University of Minnesota Morris Athletics

Robert Cushman enters his third season at the helm of the Cougar football program in 2017.

In his first year at UMM Cushman took the reigns and lead the Cougars from a no win season to a 4-6 overall record and a 4-5 UMAC record. That mark improved in his second season, 2016, when the Cougars amassed a 6-4 record (5-4 in UMAC) which included an undefeated home record (5-0), for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Prior to UMM, Cushman came to Morris from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, where he produced five Academic All-Americans, a National Football Foundation Scholar, and an NCAA Division III All-American.
 
Cushman served as head coach at Augustana from 2011-14 and as defensive coordinator from 2008-10. The Augustana Knights earned a third-place finish in the competitive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) with a 5-5 record overall in 2014. CCIW schools have accounted for 47 national championships in NCAA Division III competition, including four in football. As head coach Cushman produced 22 All-Conference players at Augustana.
 
Cushman has experience building competitive football programs. He was the first head coach hired at Feather River College in Quincy, California, in 2002, where he created a new community college program that went 6-5 in its first year. The program’s 80 student athletes enjoyed post-season bowl invitations all five years Cushman led the program and amassed a record of 34-21.
 
After Feather River, Cushman returned to DIII football, serving as an assistant coach at Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y. in 2007.
 
Prior to the Feather River post, Cushman served as head coach at Eastern Oregon University, an NCAA DIII and NAIA-affiliated program in Le Grande, Oregon, from 1997 through 2001. He grew the team roster to 100 athletes and was the first faculty/coach to receive the university’s award for teaching excellence.
 
Cushman’s early career includes experience as a high-school English teacher, head football coach, and head baseball coach.
 
Cushman earned his bachelor’s degree in communications at the University of Puget Sound (Washington), a nationally recognized liberal arts college.  He was a four-year letterman and two-year starter in football at Puget Sound, competing on a team that finished 9-2 and was ranked ninth in the NCAA DII his senior year.

He earned his Master of Arts degree at California State University–Chico and began his coaching career there as an assistant coach.

Coaching Record:
2015-16- Minnesota Morris - 10-10 overall, 9-9 UMAC
2014-11- Augustana - 17-23
2002-06- Feather River - 34-21
1997-01- Eastern Oregon - 18-31

Record- 79-85 overall 9-9 UMAC