NAIA Football Coach of the Year Award

NAIA Football Coach of the Year Award
NAIA Football Coach of the Year Award
Awarded for	Best college football coach in the NAIA
Country	United States
First award	1956
Currently held by	Mark Henninger, Marian

The NAIA Football Coach of the Year is awarded annually to the best college football coach in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. From 1979 to 1996, a separate award was given to the best coach in each of the NAIA's two football divisions.^[1]

Winners

Single award (1956–1978)

Note: Even though the NAIA split its football championship into two divisions in 1970, only a single Coach of the Year award was given out until 1979.

Season(s)	Winner	Team
1956	Dewey Halford	Morningside
1957	Muddy Waters	Hillsdale
1958	Volney Ashford	Missouri Valley
1959	Clarence Stasavich	Lenoir–Rhyne
1960	Phil Sarboe	Humboldt State
1961	Carnie Smith	Pittsburg State
1962	Paul Durham	Linfield
1963	Billy Nicks	Prairie View A&M
1964	Jake Christiansen	Concordia–Moorhead
1965	John Gagliardi	Saint John's (MN)
1966	Forrest Perkins	Wisconsin State–Whitewater
1967	Harold "Deacon" Duvall	Fairmont State
1968	Billy Atkins	Troy State
1969	Jake Gaither	Florida A&M
1970 (DI & DII)	Gil Steinke	Texas A&I
1971 (DI & DII)	Bob Shoup	Cal Lutheran
1972 (DI & DII)	Jim Frazier	Missouri Southern State
1973 (DI & DII)	Larry Korver	Northwestern (IA)
1974 (DI & DII)	Gil Steinke (2)	Texas A&I
1975 (DI & DII)	Gil Steinke (3)	Texas A&I
1976 (DI & DII)	Gil Steinke (4)	Texas A&I
1977 (DI & DII)	DeWitt Jones	Abilene Christian
1978 (DI & DII)	Jim Hess	Angelo State

Separate awards (1979–1996)

Division I

Season	Winner	Team
1979	Ron Harms	Texas A&I
1980	Jerry Tolley	Elon
1981	Ron Randleman	Pittsburg State
1982	Dick Lowry	Hillsdale
1983	Harold Horton	Central Arkansas
1984	Ken Sparks	Carson–Newman
1985	Ralph Carpenter	Henderson State
1986	Dennis Franchione	Pittsburg State
1987	Dennis Franchione (2)	Pittsburg State
1988	Jon Lantz	Southeastern Oklahoma State
1989	Jeff Geiser	Adams State
1990	Mike Isom	Central Arkansas
1991	Carl Iverson	Western State (CO)
1992	Billy Joe	Central State (OH)
1993	Rich Rodriguez	Glenville State
1994	Tom Eckert	Northeastern State (OK)
1995	Rick Comegy	Central State (OH)
1996	Paul Sharp	Southwestern Oklahoma State

Division II

Season	Winner	Team
1979	Dick Strahm	Findlay
1980	Stan McGarvey	William Jewell
1981	Jim Christopherson	Concordia–Moorhead
1982	Ad Rutschman	Linfield
1983	Frosty Westering	Pacific Lutheran
1984	Ad Rutschman (2)	Linfield
1985	Larry Korver (2)	Northwestern (IA)
1986	Ad Rutschman (3)	Linfield
1987	Vacated	—
1988	Joe Fusco	Westminster (PA)
1989	Joe Fusco (2)	Westminster (PA)
1990	Tom Shea	Peru State
1991	Kevin Donley	Georgetown (KY)
1992	Dick Strahm	Findlay
1993	Frosty Westering (2)	Pacific Lutheran
1994	Gene Nicholson	Westminster (PA)
1995	Dick Strahm (2)	Findlay
1996	Bob Young	Sioux Falls

Single award (1997–present)

Year	Winner	Team	Source
1997	Dick Strahm (3)	Findlay
1998	Vic Shealy	Azusa Pacific
1999	Tim Albin	Northwestern Oklahoma State
2000	Bill Cronin	Georgetown (KY)
2001	Bill Cronin (2)	Georgetown (KY)
2002	Carl Poelker	McKendree
2003	Mike Van Diest	Carroll (MT)
2004	Kevin Donley (2)	Saint Francis (IN)
2005	Mike Van Diest (2)	Carroll (MT)
2006	Kalen DeBoer	Sioux Falls
2007	Mike Van Diest (3)	Carroll (MT)
2008	Kalen DeBoer (2)	Sioux Falls
2009	Kalen DeBoer (3)	Sioux Falls
2010	Mike Van Diest (4)	Carroll (MT)
2011	Mike Feminis	Saint Xavier (IL)
2012	Steve Ryan	Morningside
2013	Mike Woodley	Grand View
2014	Mark Henninger	Marian
2015	Mark Henninger (2)	Marian
2016	Kevin Donley (3)	Saint Francis (IN)
2017	Kevin Donley (4)	Saint Francis (IN)	^[2]
2018	Steve Ryan (2)	Morningside	^[3]
2019	Steve Ryan (3)	Morningside	^[4]
2020–21	Chris Oliver	Lindsey Wilson
2021	Steve Ryan (4)	Morningside
2022	Matt McCarty	Northwestern (IA)	^[5]
2023	Doug Socha	Keiser	^[6]
2024	Myles Russ	Keiser	^[7]

Coaches with multiple wins

Coach	School	Total	Winning Years
Gil Steinke	Texas A&I (Texas A&M–Kingsville)	4	1970, 1974, 1975, 1976
Mike Van Diest	Carroll (MT)	4	2003, 2005, 2007, 2010
Kevin Donley	Georgetown (KY) Saint Francis (IN)	4	1991, 2004, 2016, 2017
Steve Ryan	Morningside	4	2012, 2018, 2019, 2021
Ad Rutschman	Linfield	3	1982, 1984, 1986
Dick Strahm	Findlay	3	1992, 1995, 1997
Kalen DeBoer	Sioux Falls	3	2006, 2008, 2009
Larry Korver	Northwestern (IA)	2	1973, 1985
Dennis Franchione	Pittsburg State	2	1986, 1987
Joe Fusco	Westminster (PA)	2	1988, 1989
Frosty Westering	Pacific Lutheran	2	1983, 1993
Bill Cronin	Georgetown (KY)	2	2000, 2001
Mark Henninger	Marian (IN)	2	2014, 2015

Schools with multiple wins

School	Total	Winning Years
Texas A&I (Texas A&M–Kingsville)	5	1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979
Morningside (IA)	5	1956, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2021
Linfield	4	1962, 1982, 1984, 1986
Pittsburg State	4	1961, 1981, 1986, 1987
Findlay	4	1979, 1992, 1995, 1997
Sioux Falls	4	1996, 2006, 2008, 2009
Carroll (MT)	4	2003, 2005, 2007, 2010
Westminster (PA)	3	1988, 1989, 1994
Georgetown (KY)	3	1991, 2000, 2001
Northwestern (IA)	3	1973, 1985, 2022
Hillsdale	2	1957, 1982
Concordia–Moorhead	2	1964, 1982
Central Arkansas	2	1983, 1990
Pacific Lutheran	2	1983, 1993
Central State (OH)	2	1992, 1995
Marian (IN)	2	2014, 2015
Saint Francis (IN)	2	2004, 2016
Keiser	2	2023, 2024

References

^ "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
^ "Kevin Donley Named AFCA Coach of the Year". NAIA. January 10, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^ "Steve Ryan Named NAIA Coach of the Year". NAIA. January 12, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^ "Matt Entz Headlines List of 2019 AFCA Coach Of The Year Award Winners". www.afca.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^ "Inside the Headset - NAIA Regional Coach of the Year Panel - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^ "KALEN DeBOER, GREG GATTUSO, PAUL SIMMONS, CURT FITZPATRICK, AND DOUG SOCHA NAMED AFCA'S 2023 NATIONAL COACHES OF THE YEAR". AFCA. January 9, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
^ "Myles Russ Named NAIA-AFCA Coach of the Year". NAIA. December 18, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025.

[1] "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2016.

[2] "Kevin Donley Named AFCA Coach of the Year". NAIA. January 10, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2023.

[3] "Steve Ryan Named NAIA Coach of the Year". NAIA. January 12, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2023.

[4] "Matt Entz Headlines List of 2019 AFCA Coach Of The Year Award Winners". www.afca.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.

[5] "Inside the Headset - NAIA Regional Coach of the Year Panel - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.

[6] "KALEN DeBOER, GREG GATTUSO, PAUL SIMMONS, CURT FITZPATRICK, AND DOUG SOCHA NAMED AFCA'S 2023 NATIONAL COACHES OF THE YEAR". AFCA. January 9, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025.

[7] "Myles Russ Named NAIA-AFCA Coach of the Year". NAIA. December 18, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025.

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v t e College football awards
College Football Hall of Fame
Player of the year	Heisman Trophy (winners) (1936) Maxwell Award (1937) The Sporting News Player of the Year (1942) Walter Camp Award (1967) AP Player of the Year (1998)
Positional awards	Bronko Nagurski Trophy (Defensive player) Chuck Bednarik Award (Defensive player) Lott Trophy (Defensive player) Outland Trophy (Interior lineman) Manning Award (Quarterback) Davey O'Brien Award (Quarterback) Doak Walker Award (Running back) Fred Biletnikoff Award (Receiver) John Mackey Award (Tight end) Joe Moore Award (Offensive line) Rimington Trophy (Center) Ted Hendricks Award (Defensive end) Butkus Award (Linebacker) Jim Thorpe Award (Defensive back) Lou Groza Award (Placekicker) Ray Guy Award (Punter) Patrick Mannelly Award (Long snapper) Jet Award (Return specialist) Peter Mortell (Holder)
Other national awards	Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (Senior quarterback) Paul Hornung Award (Most versatile) Lombardi Award (Best performance) Jacobs Blocking Trophy (Best blocker) Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award (Best of Polynesian descent) Deacon Jones Trophy (HBCU's most outstanding player)
All-Americans	College Football All-America Team (unanimous selections) Little All-America team
Head coaching awards	AFCA Coach of the Year Award (1935) Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award (1957) Sporting News Coach of the Year (1963) Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award (1967) Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year (1976) Paul "Bear" Bryant Award (1986) George Munger Award (1989) Home Depot Coach of the Year (1994) AP Coach of the Year (1998) Bobby Bowden Coach of the Year Award (2009) Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award (2006) Woody Hayes Trophy (1977)
Assistant coaching awards	Broyles Award (Assistant Coach of the Year) AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year
Conference awards	ACC awards American awards Big 12 awards Big East awards Big Ten awards (MVP) CUSA awards MAC awards MW awards Pac-12 awards SEC awards Sun Belt awards SWC awards
FCS awards	Walter Payton Award (offensive player) Buck Buchanan Award (defensive player) Jerry Rice Award (freshman) Eddie Robinson Award (coach) STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year STATS FCS Freshman Player of the Year STATS FCS Coach of the Year
Other divisions / associations	Harlon Hill Trophy (Div. II) Gagliardi Trophy (Div. III) Rawlings Award (NAIA) Hec Crighton Trophy (U Sports)
Academic, inspirational, and versatility awards	Academic All-America of the Year (Student-athlete) Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award William V. Campbell Trophy (Student-athlete) Wuerffel Trophy (Humanitarian-athlete) Senior CLASS Award (Div. I FBS student-athlete) Burlsworth Trophy (Walk-on) Rudy Award (inspirational/motivational)
Service awards	Amos Alonzo Stagg Award Walter Camp Alumni of the Year Walter Camp Man of the Year National Football Foundation Distinguished American Award National Football Foundation Gold Medal Winners Theodore Roosevelt Award
Regional awards	Conerly Trophy (Mississippi) Jon Cornish Trophy (Canada) Dudley Award (Virginia) Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award (Texas;) Kent Hull Trophy (Mississippi) Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award (New England)
Awards organizations	Maxwell Football Club National Football Foundation Touchdown Club of Columbus Walter Camp Football Foundation DC Touchdown Club
Defunct awards	Champ Pickens Cup (Southern Conference champion; 1923–1926) Norris Cup (Best player in North Carolina; 1924–1930) Porter Cup (Best player at southern universities; 1918–1932) UPI Player of the Year (Best player; 1950–1991) Joseph V. Paterno Award (Best coach; 2010) Melberger Award (Div. III MVP; 1993–2011) Chic Harley Award (Best player; 1955–2018)) Archie Griffin Award (Most valuable; 1999–2018)