The Iowa House and Senate have passed resolutions today honoring the Grand View football team for being national champions in their division this past season.  Senator Dick Dearden, a Democrat from Des Moines,  invited the team to stand on the senate floor — with their trophy.

“Grand View’s always been known for its academic excellence and today, now, for their athletic excellence also,” Dearden said. “And also their wrestling team, for the third time, has won a national championship and we’ll have to have them up here, also.”

Senator Brad Zaun, a Republican from Urbandale who is a graduate of what was then known as Grand View College, said the institution has changed  “dramatically” since he was there.

“Grand View University has become a powerhouse — not only on the field, but off the field,” Zaun said. “And the greatest thing about these young people here is that so many of them are from Iowa and they stay in Iowa.”

Grand View coach Mike Woodley was the American Football Coaches’ Association NAIA National Coach of the Year in 2013. Senator Jack Whitver, a Republican from Ankeny, was a three-year starter on the Iowa State football team when Woodley was an assistant ISU coach.

“I can tell you he’s not only a great football coach, but he’s a great man and someone that cares not only about building great football players, but about building great young men with great character,” Whitver said. “And finally I’d just like to recognize two of my good friends and former teammates at Iowa State who are a big part of this success — Austin Flynn and Joey Woodley. Austin is the offensive coordinator for Grand View  and Joey is the defensive coordinator and these are both tremendous coaches that I expect big things from in the future.”

Grand View finished the 2013 season with a 14-0 record in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics division. On December 21st, the Grand View Vikings beat the University of the Cumberlands 35-23 to win the national championship. The school just started its football program seven years ago.

Grand View was founded in Des Moines in 1896 and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church.  More than 2300 students are enrolled at Grand View today.