Wisconsin Football Coaches Association

Rick was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, July 26, 1967, to Arnold and Sandra Muellenberg. He graduated from West Salem High School, West Salem, Wisconsin, in 1986. He was elected captain of his football team his senior year.

After his enlistment in the United States Navy ended, Muellenberg continued his football playing career at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where he played linebacker for hall of Fame coach, Roger Harring. Upon completion of his playing career he joined coach Harring’s staff for two years including the 1992 Division III National Championship team. Coach Muellenberg earned a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management and a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from UW-L.

Coach Muellenberg was hired in Bangor in 1998, and was an assistant coach for two years. When he took over in 2000, as the head coach, Bangor had only won one conference championship and qualified for the playoffs one time winning one playoff game.

During Muellenberg’s 20 years as head coach his teams won 10 conference championships, qualified for the playoffs 17 times, advanced to level four 6 times, and won Division 7 State Championships in 2015 and 2017. When Coach Muellenberg stepped down as the head coach Bangor had the state’s longest active conference winning streak at 42 games. The 2017 team led the state in scoring for all divisions. His overall record is 162-55 and playoff coaching record is 28-15. He is the winningest coach in Bangor Football history.

Coach Muellenberg was named Scenic Bluffs Conference Head Coach of the year 8 times, WFCA Region 9 Head Coach of the Year 7 times, and WFCA West Central Region Head Coach of the Year twice. He was also named La Crosse Tribune Area Coach of the Year three times. Other awards were the Coulee Region Sports Commission Coach of the Year in 2010, UW-La Crosse Alumni Coach of the Year in 2010, and in 2015 was named the Associated Press Wisconsin Football Coach of the Year.

Rick met his wife, Kimmi, at UW-La Crosse and they have been married for 27 years. They have one son, Theo, who was a member of both state championship teams. Rick is the middle and high school principal for the Bangor School District and has continued to serve as a volunteer assistant completing his 27th year of coaching this past season. He surrounded himself with great assistant coaches.