DALLAS - Jan. 10, 2011 - In front of over 1,500 coaches at the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Annual Convention, Ron Dilatush, director of membership for The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF), today presented the NFF divisional national championship trophies to the coaches of the winning teams for the 2010 season at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

"Each year at the AFCA convention, the NFF presents the championship trophies to the coaches who have taken their teams to the pinnacle of success," said Dilatush. "It is fitting that we present the trophies in front of their peers, the very people who know the commitment, dedication, and effort that goes into winning a national championship."

NCAA Division I - Football Championship Subdivision - John F. Kennedy Trophy - Eastern Washington University - Coach Beau Baldwin
Coach Beau Baldwin and the Eastern Washington Eagles (13-2) captured the national crown for the first time in school history, defeating Delaware (12-3) in a stunning come from behind 20-19 victory January 7 in Frisco, Texas. Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell claimed MVP honors after throwing for three touchdowns, all within in the final 17 minutes of the game. Linebacker J.C. Sheritt, the winner of the Buck Buchanan Award, recorded 18 stops in the victory. The 13th win established a new school record, and the championship becomes the first Division I title for the school in any sport. Coach Baldwin's career record now stands at an impressive 37-14 in his fourth season as a head coach.

NCAA Division II - Asa S. Bushnell Trophy - University of Minnesota Duluth - Coach Bob Nielson
Coach Bob Nielson led Minnesota Duluth (15-0) to the school's second Division II National Championship title December 18 in Florence, Ala. The victory came in dramatic fashion with David Nadeau kicking a 32-yard field goal as time expired. The kick gave the Bulldogs a 20-17 victory over Delta State (11-4). The championship marked the Bulldogs' second perfect season in the past three years under Coach Nielson, complementing their flawless 15-0 season in 2008. Quarterback Chase Vogler accounted for 201 yards of total offense for the Bulldogs, passing for 118 yards and rushing for another 83 yards.

NCAA Div. III - Amos Alonzo Stagg Trophy - Univ. of Wisconsin-Whitewater - Coach Lance Leipold
Coach Lance Leipold and the Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks (15-0) repeated as NCAA Division III national champions in 2010 with a 31-21 victory against the Mount Union (Ohio) Purple Raiders (14-1) December 18 in Salem, Va. The season marked the second straight 15-0 season for the Warhawks and their third title in four years. Coach Leipold now boasts an astounding 57-3 record during his four-year tenure with the Warhawks. Levell Coppage rushed for three touchdowns and 299 yards, an Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl record, and claimed MVP honors for a second consecutive year. In what has become one of the great rivalries in NCAA sports, the game marked the sixth consecutive year that the two teams have competed in the championship game, a record for all sports for successive title games between two schools.

NAIA - Dwight D. Eisenhower Trophy - Carroll College (Mont.) - Coach Mike Van Diest
Claiming the national title for the sixth time in nine years, Carroll College (14-0) posted a 10-7 victory against Sioux Falls (13-1) on Dec. 18 in Rome, Ga. Carroll quarterback Gary Wagner, selected the offensive player of the game, had an 83-yard touchdown run and connected on 12 of his 21 passes for 107 yards. The Saints undefeated record marks Coach Mike Van Diest's fourth perfect season, and he now holds an all-time record of 145-20 in his 12 years as head coach, making him one of the most dominating coaches in college football history.

On Jan. 11, the NFF will present the MacArthur Bowl, the NFF's NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision championship trophy, to the winning coach of the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game, which is being played tonight between No. 1 Auburn and No. 2 Oregon in Glendale, Ariz.

All the accomplishments of the championship teams will be highlighted during the coming year as part of the National Champions' Exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.

 

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, a non-profit educational organization, runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, Play It Smart, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, the NFF Gridiron Clubs of New York City, Dallas, and Los Angeles, and annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Bowl, the Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. Learn more at www.footballfoundation.org.