The NAIA Football Coach of the Year is awarded annually to the best college football coach in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. From 1979 to 1996, a separate award was given to the best coach in each of the NAIA's two football divisions.
Winners Single award (1956–1978) Note: Even though the NAIA split its football championship into two divisions in 1970, only a single Coach of the Year award was given out until 1979. Season(s) Winner Team 1956 Dewey Halford Morningside 1957 Muddy Waters Hillsdale 1958 Volney Ashford Missouri Valley 1959 Clarence Stasavich Lenoir–Rhyne 1960 Phil Sarboe Humboldt State 1961 Carnie Smith Pittsburg State 1962 Paul Durham Linfield 1963 Billy Nicks Prairie View A&M 1964 Jake Christiansen Concordia–Moorhead 1965 John Gagliardi Saint John's (MN) 1966 Forrest Perkins Wisconsin State–Whitewater 1967 Harold "Deacon" Duvall Fairmont State 1968 Billy Atkins Troy State 1969 Jake Gaither Florida A&M 1970 (DI & DII) Gil Steinke Texas A&I 1971 (DI & DII) Bob Shoup Cal Lutheran 1972 (DI & DII) Jim Frazier Missouri Southern State 1973 (DI & DII) Larry Korver Northwestern (IA) 1974 (DI & DII) Gil Steinke (2) Texas A&I 1975 (DI & DII) Gil Steinke (3) Texas A&I 1976 (DI & DII) Gil Steinke (4) Texas A&I 1977 (DI & DII) DeWitt Jones Abilene Christian 1978 (DI & DII) Jim Hess Angelo State
Separate awards (1979–1996)
Division I Season Winner Team 1979 Ron Harms Texas A&I 1980 Jerry Tolley Elon 1981 Ron Randleman Pittsburg State 1982 Dick Lowry Hillsdale 1983 Harold Horton Central Arkansas 1984 Ken Sparks Carson–Newman 1985 Ralph Carpenter Henderson State 1986 Dennis Franchione Pittsburg State 1987 Dennis Franchione (2) Pittsburg State 1988 Jon Lantz Southeastern Oklahoma State 1989 Jeff Geiser Adams State 1990 Mike Isom Central Arkansas 1991 Carl Iverson Western State (CO) 1992 Billy Joe Central State (OH) 1993 Rich Rodriguez Glenville State 1994 Tom Eckert Northeastern State (OK) 1995 Rick Comegy Central State (OH) 1996 Paul Sharp Southwestern Oklahoma State
Division II Season Winner Team 1979 Dick Strahm Findlay 1980 Stan McGarvey William Jewell 1981 Jim Christopherson Concordia–Moorhead 1982 Ad Rutschman Linfield 1983 Frosty Westering Pacific Lutheran 1984 Ad Rutschman (2) Linfield 1985 Larry Korver (2) Northwestern (IA) 1986 Ad Rutschman (3) Linfield 1987 Vacated — 1988 Joe Fusco Westminster (PA) 1989 Joe Fusco (2) Westminster (PA) 1990 Tom Shea Peru State 1991 Kevin Donley Georgetown (KY) 1992 Dick Strahm Findlay 1993 Frosty Westering (2) Pacific Lutheran 1994 Gene Nicholson Westminster (PA) 1995 Dick Strahm (2) Findlay 1996 Bob Young Sioux Falls
Single award (1997–present) Year Winner TeamSource 1997 Dick Strahm (3) Findlay 1998 Vic Shealy Azusa Pacific 1999 Tim Albin Northwestern Oklahoma State 2000 Bill Cronin Georgetown (KY) 2001 Bill Cronin (2) Georgetown (KY) 2002 Carl Poelker McKendree 2003 Mike Van Diest Carroll (MT) 2004 Kevin Donley (2) Saint Francis (IN) 2005 Mike Van Diest (2) Carroll (MT) 2006 Kalen DeBoer Sioux Falls 2007 Mike Van Diest (3) Carroll (MT) 2008 Kalen DeBoer (2) Sioux Falls 2009 Kalen DeBoer (3) Sioux Falls 2010 Mike Van Diest (4) Carroll (MT) 2011 Mike Feminis Saint Xavier (IL) 2012 Steve Ryan Morningside 2013 Mike Woodley Grand View 2014 Mark Henninger Marian 2015 Mark Henninger (2) Marian 2016 Kevin Donley (3) Saint Francis (IN)2017Kevin Donley (4)Saint Francis (IN)2018Steve Ryan (2)Morningside2019Steve Ryan (3)Morningside2020–21Chris OliverLindsey Wilson2021Steve Ryan (4)Morningside2022Matt McCartyNorthwestern (IA)2023Doug SochaKeiser2024Myles RussKeiser2025Joel OsbornBenedictine (KS)
Coaches with multiple wins Coach School Total Winning years Gil Steinke 4 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976 Mike Van Diest Carroll (MT) 4 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010 Kevin Donley 4 1991, 2004, 2016, 2017Steve RyanMorningside42012, 2018, 2019, 2021 Ad Rutschman Linfield 3 1982, 1984, 1986 Dick Strahm Findlay 3 1992, 1995, 1997 Kalen DeBoer Sioux Falls 3 2006, 2008, 2009 Larry Korver Northwestern (IA) 2 1973, 1985 Dennis Franchione Pittsburg State 2 1986, 1987 Joe Fusco Westminster (PA) 2 1988, 1989 Frosty Westering Pacific Lutheran 2 1983, 1993 Bill Cronin Georgetown (KY) 2 2000, 2001 Mark Henninger Marian (IN) 2 2014, 2015
Schools with multiple wins School Total Winning years 5 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979 Morningside (IA) 5 1956, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2021 Linfield 4 1962, 1982, 1984, 1986 Pittsburg State 4 1961, 1981, 1986, 1987 Findlay 4 1979, 1992, 1995, 1997 Sioux Falls 4 1996, 2006, 2008, 2009 Carroll (MT) 4 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010 Westminster (PA) 3 1988, 1989, 1994 Georgetown (KY) 3 1991, 2000, 2001 Northwestern (IA) 3 1973, 1985, 2022 Hillsdale 2 1957, 1982 Concordia–Moorhead 2 1964, 1982 Central Arkansas 2 1983, 1990 Pacific Lutheran 2 1983, 1993 Central State (OH) 2 1992, 1995 Marian (IN) 2 2014, 2015 Saint Francis (IN) 2 2004, 2016 Keiser 2 2023, 2024
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