Myles Russ Named NAIA-AFCA Coach of the Year
WACO, Texas – Prior to the 69th Annual NAIA National Championship Game, hosted by the Durham Sports Commission at Durham County Memorial Stadium, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), announced Myles Russ as the 2024 winner of the NAIA-AFCA Coach of the Year award. This marks the second consecutive season that the recipient hails from West Palm Beach, Florida after former Seahawks coach Doug Socha won last year.
The winners are selected by a vote of the active AFCA members at four-year schools in the association's five divisions. The AFCA has named a Coach of the Year since 1935. The AFCA Coach of the Year award is the oldest and most prestigious of all the Coach of the Year awards and is the only one chosen exclusively by coaches.
In his first season as a head coach, Russ has guided Keiser to a 12-0 record, the Sun Conference title and the program’s third straight trip to the NAIA National Championship game where they will face Grand View. He has been with the program since it was started in 2018, serving as assistant head coach, running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Russ has been a part of six straight conference championships and the 2023 national title.
Award History
Lynn “Pappy” Waldorf, then of Northwestern, was named as the first AFCA Coach of the Year in 1935. One national winner was selected from 1935 through 1959. From 1960 through 1982, two national winners were selected — one representing the University Division and one from the College Division. From 1983-2005, four national winners were chosen.
In 2006, the AFCA started honoring an NAIA Coach of the Year, bringing the total to the five honorees we have today. Prior to 2006, the NAIA was a part of the AFCA’s Division II membership category.
Voting Process
The current balloting procedure involves selection of 25 regional winners: five regional winners in each of the five divisions – FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA, who become finalist for national coach of the year. Following regional voting, five national winners – one from each division – are chosen.
First Year Coach of the Year: In 2024, Stony Brook’s Billy Cosh and Keiser’s Myles Russ join Colorado Mines’ Brandon Moore, Richmond’s Mike London and Valdosta State’s David Dean as the only coaches to earn AFCA National Coach of the Year honors in their first season as a head coach. Dean was the Division II winner in 2007, London was the FCS winner in 2008, and Moore was the Division II winner in 2022.
AFCA-NAIA Coach of the Year Winners – All Time List
2006 Kalen DeBoer, Sioux Falls (S.D.)
2007 Mike Van Diest, Carroll (Mont.)
2008 Kalen DeBoer, Sioux Falls (S.D.)
2009 Kalen DeBoer, Sioux Falls (S.D.)
2010 Mike Van Diest, Carroll (Mont.)
2011 Mike Feminis, Saint Xavier (Ill.)
2012 Steve Ryan, Morningside (Iowa)
2013 Mike Woodley, Grand View (Iowa)
2014 Mark Henninger, Marian (Ind.)
2015 Mark Henninger, Marian (Ind.)
2016 Kevin Donley, St. Francis (Ind.)
2017 Kevin Donley, St. Francis (Ind.)
2018 Steve Ryan, Morningside (Iowa)
2019 Steve Ryan, Morningside (Iowa)
2021 Spring – Chris Oliver, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
2021 Steve Ryan, Morningside (Iowa)
2022 Matt McCarty, Northwestern (Iowa)
2023 Doug Socha, Keiser (Fla.)
2024 Myles Russ, Keiser (Fla.)
