| Pete Shinnick | |
| Current Title: | Head coach |
| Current Team: | Towson |
| Current Conference: | CAA Football |
| Current Record: | 5–6 |
| Birth Date: | 15 May 1965 |
| Player Years1: | 1983–1986 |
| Player Team1: | Colorado |
| Player Positions: | Guard |
| Coach Years1: | 1988 |
| Coach Team1: | Richmond (OL) |
| Coach Years2: | 1989 |
| Coach Team2: | Arkansas (GA/DL) |
| Coach Years3: | 1990–1991 |
| Coach Team3: | Clemson (GA/TE) |
| Coach Years4: | 1992–1993 |
| Coach Team4: | Oregon State (RC) |
| Coach Years5: | 1994 |
| Coach Team5: | Northern Michigan (OL) |
| Coach Years6: | 1995–1997 |
| Coach Team6: | St. Cloud State (OC) |
| Coach Years7: | 1998 |
| Coach Team7: | Humboldt State (OL) |
| Coach Years8: | 1999–2005 |
| Coach Team8: | Azusa Pacific |
| Coach Years9: | 2005–2013 |
| Coach Team9: | UNC Pembroke |
| Coach Years10: | 2014–2022 |
| Coach Team10: | West Florida |
| Coach Years11: | 2023–present |
| Coach Team11: | Towson |
| Overall Record: | 164–73 |
| Tournament Record: | 12–6 (NAIA playoffs) 9–4 (NCAA D-II playoffs) |
| Championships: | 1 NCAA Division II (2019) 2 GSC (2021–2022) |
| Awards: | AFCA Division II Coach of the Year (2017) AFCA Regional Coach of the Year (2017) 2× Don Hansen National Division II Co-Coach of the Year (2017, 2019) |
Pete Shinnick (born May 15, 1965) is an American college football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at the Towson University in Towson, Maryland. As the head coach of West Florida, Shinnick won the school's first football national championship in 2019. The football team began play in 2016. 2017 was a big year for Shinnick, as he led the University of West Florida Argonauts to the NCAA Division II playoffs, making them the fastest team to do so (two years).[1] He broke the record he held at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, that being three years. Shinnick also won the 2017 AFCA Region 2 Coach of the Year.[2] He later won the 2017 AFCA Division II Coach of the Year.[3] On December 21, 2019, Shinnick won the NCAA D-II National Championship with the UWF Argos in just the program's 4th year of existence.[4]
Shinnick previously served as the head football at Azusa Pacific University from 1999 and 2005 and at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke from the program's inception until 2014. After leading Azusa Pacific to an overall record of 53–22, Shinnick was hired as UNC Pembroke's first head coach on December 13, 2005.[5] Over seven seasons at Pembroke, Shinnick compiled an overall record of 50–24.
Shinnick was the eighth head football coach at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California and he held that position for seven seasons, from 1999 until 2005, compiling a record of 53–22.[6]
In 2005, Shinnick was named the head coach at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke Braves, the first football coach at the school since the school discontinued the program in the 1950s.[7]
On January 31, 2014, the University of West Florida announced it had hired Shinnick as the head coach of its newly established football team, which began play in 2016. On November 12, 2017, the Argos had made the playoffs in only the second season, making them the fastest team in NCAA history to do so. They also went to the NCAA D-II National Championship game the same year, breaking another record. On December 21, 2019, Shinnick won the NCAA D-II National Championship with the UWF Argos in just the program's 4th year of existence.[4]
On December 11, 2022, Shinnick was hired to become the head football coach at Towson University.[8]
Shinnick has four children. His father, Don Shinnick, played linebacker for the Baltimore Colts for 13 seasons.[9]