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DIVISION II FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME TO INDUCT FIRST CLASS OF COACHES:
SPARKS, TJEERDSMA AND WALLACE
FLORENCE, Ala. -- The Division II Football Hall of Fame has named three
of the most successful coaches in the history of college football as its
Hall of Fame Class of 2010, and will induct Ken Sparks, Mel Tjeerdsma
and Bobby Wallace as its 12th induction class on December 17.
Established in 1999, the
Division II Football Hall of Fame has inducted former Division II
players annually for the last 11 years. The 2010 inductions will mark
the first group of coaches to be honored.
Sparks, current head coach at Carson-Newman (Tenn.) College, ranks as
the winningest coach in Division II history and has won 13 conference
championships and made 12 NCAA playoff appearances in the last 17 years.
His overall coaching record in 30 seasons is 287-70-2 and ranks third
highest among active coaches in all NCAA Divisions. He has led
Carson-Newman to three Championship Game appearances in Florence.
Tjeerdsma, current head
coach at Northwest Missouri State University, has led the Bearcats to
five consecutive appearances in the Division II Championship Game and to
three NCAA titles. He and Wallace are the only coaches in the 37-year
history of the Division II Football Championship to have coached three
national championship teams. Tjeerdsma has 230 overall collegiate wins
and has won 11 conference championships at Northwest Missouri State and
made 12 NCAA playoff appearances. His 38 playoff games coached, 29
playoff wins and seven Championship Game appearances are the most in
Division II history. His
1998 national championship team was also the first in Division II
history to go 15-0.
Wallace, current head coach at the University of West Alabama, became
the first coach in college football history to win as many as 40 games
in just three seasons when he led the University of North Alabama to a
41-1 record and three straight NCAA Division II National Championships
from 1993-95. He is also the only coach in Division II to ever win three
straight national championships. Wallace has led seven teams to Division
II post-season play, including West Alabama last season, marking the
school's first NCAA appearance since 1975. He was previously named
Division II Coach of the Quarter Century (1972-97).
The coaches were chosen by a selection committee and the official
announcement was made Thursday by Division II Football Hall of Fame
Chairman Jeff Hodges.
"It has been our intention since the Hall of Fame was created in 1999 to
not only honor the outstanding players from Division II but also the
outstanding coaches within the division," Hodges said. "Our induction of
Shannon Sharpe last December gave us 25 players in the Hall, and with
this year being the 25th anniversary of the Division II Championship
Game's move to Florence, we felt it was perfect timing.
"While all three of these
coaches selected are still actively coaching at Division II programs,
our committee felt that each had already reached a pinnacle of success
deserving of Hall of Fame recognition," Hodges added.
"All three have also been a part of the Division II Championship Game
tradition in the Shoals and this will be our chance to honor them, not
only for their coaching accomplishments, but also for being the great
ambassadors that they have been for Division II football."
The trio of coaches will be inducted on December 17 as part of a
combined Harlon Hill Trophy and Division II Football Hall of Fame
Banquet at 6:30 p.m. at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in
Florence, Ala.
The initial class of inductees in 1999 included running back Johnny
Bailey of Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville), quarterback Jeff Bentrim
of North Dakota State and the late Walter Payton of Jackson State
University.
In
2000, defensive lineman Harry Carson of South Carolina State University,
defensive lineman Pierce Holt of Angelo State University, and wide
receiver John Stallworth of Alabama A&M were inducted.
In 2001 the third class
was comprised of tight end Brent Jones of Santa Clara University,
linebacker Greg Lloyd of Fort Valley State University and quarterback
Ken O'Brien of the University of California-Davis.
Quarterback Scott Brunner of Delaware, receiver Andre Reed of Kutztown
and linebacker Jessie Tuggle of Valdosta State comprised the 2002 class.
Former Texas A&M-Kingsville and Washington Redskins standout Darrell
Green was inducted in 2003, and former North Dakota State and Buffalo
Bills standout Phil Hansen was inducted in 2004.
The 2005 class included Chris Hatcher of Valdosta State, Ronald Moore of
Pittsburg State and Donnie Shell of South Carolina State.
Cody Gross of North Alabama, John Randle of Texas A&M-Kingsville and
Sean Landeta of Towson State were inducted in 2006.
The 2007 inductees included Earl Dotson of Texas A&M-Kingsville, Ronald
McKinnon of North Alabama and Mike Turk of Troy State. Missouri
Southern's Rod Smith was the 24th inductee into the Hall in 2008 and
Shannon Sharpe was the 25th last December.
The Division II Football
Hall of Fame is housed at Braly Municipal Stadium, which has hosted the
Division II Football Championship Game since 1986.
The 38th annual Division II Football Championship Game will be played at
Braly Stadium at 11 a.m. on December 18, 2010, and the Harlon Hill
Trophy presentation to the Division II Player of the Year, and the Hall
of Fame inductions are part of the Shoals area's championship week
activities.
The Division II Football Hall of Fame is sponsored by The City of
Florence, Florence-Lauderdale Tourism, OptiNet, Herff Jones and the
Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa.
Tickets are $50 each or $400 for a table of eight and are available by
calling the Shoals Chamber of Commerce (256) 764-4661 or the UNA Sports
Information Office at (256) 765-4595.
KEN SPARKS
•
Carson-Newman
College
Division II Biography
Years Coaching in Division II: 17, 1993-Present
Record as Division II Coach: 152-35-1 (17 years)
Division II National Championships: none
Division II National Runner-up: 3 (1996, 1998, 1999)
Division II Playoff Appearances: 12
(1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009)
Division II Playoff Record: 17-12
Conference Championships in Division II:
13 South Atlantic Conference
(1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008,
2009)
Coaching Awards in Division II:
* Fellowship of Christian Athletes National Coach of the Year (1999)
* American Football Coach Magazine Division II Coach of the Year (1999)
* Tennessee Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year (1999)
* South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year 6 times (1993, 1996, 1997,
2002, 2003, 2009)
* Received the 2010 Gen. Robert R. Neyland Trophy
Other Items of Note:
* His 287 wins ranks third best among all active collegiate coaches
behind only John Gagliardi of St. Johns
and Joe Paterno of Penn State
* Inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2004
* President of the American Football Coaches Association in 2008
NON-Division II
* Overall Coaching Record: 287-70-2 (30 seasons)
* 5 NAIA National Championships
* 1 NAIA National Runner-up
* 9 NAIA Playoff Appearances
* 20 total South Atlantic Conference Championships (7 NAIA, 13 Division
II)
* NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1984
* 12 time SAC Coach of the Year (6 NAIA, 6 Division II)
MEL TJEERDSMA
•
Northwest Missouri State University
Division II Biography
Years Coaching in Division II: 16, 1994-Present
Record as Division II Coach: 171-41 (16 years)
Division II National Championships: 3 (1998, 1999, 2009)
Division II National Runner-up: 4 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
Division II Playoff Appearances: 12
(1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
Division II Playoff Record: 29-9
Conference Championships in Division II:
11 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
(1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
Coaching Awards in Division II:
* AFCA Division II National Coach of the Year (1998, 1999, 2008, 2009)
* Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year (2009)
* FieldTurf National Coach of the Year (2009)
* MIAA Coach of the Year 11 times (1995-2000, 2002, 2006-09)
* AFCA Regional Coach of the Year 7 times (1996-2000, 2006, 2008)
Other Items of Note:
* His three Division II National Championships tie him with Bobby
Wallace for the most by any coach in the
division's 37-year history.
* His seven Division II Championship Game appearances are the most by
any coach in the division's history.
* His 29 career playoff wins are the most by any coach in Division II
history
* His 38 playoff games coached are the most in Division II history
* Coached first Division II team to go 15-0 in 1998
* On August 23, 2007, the field at NW Missouri's Bearcat Stadium was
named Mel Tjeerdsma Field.
* President of the American Football Coaches Association in 2006
NON-Division II
* Overall Coaching Record: 230-79-4 (26 years)
* Led Austin College to three Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association
championships
* Two trips to the NAIA Playoffs
* Three-time TIAA Coach of the Year
BOBBY WALLACE
•
University of
West Alabama
Division II Biography
Years Coaching in Division II: 14 (1988-97, 2006-09)
Record as Division II Coach: 101-62-1
(82-36-1 at UNA 10 years/19-26 at UWA 4 years)
Division II National Championships: 3 (1993, 1994, 1995)
Division II National Runner-up: none
Division II Playoff Appearances: 7
(1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2009)
Division II Playoff Record: 14-4
Conference Championships in Division II:
3 Gulf South Conference
(1993, 1994, 1995)
Coaching Awards in Division II:
* Division II Coach of the Quarter Century (1972-97)
* Gulf South Conference Coach of the Quarter Century (1971-95)
* AFCA Division II National Coach of the Year (1993, 1994, 1995)
* Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year (1993, 1994, 1995)
Other Items of Note:
* His three Division II National Championships tie him with Mel
Tjeerdsma for the most by any coach in the
division's 37-year history.
* Wallace’s 1993-95 teams had a combined 41-1 record, making Wallace the
first coach in collegiate football
history to win as many as 40 games in just three seasons.
* The three straight national titles also made UNA the first school in
the history of NCAA scholarship football
to win three straight national titles.
* His 1995 team was chosen as the "Division II Team of the Quarter
Century" for 1972-97
* His 1995 squad was first Division II team invited to the White House
(President Clinton)
* Inducted into Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
* Only Coach with 10 or more post-season wins to take two different
Division II schools to playoffs
* First year at West Alabama in 2006, he led the Tigers to their first
winning season in 14 years
* In 2009 he led West Alabama to first Division II playoff appearance
since 1975
NON-Division II
* Overall Coaching Record: 120-133-1 (includes eight seasons at Temple)
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