Dec. 4, 2007

Waco, Texas - Fordham University head football coach Tom Masella was named American Football Coaches Association's (AFCA) 2007 Region 1 Co-Coach of the Year it was announced today.

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.

In the Football Championship Subdivision, the winners are Richmond's Dave Clawson and Fordham's Tom Masella (Region 1-tie); Delaware State's Al Lavan (Region 2); Eastern Kentucky's Danny Hope (Region 3); Northern Iowa's Mark Farley (Region 4) and South Dakota State's John Stiegelmeier (Region 5).

"What makes this award so special is that this is the only coach of the year award voted on exclusively by the coaches themselves," AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff said. "The winners are selected by the coaches they compete with and against on a daily basis."

Masella, who also received Patriot League Coach of the Year honors this fall, led the Rams to an 8-4 overall record and a 5-1 Patriot League mark, winning the League title for the second time in the past five years (2002). Fordham, who was picked to finish sixth of the seven Patriot League teams prior to the season, displayed one of the biggest turnarounds in the NCAA, going from 3-8 in 2006 to 8-4 this fall.

The Rams traveled to Massachusetts for their first round NCAA Division I playoff game on November 24th, giving the seventh-ranked Minutemen all they could handle, tying the game at 35 in the fourth quarter before falling, 49-35.

At the end of the season, Fordham had 12 players named All-Patriot League, including freshman running back Xavier Martin who garnered Rookie of the Year honors.

The 2007 Rams were led by a rejuvenated offense as well as a "bend but don't break" defense. Leading the offense was sophomore quarterback John Skelton who completed 216 of 383 passes for 2,650 yards and 22 touchdowns. His 22 touchdown passes tied for the third most in Fordham history while his 216 completions is fourth best and his 2,650 passing yards is the fifth best single season total in school history.

Masella, who is also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award which is given to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national coach of the year since 1987, arrived at Rose Hill in 2006 after serving as head coach at Central Connecticut State University for two years, leading the Blue Devils to back-to-back Northeast Conference (NEC) titles, the school's first ever football championships, in 2004 and 2005. He led the squad to 15 wins over the two seasons, the most victories recorded over a two-year period by a Central Connecticut State football team in school history.

The AFCA will announce its five 2007 National Coach of the Year winners at the 2008 AFCA Convention in Anaheim. All head coaches who were eligible for regional honors are eligible for national honors as well.