College football: John Stiegelmeier earns ACFA coaching honor

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WACO, Texas - South Dakota State’s John Stiegelmeier added to his honors Tuesday by being named an American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year for the Football Championship Subdivision.

Stiegelmeier led the Jackrabbits to a 10-1 regular season record, including posting an 8-0 mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. SDSU ascended to the No. 1 ranking in the FCS polls for the first time in program history midway through the 2022 season and earned the top seed for the FCS playoffs. The Jackrabbits are making their 11th consecutive postseason appearance and will host Holy Cross in quarterfinal action on Saturday.

In his 26th season as the Jackrabbits’ head coach, Stiegelmeier earned the regional award for the third time. He was a Region 5 honoree in 2007, when the Jackrabbits won the Great West Football Conference title, and claimed Region 4 accolades for the first time in 2016. He also has been named Bruce Craddock Missouri Valley Football Conference Coach of the Year in 2022 and is a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, which is presented by Stats Perform to the national coach of the year at the FCS level.

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. Award winners will be honored Jan. 9 during the 2023 AFCA Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.