Danny Hale Named AFCA Regional Coach of the Year

BLOOMSBURG - Bloomsburg University head football coach Danny Hale has been named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Region 1 Coach of the Year.

Hale wins the award for the eighth time in his coaching career, the third-highest total in the history of the award.

"What makes this award so special is that this is the only coach of the year award voted on exclusively by the coaches themselves," AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff said. "The winners are selected by the coaches they compete with and against on a daily basis."

The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association's four divisions: I-A, I-AA, Division II (NCAA Division II and NAIA schools) and Division III. The winners are selected by Active members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.

Joining Hale as winners in Division II are Presbyterian's Tommy Spangler (Region 2); Washburn's Craig Schurig (Region 3), Morningside's Steve Ryan (Region 4) and Minnesota-Duluth's Kyle Schweigert (Region 5).

AFCA National Coach of the Year winners will be announced January 10, 2006 in Dallas, TX. All head coaches who were eligible for regional honors are eligible for national honors as well. Winning AFCA National Coach of the Year will earn all four coaches a trip to Hawaii to coach in the Hula Bowl All-Star Football Classic. The National Coach of the Year winners in Divisions I-AA, II and III will be invited to serve as assistant coaches at the 2006 game on January 21 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The I-A winner will be invited to serve as a head coach for one of the teams in the 2007 Hula Bowl.

"This award is always very special to me since my fellow coaches are the one's who vote in this," said Hale. "But this award is not mine alone. My dedicated staff has a big part in this award as do all the players on this year's team. With all of them, this is not possible."

With Hale winning his eighth AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Award, he now trails only Penn State's Joe Paterno (11) and Mount Union's Larry Kehres (10) on the all-time regional winner list. This past season Hale led Bloomsburg to an 11-1 record, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division title and a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs this season.

He has a 13-year record of 106-39-1 (.729) at Bloomsburg and an 18-year career mark of 146-52-1 (.736) at Bloomsburg and West Chester. He previously earned AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honors in 2001 when he led Bloomsburg to a 9-2 record, the PSAC East title and a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs. He also earned AFCA Regional and National Coach of the Year honors in 2000 when he led the Huskies to a 12-3 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II championship game.

Hale has guided the Huskies to seven PSAC Eastern Division titles and three NCAA playoff berths. He has also coached Harlon Hill winner (Irv Sigler in 1997) and one finalist (Jamar Brittingham in 2005). Three of his AFCA Regional Coach of the Years (1986-87-88) came while he was coach at West Chester.

Division II (NCAA Division II and NAIA schools) Regional Winners