Hall of Fame
The 2011 Pittsburg State University football team captured the school's second NCAA Division II National Championship — and the program's fourth national title overall — on Dec. 17, 2011. The Gorillas defeated Wayne (Mich.) State University, 35-21, in the NCAA Division II National Championship Game at Florence, Ala., to complete a 13-1 season under second-year head coach Tim Beck. Pitt State posted a 9-1 record in the regular season, capturing the 2011 MIAA Championship on Nov. 12 with a 51-28 victory over Missouri Southern in the regular season finale in Pittsburg.
The Gorillas avenged their only loss of the season by beating Washburn University, 31-22, in the second round of NCAA playoffs. Pitt State, which won a dramatic 38-35 victory over defending MIAA champion and No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri State University on Oct. 1 at Arrowhead Stadium, defeated the Bearcats, 41-16, in the NCAA quarterfinals. The Gorillas advanced to the title game with a 49-23 victory over Delta State University in the national semifinals.
Sophomore linebacker Nate Dreiling was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year and ultimately was a consensus first-team All-America selection. Seven other Gorillas earned All-America honors in 2011, including sophomore wide receiver John Brown (now a member of the Arizona Cardinals) who was a first-team All-MIAA selection as both a receiver and a return specialist.