Minnesota Vixen
The Minnesota Vixen is a professional women's football team based in the Twin Cities. The team has been known as the Minnesota Vixens and Minneapolis Vixens prior to being known as the Vixen.
Established in 1999, the Vixen are the longest continuously operating women's American football team in the nation. The team plays full contact, tackle football following NCAA rules.
In 2014, the Vixen's record was 6–2 with an invite to the inaugural Legacy Bowl in South Carolina. In 2016, the team went undefeated in the regular season winning the IWFL Midwest Division. They then faced the New York Shark for the IWFL Eastern Conference Championship, winning in double overtime and appeared in the IWFL World Championship Game in South Carolina against the Utah Falconz. In 2017, the Vixen changed leagues and joined the Women's Football Alliance where they continue to compete on a national level. Since joining the WFA the Vixen have appeared in 3 national championship games, 2018, 2021 and 2022.
Since 2015, the Vixen have partnered with Town Square Television to have all Minnesota Vixen home games televised live along with live web streaming. In 2019, the Vixen were the first women's team to offer live broadcast of all regular season games including both home and away via Town Square Television.
Laura Brown is the current owner of the Vixen and has run team operations with James Brown since 2014. Laura Brown was named to the WFA's Owners Board in October 2018.
History
1999 Barnstorming Tour
In 1999, businessmen Carter Turner and Terry Sullivan decided to explore the feasibility of a professional women's football league by gathering together top female athletes from across the United States and dividing them into two teams for a nationwide series of exhibition games. More than 100 women attended tryouts. The teams were named the Minnesota Vixens and the Lake Michigan Minx, and the "No Limits" Barnstorming Tour featured six games in such locations as Miami, Chicago, and New York. The final exhibition game was played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, which the Vixens lost by a score of 30–27.2000: WPFL kicks off
The success of the tour led Turner and Sullivan to form the Women's Professional Football League ; although the Minx would not join the Vixen in the WPFL's first full season, the Austin Rage, Colorado Valkyries, Daytona Beach Barracudas, Houston Energy, Miami Fury, New England Storm, New York Galaxy, New York Sharks, Oklahoma City Wildcats, and Tampa Tempest would join the Vixen to form the WPFL's inaugural roster of teams. The Vixen would finish the regular season unbeaten at 5–0, clinch the Central Division title, and ensure home-field advantage throughout the American Conference playoffs. However, that playoff run would only last one game, as the Vixen lost the American Conference Championship Game to the eventual WPFL Champion Houston Energy by a score of 35–14.2001
In 2001, the Minnesota Vixen entered their third season of competition under new ownership. The team faced early challenges on the road, falling to both the Arizona Caliente and the Indianapolis Vipers. They rebounded at home, defeating the Vipers in a spirited rematch.2002
The Minnesota Vixen opened their 2002 season with a postponed matchup against the Indiana Speed. In their next game, they shut out the Missouri Prowlers 50–0 at home. On the road, the Vixen fell to the Wisconsin Riveters 14–33 and lost a hard-fought battle to the Indiana Speed, 6–11. They responded with another dominant performance against the Prowlers, earning a 53–0 shutout win on the road. The regular season was set to conclude at home against the Riveters.2003
In 2003, the team finished the season with a 3–7 record. They opened with back-to-back losses to the Indiana Speed, followed by a narrow 2–0 road win over the Missouri Prowlers. However, the Vixen struggled against the powerhouse Wisconsin Northern Ice, dropping three high-scoring contests across the season.Despite the setbacks, the Vixen delivered standout performances, including a dominant 61–0 home victory over the Toledo Reign and a 61–12 win in a rematch against the Missouri Prowlers. The team also put up a strong effort in a 19–28 loss to the Syracuse Sting.
2004
In 2004, the Minnesota Vixen bounced back from previous struggles to post a 6–4 record and earn a WPFL playoff berth.The season began with a nail-biting 12–14 road loss to the Indiana Speed, but the Vixen responded in thrilling fashion, edging out the Speed 26–24 in their home opener. After tough losses to the Wisconsin Northern Ice and the Los Angeles Amazons, the Vixen regained momentum with a dominant 27–0 win over the Toledo Reign.
Throughout the second half of the season, the Vixen found their stride, winning four of their last five regular-season games, including a decisive 35–20 victory over the Missouri Avengers and a 30–20 win against the Delaware Griffins. They also picked up a forfeit win on the road against Missouri and closed out the regular season with a 14–8 victory over Toledo.
Earning a spot in the WPFL National Conference Wildcard Game, the Vixen once again faced the Delaware Griffins. In a tough, low-scoring battle, Minnesota came up just short, falling 6–8 to end their postseason run.
2005
In 2005, the Vixen finished the regular season 5–4 and earned a spot in the postseason for the second year in a row.After a rough season opener against powerhouse Houston Energy, the Vixen rebounded with three straight wins—including back-to-back road victories over Toledo Reign and Indiana Speed, followed by a close 18–13 home win in a rematch with Indiana. A tough matchup against the Dallas Diamonds resulted in a 6–62 loss, but the Vixen regrouped with solid wins over Toledo and Empire State Roar.
Despite late-season losses to Indiana and Toledo, the Vixen made the playoffs. In the WPFL National Conference Wildcard Game, they earned a 19–14 win over Indiana, advancing to the National Conference Championship. There, the Vixen faced the New York Dazzles in a defensive battle, narrowly falling 12–14 in one of the closest games of the season.
2006
Opening the season on a high note, the Vixen secured a strong 32–8 home victory over the Toledo Reign. However, the Vixen then dropped six straight games, including close battles against the Indiana Speed and tough losses to the Wisconsin Wolves and Houston Energy—two of the league’s top teams. The rematch against Houston on the road ended in a lopsided 0–66 defeat.2007
The 2007 season marked the end of an era for the Minnesota Vixen as they played their final year in the WPFL. The team finished with a 2–5 record, placing third in the National Conference, North Division.After a slow start that included close losses to Indiana and Wisconsin, and tough defeats against the powerhouse Los Angeles Amazons, the Vixen found their stride late in the year. They notched a 7–0 home win over the Indiana Speed in a gritty defensive battle, followed by an 18–6 road victory over the Toledo Reign to close the season.
Shortly after the season concluded, the Vixen made the strategic decision to leave the WPFL and join the National Women's Football Association.
2008
In 2008, the Minnesota Vixen entered a new chapter as members of the NWFA—their first and only season in the league. The team delivered a dominant regular-season performance and finishing with a 6–2 record, securing second place in the Northern Conference, North Division and qualifying for the playoffs.The Vixen opened their season with a commanding three-game win streak, shutting out the Indianapolis Chaos, Tree Town Spitfire, and Kansas City Storm. Their only two regular-season losses came at the hands of the division powerhouse, West Michigan Mayhem—once on the road and again at home in a much closer match-up. Additional wins included another blowout over the Chaos, a second shutout against Tree Town, and a forfeit victory over the Kansas City Storm.
Earning a spot in the NWFA playoffs, the Vixen faced a familiar opponent—the West Michigan Mayhem, who had handed them their only two regular-season losses. Unfortunately, the playoff result mirrored their previous meetings, with the Vixen falling 7–31 to the eventual NWFA runners-up.
Following the season, the Vixen transitioned once again—this time joining the Independent Women’s Football League.
2013
Competing in the IWFL Tier II, the Vixen posted a 6–3 regular-season record in 2013 and returned to the playoffs.The season began with a forfeit win over the Rockford Riveters, followed by a narrow 20–26 road loss to the Wisconsin Warriors. The Vixen stumbled again against the Madison Blaze but rebounded with a gritty 6–0 win on the road against the Iowa Crush. Another forfeit win against Rockford helped steady their record, and momentum grew as the Vixen defeated the Warriors 51–7 in a dominant home performance.
They split their final two regular-season games—falling to Madison on the road but finishing strong with a 26–6 victory over Iowa. Earning a postseason spot, the Vixen advanced past the Warriors by forfeit in the first round of the IWFL Tier II playoffs but fell just short in a tight 14–18 loss to the Arlington Impact.
2013 also marked the arrival of a key figure in Vixen history: Laura Brown joined the team as a rookie. Her passion for the game and leadership qualities would eventually lead her to become the team’s owner, playing a central role in shaping the Vixen’s future both on and off the field.