Mark Maciejewski ’92/’96M is in his 15th year as the head football coach at Shippensburg University. The 2025 campaign marks his 25th season overall at his alma mater. In addition to his role as the head coach, Maciejewski also instructs the secondary.
A two-time AFCA Division II Region 1 Coach of the Year, Maciejewski has guided SU Football to an 85-61 record in 13 seasons of competition. He is second all-time on Shippensburg’s coaching wins list.
Maciejewski is the only coach in school history with six or more consecutive winning seasons. Shippensburg’s streak of consecutive winning seasons to begin Maciejewski’s tenure (2011-18) equaled the school record of eight that was originally set from 1950-57 under coaches Vinton Rambo (1950-54) and Jack Roddick (1955-57).
The 25 victories achieved in Maciejewski’s first three seasons (2011-13) are the most in a three-year span in the 116 years of organized football history at Shippensburg University.
During Maciejewski’s tenure, Shippensburg boasts the No. 4 scoring offense in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) – averaging 35.4 points per game – and the fourth-most sacks per game in the league (2.60). SU has totaled 323 sacks over the last 11 seasons.
Maciejewski’s mantra is “Shared Vision, Common Goals, Consistent Winner.” His teams have re-written more than 200 school records during his tenure. In 2015, Shippensburg led Division II with a +20 turnover margin, including a school-record low of just 10 giveaways. SU matched its record-low 10 giveaways in 2016 and was the only NCAA Division II team to lose just one fumble on the season.
Maciejewski (pronounced muh-CHESS-key) was named head coach on Dec. 8, 2010. Maciejewski, known as ‘Coach Mac,’ is in his fourth different coaching role with his alma mater.
Coach Mac, with wife Tricia, and sons Brady and Levi (August 2021)
Scholastically, Shippensburg has produced 20 Capital One Academic All-District honorees and six Academic All-Americans under Maciejewski – including two-time Academic All-American Mike Frenette. A total of 21 SU football players have been named to the National Football Foundation’s Hampshire Honor Society over the four seasons for their cumulative academic excellence.
Another Maciejewski trademark is Shippensburg’s performance at SU Student Association Field at Seth Grove Stadium. Shippensburg has established a significant home-field advantage under Maciejewski, posting a 42-20 record at Seth Grove Stadium over the last 11 seasons, including a 6-0 home record in 2021. It marked SU's first undefeated season at Seth Grove Stadium since 2012 and just the second this century. SU has scored at least 17 points in 56 of its 62 home games under Maciejewski.
Maciejewski’s coaching background is on defense. SU has totaled 61 All-PSAC defensive selections in Maciejewski’s 15 seasons as head coach, associate head coach or defensive coordinator.
His coaching expertise is the secondary. With Maciejewski on the sidelines, Shippensburg has totaled 21 All-PSAC selections from the defensive backfield – including at least one first-team honoree from 2003-09.
Maciejewski was instrumental in the recruitment and mentorship of current Tampa Bay Buccaneer defensive back Brent Grimes, who finished his career as the PSAC’s all-time leader in interceptions with 27. Grimes, a three-time college All-American and a 12-year National Football League (NFL) veteran, was selected to three Pro Bowls.
In 2023, the Raiders boasted the PSAC's No. 1 defense in terms of yardage allowed and held the opposition to 10 points or less on four separate occasions.
The 2022 season featured several record-breaking individual performances. Dynamic wide receiver/kick returner Redd Douglas piled up a new Shippensburg University record 350 all-purpose yards in a Week 2 thrashing of Seton Hill, while linebacker Matt Feeney tallied a new program record 6.5 tackles for loss in a win at Bloomsburg.
The Raiders finished the 2021 campaign with a 9-2 record, the team’s best mark since 2017. It was the seventh time in school history that the Raiders won nine or more games in a season. SU finished the season ranked No. 8 in the Super Region One rankings and its only two losses came at the hands of the region’s Top 2 teams.
Following the 2017 season, Maciejewski was named the AFCA Division II Region 1 Coach of the Year and PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year after guiding Shippensburg to a 10-2 record. The team made its sixth NCAA postseason appearance in school history, hosting an opening-round game at Seth Grove Stadium, and posted its fifth 10-win season in school history.
Defensively, Shippensburg was ferocious in 2017. SU posted the top red-zone defense in NCAA Division II (.556) and led the PSAC in numerous statistical categories, including turnover margin (1.33; 2nd in D2), scoring defense (13.0; 3rd in D2), team pass efficiency defense (89.55; 3rd in D2), total defense (268.8; 4th in D2) and defensive touchdowns (5; 8th in D2). SU also set a school record with 103 tackles-for-loss (TFLs) and allowed 156 points for the season – the fewest yielded since 2003.
The 2016 season featured an SU defense that finished the year allowing just 187 points (17.0 points per game). The unit was highlighted by senior linebacker Allen Holman – the 2016 PSAC Eastern Division Defensive Player of the Year. Holman is just the second player in school history to be named a PSAC Defensive Player of the Year, joining Jake Metz in 2013.
In 2014, SU posted a winning record despite significant injuries at numerous positions, including one game in which the team did not have a quarterback able to throw. SU’s offense was No. 8 in Division II and featured wide receiver Trevor Harman, who signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Its defense included defensive back Chavez Cheatham, the PSAC Eastern Division Rookie of the Year.
The 2013 campaign – Maciejewski’s third at the helm – featured seven wins and a No. 8 position in the Atlantic Region rankings during the regular season. SU also won its first three home games, resulting in a school record of 12 consecutive victories at Seth Grove Stadium Nov. 5, 2011 through Oct. 26, 2013.
Also in 2013, SU set or tied 38 school records. Defensive linemen Jake Metz became the school’s first defensive player to ever win a PSAC Player of the Year award and was honored as SU’s first AFCA All-American since 2009, while wide receiver Trevor Harman earned Associated Press (AP) All-America honors after leading Division II with 22 touchdown receptions.
In 2012, Maciejewski was named the AFCA Division II Region 1 Coach of the Year and PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year while being selected as one of five finalists for Liberty Mutual’s Division II Coach of the Year award. Maciejewski guided SU to an 11-2 record and the second round of the NCAA playoffs.
In just his second year at the helm, Maciejewski instructed a group of players that opened the season with 10 consecutive victories, played in the PSAC “State Game,” earned the No. 3 seed for Super Region 1 in the 2012 NCAA Football Championships and broke or tied 73 school records along the way.
SU hosted No. 4 seed Bloomsburg in the opening round of the postseason and defeated the Huskies, 58-20. The triumph marked the first NCAA tournament victory for Shippensburg since 1991 – a season in which Maciejewski was an All-American nose guard – and also marked just the second time in school history that a SU squad achieved 11 or more victories in a season.
Maciejewski’s Raiders featured an offense directed by current Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich that scored 609 points and 83 touchdowns en route to 6,889 yards of total offense in 2012 – leading the nation in total offense (529.92) and ranking second in scoring offense by averaging 46.8 points per game.
Quarterback Zach Zulli was the 2012 Harlon Hill Trophy winner as Division II’s top football player. Zulli led all divisions of college football with 54 touchdown passes and 4,747 passing yards – tying the NCAA single-season record for touchdown passes in a season while breaking NCAA single-season records for points responsible for in a season (344) and touchdowns responsible for in a season (57).
His defense contributed to six new school records – including six defensive touchdowns scored in one season and 11.5 sacks by lineman Jake Metz. Both Zulli and Metz were named to the 2012 AP Little All-America Teams, marking the first SU football players to be honored since current Miami Dolphin Brent Grimes in 2005.
In 2011, SU posted only its second winning season since 2004 – highlighted by a four-game winning streak to close out the season. In its seven victories, Shippensburg scored at least 40 points and outscored its opponents by a 327-94 margin to boast an average victory of 33.2 points. SU set five offensive single-season school records and led the NCAA with 25.5 first downs per game.
The 2011 defense finished the season with 93 tackles for loss, good for the second-most in a single season since 1979. It also amassed 38 sacks, the most since 1991 and the third-most overall in school history. Those 38 sacks – which tied SU for fifth in Division II – added up to 292 yards lost by the opposing offense, which became a new school record. The defensive unit was also tied for eighth in red zone defense and tied for ninth in interceptions. It was 15th in tackles for loss and 23rd in fewest third downs allowed.
Maciejewski began his coaching career as an SU graduate assistant in 1995 and 1996. After stints at James Madison and Saint Francis, he returned to coach the SU secondary from 2000-02 before serving as the defensive coordinator from 2003-04. From 2006-10, Maciejewski was named Shippensburg’s assistant head coach and was once again charged with leading the secondary.
Maciejewski served as the team’s defensive coordinator for two seasons in 2003 and 2004 and masterminded one of the best overall units in Division II. During that time, Shippensburg compiled an 18-5 record and the defense led the PSAC in scoring defense, rushing defense, pass defense efficiency and total defense while also ranking second in pass defense twice and turnover margin in 2004.
Shippensburg finished second in the nation in scoring defense and fifth in total defense in 2004 after being ranked fourth in total defense and fifth in scoring defense in 2003. SU was 11th in Division II in rushing defense in 2004 and 13th in 2003 while ranking fifth in pass defense efficiency in 2003 and ninth in 2004.
Before Maciejewski was named defensive coordinator, Shippensburg was ranked 27th in the nation in total defense in 2002 and 28th in 2001.
Maciejewski’s work with the defensive backs could also be seen over the course of three seasons from 2002-04 as Shippensburg totaled 57 interceptions during that time, increasing from 13 in 2002 to 19 in 2003 and to 25 in 2004.
In 2004, the defense had nine of its 11 players named All-PSAC Western Division, an increase from four the previous year, including three of the four defensive backs as Brent Grimes and Mike Street both earned first team selections while Antonio Williams received second team honors.
In 2008, Shippensburg’s pass defense was one of the strongest in Division II, ranking 13th out of 148 teams in the nation and third in the highly competitive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Overall, the defense ranked 36th in Division II.
In 2009, Shippensburg’s hard-hitting defense produced numerous record-setting performances en route to a PSAC Championship and was among the top-ranked units in the nation for several categories. SU ranked among the Top 40 teams in Division II for sacks (2.58/game), pass efficiency defense (109.39) and tackles for loss (7.3/game).
Shippensburg had the now-third-most tackles for loss in a single season (88) and the fourth-most sacks in a single season (32). Fourteen players had multiple TFLs. Nine players had at least one sack in 2009 while nine different players had at least one interception - the first time that an SU squad had done so in 10 years.
In 2010, SU ranked 25th in Division II with nearly eight tackles for loss per game while also ranking among the nation’s Top 50 teams for both turnover margin and sacks per game. Shippensburg had at least one sack in all 11 games in 2010 and was held without a sack just three times in three years from 2011-13.
Maciejewski served two years as the SU graduate assistant in 1995 and 1996 before serving as the defensive ends and assistant special teams coach in 1997 for Division I-AA James Madison. He then moved to assistant secondary coach for the Dukes in 1998.
In 1999, Maciejewski was the defensive coordinator at Saint Francis (Pa.) where the Red Flash ranked sixth in the Northeast Conference in total defense and fifth in sacks and opponent third-down conversions.
As an SU Athletics Hall of Fame defensive lineman from 1989-92, Maciejewski was one of the most intimidating players in football history and is one of just three players in program history to receive All-PSAC First Team honors in three consecutive seasons at the same position. Both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees are in environmental science.
Maciejewski finished his playing career with 23 sacks and 28 tackles for loss as a nose guard. He earned Weekly Football Gazette and AP All-America Third Team honors in 1991 and 1992; the 1991 team advanced to the NCAA Division II Football Championships.
A native of Punxsutawney, Maciejewski and his wife Tricia currently live in Shippensburg and are the proud parents of their two sons: Brady and Levi.
PERSONAL
Alma Mater: Shippensburg ’92/’96M
Family: Wife, Tricia; Sons, Brady and Levi
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Shippensburg
2011-present Head Coach
2006-2010 Assistant Head Coach/Secondary
2003-2004 Assistant Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
2000-2002 Assistant Coach - Secondary
St. Francis
1999 Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator
James Madison
1998 Assistant Coach - Secondary
1997 Assistant Coach - Defensive Ends/Special Teams
Shippensburg
1995-96 Graduate Assistant Coach
Year-By-Year (as head coach)
Year Overall Conf. Postseason
2024 2-9 1-6
2023 3-8 2-5
2022 5-6 3-4
2021 9-2 5-2
2020 -
2019 4-7 4-3
2018 6-5 3-3
2017 10-2 6-1 NCAA First Round
2016 7-4 4-3
2015 8-3 5-2
2014 6-5 5-4
2013 7-4 6-1
2012 11-2 7-0 NCAA Second Round
2011 7-4 4-3
85-61 55-37
