CSU-Pueblo Coach Named Finalist For Coach Of The Year
.Liberty Mutual Insurance today announced Colorado State University-Pueblo Head Football Coach John Wristen one of five Division II finalists for the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.
Wristen, who guided the ThunderWolves to an RMAC Championship in 2011 and an 11-0 regular season record, is looking to add to his list of coaching honors secured in 2011, including Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors as well as American Football Coaches? Association regional Coach of the Year. If he could emerge as the Liberty Mutual Division II Coach of the Year, he would become the second Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference coach to secure the honor, joining Chadron State head coach, Bill O?Boyle, who won the first ever Division II honor in 2007.
The five finalists were determined as a result of online fan voting at CoachoftheYear.com and through an objective scoring model endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame. Each coach was among the top 15 in fan votes in Division II to qualify for the model, which considers, among other criteria: wins, team penalties, on-field sportsmanship, academic achievement by the student-athletes, and commitment to charitable endeavors. Voting continues through December 22 at CoachoftheYear.com to help determine the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year winners.
Joining Coach Wristen among the five Division II finalists for the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award are, in alphabetical order: Tim Beck, Pittsburg State University (Kan.); Bill Maskill, Midwestern State University (Texas); Peter Rossomando, University of New Haven (Conn.); and Scott Underwood, St. Cloud State University (Minn.).
