Dec 8, 2014

Mike Swider honored as the AFCA North Region Coach of the Year

Wheaton, Ill. - Wheaton's Mike Swider has been recognized as the 2014 Division III North Region (Region 4) Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). This year's recognition marks the second time that Swider has earned the Regional Coach of the Year award from the AFCA, also earning the honor in 2003. Swider has posted a 159-44 in 19 years at the helm of the program as his 154 career wins is the most in school history.

Swider earned the recognition from his peers for guiding the Thunder to an 11-1 record this year. The 11 victories this season is the second-most in a single campaign in school history.

His 2014 Thunder squad posted a 10-0 record during the regular season, marking the fifth time in school history that a Wheaton team compiled an undefeated and untied record in the regular season. Swider's 2003 squad was the last Wheaton team to accomplish the feat.

Swider guided the Thunder to a 7-0 record in CCIW play this fall to give the program sole possession of the CCIW Championship. It marked the 17th CCIW Football Championship in the program's history and the seventh in Swider's 19 year's at the helm of the program. Earlier this fall he was named the 2014 winner of the CCIW's "Bob Reade Coach of the Year" award for the fifth time in his career, also winning the honor in 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2006.

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, and the number of divisions was increased from two to four, and five regional winners were selected in each division. Print Friendly Version