LOUISVILLE, Ky. (January 13, 2015) – The American Football Coaches Association announced Tuesday at its annual convention the 2014 national coaches of the year and in the process honored Colorado State University-Pueblo Head Football Coach John Wristen as the 2014 AFCA Division II Coach of the Year.
In just seven seasons, Wristen turned a defunct football program into NCAA Division II National Champions. With a program record 14-1 season in 2014, Wristen guided the ThunderWolves to the national championship game where they defeated then-No. 1 Minnesota State University, Mankato, 13-0.
Hired in 2007 with the daunting task of re-starting the football program from scratch, Wristen has accumulated a 68-16 (.810) overall and 51-12 (.810) Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record since the first season in 2008.
A four-time RMAC Coach of the Year honoree (2011-14), Wristen guided the ThunderWolves to their fourth straight RMAC Championship in 2014, as the Pack posted an 8-1 record to share the title with Colorado School of Mines. The ThunderWolves earned the No. 2 seed in Super Region Four this season to post their fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Playoffs. The Pack have also finished the regular season in the AFCA's top 10 in each of the last four years.
He was named AFCA Regional Coach of the Year in 2011 and was also a 2011 National Coach of the Year Award recipient by the American Football Monthly magazine.
In December, Wristen was selected as CaptainU College Coach of the Year [Press Release] and Don Hansen Super Region Four Coach of the Year [Press Release].
Prior to CSU-Pueblo, Wristen spent 17 years in the NCAA Division I ranks as an assistant coach at Colorado, Northwestern and UCLA. Wristen's career in Division I football started in 1990 as a graduate assistant at CU (1990 National Champions), working with the quarterbacks and running backs.
As the starting quarterback at then-University of Southern Colorado (now CSU-Pueblo), Wristen (1980-83) was an honorable mention All-American quarterback, guiding USC to its only NAIA National Playoff appearance in 1983. He graduated as USC's all-time leader in passing yards (3,283) and touchdown passes (26). In 1982, Wristen led the NAIA in passing efficiency with a 182.5 rating as a junior.
The last football season occurred in 1984 before Wristen returned to Pueblo to begin the process of building a national championship caliber program.
The winners are selected by a vote of the Active AFCA members (coaches 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 the coaches themselves.
The national convention wraps Tuesday evening with a banquet honoring the national coaches of the year. TCU's Gary Patterson, New Hampshire's Sean McDonnell, Colorado State-Pueblo's John Wristen, Wisconsin-Whitewater's Lance Leipold and Marian's Mark Henninger are the 2014 AFCA National Coach of the Year winners. Patterson in FBS, McDonnell in FCS, Wristen in Division II, Leipold in Division III and Henninger in NAIA.
For the complete AFCA release, click HERE.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
