Football | 12/06/22 | 9:54 AM
WACO, TEX. — The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced the AFCA 2022 Regional Coach of the Year winners for FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III, and NAIA. These winners will be honored on Monday, January 9, during the 2023 AFCA Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Carroll College Head Coach Troy Purcell has been named the NAIA Region Five Coach of the Year.
The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association's five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, and NAIA. The winners are selected by Active members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.
The AFCA Regional Coaches of the Year for the NAIA are as follows:
Region 1: Mike Jasper, Bethel University (Tenn.)
Region 2: Jordan Langs, Indiana Wesleyan University
Region 3: Joe Woodley, Grand View University
Region 4: Matt McCarty, Northwestern College
Region 5: Troy Purcell, Carroll College (Mont.)
This is the first time that Purcell has been recognized with the honor.
Purcell is the first Carroll AFCA Regional Coach of the Year since Mike Van Diest was recognized four consecutive years (2007-2010).
AFCA National Coach of the Year: The AFCA will announce the 2022 National Coaches of the Year winners in FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA on Monday, January 9. The Regional winners in each division are finalists for National Coach of the Year.
Award History: The AFCA began recognizing district coaches of the year following the 1960 season. The awards were established the same year Eastman Kodak agreed to sponsor the AFCA Coach of the Year award. Prior to 1960, the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain had sponsored the program, which recognized one national Coach of the Year.
The AFCA first recognized eight district winners in each of two divisions: university and college. In 1972, a ninth district was added in each division. In 1983, the award was changed to recognize regional winners instead of district winners. The number of divisions was also increased from two to four and five regional winners were selected in each division. This resulted in a more equitable selection process and better represented the make-up of the membership. At the same time, the new system increased the number of honorees from 18 to 20. In 2006, the AFCA Division II Award was split into separate Division II and NAIA divisions, giving us the 25 winners now recognized.
For a link to the full AFCA release, click HERE.
