, helping turn around a program and usher in an era of unprecedented success. Curtin joined the Winona Staff football staff in 1997 - Sawyer's second year as the head coach.

Curtin has helped the Warriors to eight NSIC Championships, as well as the 2010 NSIC South Division crown. WSU has advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs six times since Curtin’s arrival while also playing in three Mineral Water Bowls.

Curtin’s defenses have been a major part in the Warriors’ success. Building their team around a stingy, ball-hawking unit, Curtin helped tutor five consecutive NSIC Defensive Players of the Year. A Warrior claimed the honor from 2002-2006, with Curtin personally coaching safety John Tackmann to the award in 2005 and 2006.

Tackmann was an All-American under Curtin’s watchful eye in 2005 and 2006. He also coached Jamey Hutchinson to First Team All-American honors in 1997. Most recently, Curtin coached the 2018 NSIC Defensive Player of the Year and Don Hansen Super Region 5 Defensive Player of the Year - Andrew Spencer. Cornerback Isaiah Hall was also named an All-American under his watch in 2018.

Curtin has helped the Warriors to six seasons of 10 or more victories and 13 campaigns in which the team won at least eight games. His defenses also helped the team compile a 35-game home conference winning streak that began in 1999 and stretched through the end of the 2008 season.

Since joining the WSU staff, Curtin has helped tutor defensive units that led the NSIC in turnover margin (five times), scoring defense (three times), total defense (twice), rush defense and passing efficiency defense.

Both Ryan Williams and Chris Norgaard earned All-Conference honors in 2012, with Norgaard also gaining All-Region accolades as WSU went 10-2 and won the Mineral Water Bowl.

Curtin played football at Winona State and was a member of the 1993 NSIC Championship team. That squad went 7-4 overall and 5-1 in conference play to earn the only NAIA Playoff bid in school history. The Warriors repeated as NSIC Champions in 1994, posting a 7-3-1 overall record and 5-0-1 mark in league play.

Curtin graduated from Winona State University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Teaching with an emphasis in Social Science and History. He also earned a Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership from Winona State University.

Curtin is also an advisor for the Student-Athlete Services department at Winona State, as well as being an instructor in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science.

Curtin lives in Winona with his wife Sarah and their two children, Caitlin and Patrick.

Spencer Erickson
Co-Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Line

Spencer Erickson joined the Winona State University football coaching staff in March, 2022. Erickson comes to WSU from South Dakota State University, where he worked with the SDSU defensive lineman and served as co-coordinator of the special teams unit. The Iola, Wis. product began serving on the Jackrabbit staff in 2018.  Prior to his stint at South Dakota State, Erickson was on staff at Bemidji State, serving as a graduate assistant coach for the Beavers.  While there, Erickson earned his Masters of Arts in Teaching degree.

As an undergraduate, Erickson served as a student-coach for the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, where he also earned his bachelor's degree in elementary education. 

Pete Menage
Assistant Coach - Linebackers and Special Teams

Pete Menage joined the Winona State football coaching staff in February, 2022.

Menage comes to Winona State having worked since 2020 at Northern Illinois University.  While with the NCAA Division I Huskies, the Rock Rapids, Iowa native worked with both the NIU safeties and linebackers.

Menage is a 2020 South Dakota State graduate, where he lined up as a safety for the Jackrabbits.  As a student-athlete, he was a member of the team’s leadership council and served on the SDSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Menage spent his final two years at SDSU as a student assistant coach, working with the safeties and linebackers.

Menage is married to the former Shaylee Struckman.

Max Race
Assistant Coach - Defense

Max Race joined the Warrior football staff in January, 2022. He will serve as an assistant coach with the Winona State defense.

Race spent the past three seasons at the University of North Dakota. Between 2019 and 2020, he was a student intern and in 2021 became a volunteer coach working with the defensive line. Race graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education degree.

As a player, Race started his college career at Valley City State University from 2016-2017 serving most of his time with the scout team. He would then transfer to North Dakota State College of Science. As the starting quarterback, he led the Wildcats to a 9-2 record and runner-up finish in the Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC).

Race graduated from Cedarburg (Wis.) High School in 2016. He lettered in football all four years, made 14 starts, and was captain as a senior. Cedarburg qualified for the playoffs in all four years. Race also participated in basketball, rugby, and curling.

Max lives in Winona with his fiancée, Maren. They are set to be married in June of 2023.