DALLAS, TEXAS — The American Football Coaches Association capped its 2011 convention by presenting its top coaching award — AFCA Coach of the Year — to five outstanding coaches today.
Oregon’s Chip Kelly, Delaware’s K.C. Keeler, Minnesota-Duluth’s Bob Nielson, Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Lance Leipold and Carroll’s Mike Van Diest are the 2010 AFCA National Coach of the Year winners. Kelly in FBS, Keeler in FCS, Nielson in Division II, Leipold in Division III and Van Diest in NAIA.
The winners are selected by a vote of the Active AFCA members (coaches at four-year schools) in the Association’s five divisions. The AFCA has named a Coach of the Year since 1935. The AFCA Coach of the Year award is the oldest and most prestigious of all the Coach of the Year awards and is the only one chosen exclusively by the coaches themselves.

Chip Kelly led the Ducks to a 12-1 record, the Pac-10 Conference title and an appearance in the BCS National Championship game. He has a 22-4 overall record in his two years as head coach, with two Pac-10 titles and two Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors. Kelly is the first coach in Oregon history to lead the Ducks to an undefeated regular season and an appearance in a national championship game.

Keeler led the Blue Hens to a 12-3 record, a share of the Colonial Athletic Association title and an appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision national championship in 2010. This was the third FCS national championship game appearance for Delware in Keeler’s nine years as head coach. He owns a 74-42 record at Delaware and an overall record of 162-63-1 at Delaware and Rowan.

Bob Nielson led the Bulldogs to a 15-0 record, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and the school’s second NCAA Division II title in 2010. Since returning as head coach in 2008, Nielson owns a 41-2 record with three straight NSIC titles, two national titles and two seasons with records of 15-0. He has a record of 79-21 in his eight seasons at Minnesota-Duluth, and an overall record of 149-54-1 in 17 seasons as a head coach.

Lance Leipold led Wisconsin-Whitewater to a 15-0 record, its sixth consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and its third NCAA Division III championship in the last four seasons in 2010. Leipold also earned AFCA Coach of the Year honors in 2007 and 2009 when he led Whitewater to national titles in those seasons. Leipold has a four-year career record of 57-3 at Whitewater. The Warhawks have advanced to the Division III title game in each of Leipold’s first four seasons at the school.

Mike Van Diest led the Fighting Saints to a 14-0 record, an 11th consecutive Frontier Conference title and the NAIA championship this season to earn NAIA National Coach of the Year honors for the third time. His 11th consecutive post-season appearance streak is first among active schools, The title is the sixth for Van Diest in 12 seasons as head coach. Van Diest has an overall record of 144-20, including 87 wins in his last 91 games. He also has a record of 139-14 since 2000, holding the most wins of any NAIA school during that span and second most of any team in the NCAA (Mount Union (Ohio) has 149 wins). The Saints finished the regular season undefeated for the sixth time in the last eight years, including 43 straight conference wins. Van Diest is No. 1 among NAIA active coaches in win percentage at .878. He has won 28 of last 31 games in the Football Championship Series and his teams have won six national championships since 2002. Van Diest previously earned AFCA National Coach of the Year honors in 2003 and 2007.

“I am very proud of what Mike and the Carroll football program have accomplished, both on and off the field,” said Carroll Director of Athletics Bruce Parker. “The NAIA talks a lot about Champions of Character and, believe me when I say, Mike Van Diest is a champion when it comes to character. He brings integrity to our college football family with his straightforward honesty, high expectations for performance and commitment to team goals. We are so very lucky to have Mike at the helm of our Carroll College football program." Parker would add.

The winners will be honored Tuesday evening at the AFCA Coach of the Year Dinner at the Hilton Anatole Hotel.


All-Time Winners: A total of 147 men representing 106 institutions have been honored by the AFCA as AFCA National Coach of the Year since the program was established in 1935.

First Year Coach of the Year: Richmond’s Mike London and Valdosta State’s David Dean are the only coaches to earn AFCA National Coach of the Year honors in their first season as a head coach. Dean was the Division II winner in 2007. London was the FCS winner in 2008.

Most Schools: Jim Tressel is the only coach to win AFCA National Coach of the Year honors at two different schools and the only to win the honor in two different divisions. Tressel earned AFCA honors at Division I-A Ohio State in 2002 and Division I-AA Youngstown State in 1991 and 1994.

Top Individuals: Larry Kehres of Mount Union is the only coach in AFCA history to win National Coach of the Year honors nine times. He has earned the award in Mount Union’s national championship seasons of 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006 and 2008. Joe Paterno of Penn State earned his Division I-A fifth National Coach of the Year Award in 2005 (1968-72-82-86). Northwest Missouri State’s Mel Tjeerdsma (1998-99-2008-09) joins Bob Reade of Augustana (Ill.) College as the only four-time AFCA Coach of the Year winners. Reade earned the honor in 1983-84-85-86 in College Division II (Now Division III). Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Lance Leipold (2007, 2009-10) and Carroll’s Mike Van Diest (2003, 2007, 2010) join Sioux Falls’ Kalen DeBoer (2006, 2008-09), Appalachian State’s Jerry Moore (2005-06-07), Youngstown State and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel (1991-94-2003), Alabama’s Bear Bryant (1961, 1971, 1973) and North Alabama’s Bobby Wallace (1993-94-95) as the only three-time Coach of the Year winners. Moore, Wallace, Reade and Kehres are the only coaches to win the award in three or more consecutive seasons.

Top Schools: Mount Union is the only institution to have a representative win the AFCA National Coach of the Year Award nine times. Georgia Southern and Penn State are the only schools with five winners. Northwest Missouri State, Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, Augustana (Ill.), Grand Valley State, North Dakota State, Wittenberg and Wisconsin-Whitewater are four-time winners.
Larry Kehres has won all nine awards for Mount Union. Paul Johnson (1999, 2000), Erk Russell (1986, 1989) and Tim Stowers (1990) are Georgia Southern’s honorees. Mel Tjeerdsma accounts for all of Northwest Missouri’s awards. Lloyd Carr (1997), Fritz Crisler (1947), Bennie Oosterbaan (1948) and Bo Schembechler (1969) are Michigan’s winners. Bill Edwards (1962, 1963) and Dave Maurer (1973, 1975), his successor, are responsible for Wittenberg being listed in the select group. North Dakota State’s national winners are Don Morton (1983), Earle Solomonson (1986) and Rocky Hager (1988, 1990). Gene Stallings earned Coach of the Year honors in 1992 to join three-time winner Bear Bryant as Alabama’s winners. Penn State’s Paterno and Augustana’s Reade account for all of their school’s awards. Ohio State’s Jim Tressel joins Carroll Widdoes (1944), Woody  Hayes (1957) and Earle Bruce (1979) as one of the four Buckeye coaches to win the award. Chuck Martin (2005-2006) joins Brian Kelly (2002-2003) as the winners from Grand Valley State. Lance Leipold’s three honors and Bob Berezowitz’s 2005 National Coach of the Year award account for Wisconsin-Whitewater’s four honors.
K.C. Keeler’s (2010) first Coach of the Year award, along with Tubby Raymond’s tow honors (1971-72), puts Delaware in exclusive company as one of six schools with three winners. Delaware joins Appalachian State (Jerry More, 2005-06-07), USC (John McKay, 1962, 1972; Pete Carroll, 2003), Furman (Dick Sheridan, 1985; Jimmy Satterfield, 1988; Bobby Johnson, 2001), North Alabama (Bobby Wallace, 1993-94-95) and Sioux Falls (Kalen DeBoer 2006, 2008-09) in the triple winner category.

Two-Timers: Andy Talley joined an exclusive group of two-time Coach the year winners. Chuck Martin, Brian Kelly, Jim Tressel, Paul Johnson, Bill Edwards, Dave Maurer, John McKay, Rocky Hager, Erk Russell, Darrell Royal, Texas (1963, 1970), Harold “Tubby” Raymond, Delaware, Joe Glenn, Northern Colorado (1996-97) and Jim Butterfield, Ithaca (1988, 1991) are the repeat winners.

Back-to-Back: Paul Johnson, Bill Edwards, Bob Reade, Tubby Raymond, Bobby Wallace, Joe Glenn, Larry Kehres, Mel Tjeerdsma, Brian Kelly, Jerry Moore, Chuck Martin, Kalen DeBoer and Lance Leipold are the only coaches to win national honors in consecutive years. No FBS coach has won the award in consecutive years. Kehres is the only coach to win three consecutive Coach of the Year awards twice, while Tjeerdsma is the only coach to win two consecutive Coach of the Year awards twice.

Fit to be Tied: In 2003, Brian Kelly and Mike Van Diest became the fourth duo in the history of the AFCA National Coach of the Year award to finish in a tie for the honor and the first non-I-A coaches to share the award. Larry Coker and Ralph Friedgen finished in a tie for the honor in 2001. In 1964, Frank Broyles of Arkansas and Ara Parseghian of Notre Dame shared the award and in 1970, Charlie McClendon of Louisiana State and Darrell Royal of Texas were co-winners.

Like Father, Like Son: Jim Tressel and his father, Lee, are the only father-son combination to win Coach of the Year honors in AFCA history. Lee Tressel was named College Division Coach of the Year in 1978 at Baldwin-Wallace.



AFCA Coach of the Year Bios

Football Bowl Subdivision
Chip Kelly, University of Oregon
First AFCA National Coach of the Year Award ... Led the Ducks to a 12-1 record, the Pac-10 Conference title and an appearance in the BCS National Championship game this season ... First coach in Pac-10 history to guide his team to two conference titles in his first two seasons as head coach ... Has a 22-4 overall record in his two seasons at Oregon ... First Oregon coach to lead the Ducks to back-to-back BCS bowl games ... Helped Oregon achieve its first-ever No. 1 ranking in program history.

Football Championship Subdivision
K.C. Keeler, University of Delaware
First AFCA National Coach of the Year Award ... Led the Blue Hens to a 12-3 record, a share of the Colonial Athletic Association title and an appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision national championship game this season ... Has guided Delaware to three national title games, winning the national championship in 2003 with a 15-1 record ... Keeler has a nine-year record of 74-42 at Delaware, and a 162-63-1 overall record in his 18 years as a head coach at Delaware and Rowan ... Has guided his teams at Delaware and Rowan to six conference championships ... Keeler led Rowan to seven Division III national semifinal appearances and five national championship game appearances in his nine years as head coach.

Division II
Bob Nielson, University of Minnesota-Duluth
First AFCA National Coach of the Year Award ... Led the Bulldogs to a 15-0 record, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference title and the NCAA Division II championship this season ... Has a eight-year record of 79-21 at Minnesota-Duluth ... In his first season back as head coach after a four-year layoff, guided the Bulldogs to the 2008 Division II National title with a 15-0 record ... Has a 41-2 record with three straight NSIC titles since returning to coaching ... Led Minnesota-Duluth to one NSIC title in his first five years as head coach ... Has an overall record of 149-54-1 in 17 seasons as a head coach at Minnesota-Duluth, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wartburg and Ripon ... Nielson led Wisconsin-Eau Claire to the 1998 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title, and Wartburg to the Iowa Conference crown in 1993.

Division III
Lance Leipold, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Third AFCA National Coach of the Year Award ... Led the Warhawks to 15-0 record, its sixth consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and its third NCAA Division III championship in the last four years this season ... Has a four-year career record of 57-3 at Whitewater ... Earned AFCA Coach of the Year honors in 2009 when he led the Warhawks to a 15-0 record, the WIAC title and the program’s second Division III national title ... Earned AFCA Coach of the Year honors in 2007 when he led Whitewater to 14-1 record, the WIAC title and the school’s first NCAA Division III championship ... The Warhawks have advanced to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in each of Leipold’s first four seasons at the school.
Previous National Coach of the Year Honors: Division III, 2007, 2009

NAIA
Mike Van Diest, Carroll College (Mont.)
Third AFCA National Coach of the Year Award ... Led the Fighting Saints to a 14-0 record, an 11th consecutive Frontier Conference title and the NAIA championship this season ... Has a 12-year career record of 144-20 at Carroll ... The title is the sixth for Van Diest in 12 seasons as head coach ... Earned AFCA National Coach of the Year honors in 2003 when he led the Fighting Saints to a 15-0 record, the Frontier Conference title and the NAIA championship ... Earned AFCA National Coach of the Year honors in 2007 when he led Carroll to a 15-0 record, the Frontier Conference title and the NAIA championship.
Previous Regional Coach of the Year Honors: Region 5 NAIA, 2007-08-09-10
Previous National Coach of the Year Honors: NAIA, 2003, 2007


AFCA Coach of the Year Winners — All-Time List

Football Bowl Subdivision
1935 Lynn Waldorf, Northwestern
1936 Dick Harlow, Harvard
1937 Edward E. Mylin, Lafayette
1938 Bill Kern, Carnegie Tech
1939 Dr. Eddie Anderson, Iowa
1940 Clark Shaughnessy, Stanford
1941 Frank Leahy, Notre Dame
1942 Bill Alexander, Georgia Tech
1943 Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pacific
1944 Carroll Widdoes, Ohio St.
1945 Bo McMillin, Indiana
1946 Red Blaik, Army
1947 Fritz Crisler, Michigan
1948 Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan
1949 Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma
1950 Charles Caldwell, Princeton
1951 Charles Taylor, Stanford
1952 Biggie Munn, Michigan St.
1953 James Tatum, Maryland
1954 Red Sanders, UCLA
1955 Duffy Daugherty, Michigan St.
1956 Bowden Wyatt, Tennessee
1957 Woody Hayes, Ohio St.
1958 Paul Dietzel, Louisiana St.
1959 Ben Schwartzwalder, Syracuse
1960 Murray Warmath, Minnesota
1961 Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama
1962 John McKay, USC
1963 Darrell Royal, Texas
1964 Frank Broyles, Arkansas
Ara Parseghian, Notre Dame (tie)
1965 Tommy Prothro, UCLA
1966 Tom Cahill, Army
1967 John Pont, Indiana
1968 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1969 Bo Schembechler, Michigan
1970 Charlie McClendon, LSU
Darrell Royal, Texas (tie)
1971 Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama
1972 John McKay, USC
1973 Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama
1974 Grant Teaff, Baylor
1975 Frank Kush, Arizona St.
1976 Johnny Majors, Pittsburgh
1977 Don James, Washington
1978 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1979 Earle Bruce, Ohio St.
1980 Vince Dooley, Georgia
1981 Danny Ford, Clemson
1982 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1983 Ken Hatfield, Air Force
1984 LaVell Edwards, Brigham Young
1985 Fisher DeBerry, Air Force
1986 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
1987 Dick MacPherson, Syracuse
1988 Don Nehlen, West Virginia
1989 Bill McCartney, Colorado
1990 Bobby Ross, Georgia Tech
1991 Bill Lewis, East Carolina
1992 Gene Stallings, Alabama
1993 Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
1994 Tom Osborne, Nebraska
1995 Gary Barnett, Northwestern
1996 Bruce Snyder, Arizona St.
1997 Lloyd Carr, Michigan
1998 Phil Fulmer, Tennessee
1999 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech
2000 Bob Stoops, Oklahoma
2001 Larry Coker, Miami (Fla.)
Ralph Friedgen, Maryland (tie)
2002 Jim Tressel, Ohio St.
2003 Pete Carroll, USC
2004 Tommy Tuberville, Auburn
2005 Joe Paterno, Penn St.
2006 Jim Grobe, Wake Forest
2007 Mark Mangino, Kansas
2008 Kyle Whittingham, Utah
2009 Gary Patterson, TCU
2010 Chip Kelly, Oregon

Football Championship Subdivision
1983 Rey Dempsey, Southern Illinois
1984 Dave Arnold, Montana St.
1985 Dick Sheridan, Furman
1986 Erk Russell, Georgia Southern
1987 Mark Duffner, Holy Cross
1988 Jimmy Satterfield, Furman
1989 Erk Russell, Georgia Southern
1990 Tim Stowers, Georgia Southern
1991 Jim Tressel, Youngstown St.
1992 Charlie Taaffe, The Citadel
1993 Dan Allen, Boston University
1994 Jim Tressel, Youngstown St.
1995 Don Read, Montana
1996 Ray Tellier, Columbia
1997 Andy Talley, Villanova
1998 Mark Whipple, Massachusetts
1999 Paul Johnson, Georgia Southern
2000 Paul Johnson, Georgia Southern
2001 Bobby Johnson, Furman
2002 Jack Harbaugh, Western Kentucky
2003 Dick Biddle, Colgate
2004 Mickey Matthews, James Madison
2005 Jerry Moore, Appalachian St.
2006 Jerry Moore, Appalachian St.
2007 Jerry Moore, Appalachian St.
2008 Mike London, Richmond
2009 Andy Talley, Villanova
2010 K.C. Keeler, Delaware

Division II
1983 Don Morton, North Dakota St.
1984 Chan Gailey, Troy St.
1985 George Landis, Bloomsburg
1986 Earle Solomonson, North Dakota St.
1987 Rick Rhoades, Troy St.
1988 Rocky Hager, North Dakota St.
1989 John Williams, Mississippi College
1990 Rocky Hager, North Dakota St.
1991 Chuck Broyles, Pittsburg St.
1992 Bill Burgess, Jacksonville St.
1993 Bobby Wallace, North Alabama
1994 Bobby Wallace, North Alabama
1995 Bobby Wallace, North Alabama
1996 Joe Glenn, Northern Colorado
1997 Joe Glenn, Northern Colorado
1998 Mel Tjeerdsma, Northwest Mo. St.
1999 Mel Tjeerdsma, Northwest Mo. St.
2000 Danny Hale, Bloomsburg
2001 Dale Lennon, North Dakota
2002 Brian Kelly, Grand Valley St.
2003 Brian Kelly, Grand Valley St.
Mike Van Diest, Carroll (Mont.) (tie)
2004 Chris Hatcher, Valdosta St.
2005 Chuck Martin, Grand Valley St.
2006 Chuck Martin, Grand Valley St.
2007 David Dean, Valdosta St.
2008 Mel Tjeerdsma, Northwest Mo. St.
2009 Mel Tjeerdsma, Northwest Mo. St.
2010 Bob Nielson, Minnesota-Duluth

Division III
1983 Bob Reade, Augustana (Ill.)
1984 Bob Reade, Augustana (Ill.)
1985 Bob Reade, Augustana (Ill.)
1986 Bob Reade, Augustana (Ill.)
1987 Walt Hameline, Wagner
1988 Jim Butterfield, Ithaca
1989 Mike Kelly, Dayton
1990 Ken O’Keefe, Allegheny
1991 Jim Butterfield, Ithaca
1992 John Luckhardt, Wash. & Jeff.
1993 Larry Kehres, Mount Union
1994 Pete Schmidt, Albion
1995 Roger Harring, Wis.-La Crosse
1996 Larry Kehres, Mount Union
1997 Larry Kehres, Mount Union
1998 Larry Kehres, Mount Union
1999 Frosty Westering, Pacific Lutheran
2000 Larry Kehres, Mount Union
2001 Larry Kehres, Mount Union
2002 Larry Kehres, Mount Union
2003 John Gagliardi, St. John’s (Minn.)
2004 Jay Locey, Linfield
2005 Bob Berezowitz, Wis.-Whitewater
2006 Larry Kehres, Mount Union
2007 Lance Leipold, Wis.-Whitewater
2008 Larry Kehres, Mount Union
2009 Lance Leipold, Wis.-Whitewater
2010 Lance Leipold, Wis.-Whitewater

NAIA
2006 Kalen DeBoer, Sioux Falls
2007 Mike Van Diest, Carroll (Mont.)
2008 Kalen DeBoer, Sioux Falls
2009 Kalen DeBoer, Sioux Falls
2010 Mike Van Diest, Carroll (Mont.)

College Division
1960 Warren Woodson, New Mexico St.
1961 Alonzo S. Gaither, Florida A&M
1962 William M. Edwards, Wittenberg
1963 William M. Edwards, Wittenberg
1964 Clarence Stasavich, East Carolina
1965 Jack Curtice, UC-Santa Barbara
1966 Dan Jessee, Trinity College
1967 A.C. Moore, UT-Chattanooga
1968 Jim Root, New Hampshire
1969 Larry Naviaux, Boston University
1970 Bennie Ellender, Arkansas St.
1971 Tubby Raymond, Delaware
1972 Tubby Raymond, Delaware
1973 Dave Maurer, Wittenberg
1974 Roy Kramer, Central Michigan
1975 Dave Maurer, Wittenberg
1976 Jim Dennison, Akron
1977 Bill Manlove, Widener
1978 Lee Tressel, Baldwin-Wallace
1979 Bill Narduzzi, Youngstown St.
1980 Rick Carter, Dayton
1981 Vito Ragazzo, Shippensburg St.
1982 Jim Wacker, Southwest Texas St.


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