Mike Welch Earns Regional Coach of the Year Award From AFCA
ITHACA, N.Y. -- Ithaca College's 2013 football season resulted in more individual honors as head coach
Mike Welch was named Region 1 Coach of the Year for Division III by the American Football Coaches Association following Ithaca's 9-3 campaign and Empire 8 championship. The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association's five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The winners are selected by Active members of the association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.
It is the second time that Welch has been honored as the regional coach of the year by the AFCA, as he was also honored in 2008. This is the ninth time in program history that an Ithaca coach has earned this award, as Jim Butterfield claimed the honor seven times.
Ithaca won the conference championship and returned to the NCAA Division IIII Championship tournament for the first time since 2008. The Bombers were 8-2 in the regular season and finished with a 9-3 overall record. Welch earned his 150th career coaching victory during the 2013 season with a 25-22 win over St. John Fisher on Oct. 26. Welch and the Bomber coaching staff were honored as Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year for 2013.
The 2013 Regional Coach of the Year winners will be recognized at the AFCA Coach of the Year Dinner at the 2014 AFCA Convention in Indianapolis. The dinner is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2014.