Tjeerdsma Named AFCA Coach of the Year

MARYVILLE, Mo.—Northwest Missouri State Head Football Coach Mel Tjeerdsma has been named the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Tjeerdsma joins Appalachian State’s Jerry Moore, Ohio State’s Jim Tressel, Alabama’s Bear Bryant and North Alabama’s Bobby Wallace as three-time Coach of the Year winners. Mount Union’s Larry Kehres (9), Penn State’s Joe Paterno (5) and Augustana’s (Ill.) Bob Reade (4) are the only coaches to be named Coach of the Year more than three times.

Tjeerdsma earned back-to-back Coach of the Year honors in 1998 and 1999 when he led the Bearcats to consecutive Division II national championships. Tjeerdsma has coached in the championship game six times in the last 11 seasons.

Tjeerdsma led the Bearcats to a 13-2 record, a third-consecutive MIAA championship and a fourth consecutive berth in the NCAA Division II championship game in 2008. Tjeerdsma has won 25 postseason games – the most in Division II history.

Northwest was 0-11 in Tjeerdsma’s first season at Northwest in 1994. The team is 157-29 since.

Tjeerdsma boasts a 25-year coaching record of 216-78-4 (.732). He’s 157-40 in 15 seasons at Northwest and was 59-38-4 in 10 seasons at Austin College (1984-93). His 216 wins are the 10th-most in Division II history. Four more wins will place him in a tie for seventh place on that list.

Tjeerdsma has led the Bearcats to the playoffs 11 times in the last 13 seasons and to 10 conference titles. The 2008 squad was the eighth to go 9-0 in MIAA play under Tjeerdsma.

Tjeerdsma has been named MIAA Coach of the Year 10 times (1995-2000, 2002, 2006-08). He’s been named AFCA Regional Coach of the Year seven times (1996-2000, 2006, 2008).