Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo Named ECAC FBS Coach of the Year
Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo Named ECAC FBS Coach of the Year
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College
Athletic Conference (ECAC) announced Thursday that Ken Niumatalolo
of the United States Naval Academy has been named the 2014 ECAC
Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Coach of the Year.
Niumatalolo was chosen as the most outstanding coach by his peers
within the ECAC Division I FBS membership and members of the
media.
Niumatalolo will be honored on February 19th, at the Eastern College
Football Awards Banquet, hosted by the ECAC at MetLife
Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The Eastern College Football
Awards Banquet will feature the presentation of the ECAC Football
Awards as well as the Lambert Meadowlands Awards.
"It is a tremendous honor to be named the ECAC FBS Coach of the
Year,” said Niumatalolo. “I am humbled and grateful to
receive this recognition. This award is a direct reflection of our
outstanding players, assistant coaches, and staff. Thank you
to the ECAC for this award. Thank you to our players, assistant
coaches, and staff. They are the reason why we have experienced
success."
Niumatalolo led the Midshipmen to an 8-5 record this season,
including a thrilling 17-16 victory over San Diego State in the
2014 Poinsettia Bowl. The trip to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego
marked Navy’s 10th bowl game appearance in the
last 11 years and sixth in the last seven years under Niumatalolo.
Navy also enjoyed a 17-10 victory over Army in the annual rivalry
game, making Niumatalolo the first coach in the history of the
Army-Navy game to begin his career 7-0 against the rival Service
Academy. In addition, Coach Niumatalolo became Navy’s
all-time winningest coach during the 2014 season, compiling a 57-35
record in his seven seasons. Niumatalolo is the fastest in school
history to reach 50 wins, winning his 50th game against Temple this
fall in what was his 81st career game.
The Midshipmen were led this season by quarterback Keenan
Reynolds (Antioch, Tenn.), who just wrapped up his junior season in
Annapolis. The ECAC All-Star finished the 2014 campaign with 1,191
yards rushing and 23 touchdowns, while throwing for 843 yards and
six touchdowns. Reynolds will enter his senior season with 64
career rushing touchdowns, which already tied for fourth in NCAA
history.
Senior guard Jake Zuzek (Brookhaven, Pa.), senior punter Pablo
Beltran (Humble, Texas), junior guard E.K. Binns (Cape Coral, Fla.)
and junior defensive end Will Anthony (Jacksonville, Fla.) also
made their way on the ECAC FBS All-Star team under Coach
Niumatalolo. Zuzek and Binns anchored an offensive line and rushing
attack that averaged 338.1 yards on the ground per game, which
ranked second nationally. Anthony finished the 2014 season with a
team-high 11.5 tackles for loss, to go along with 2.5 sacks and 67
total stops.
In addition to the wins over San Diego State and Army, Navy
earned triumphs over Temple, Texas State, VMI, San Jose State,
Georgia Southern and South Alabama.
About the ECAC
In the 76 years since its inception, the Eastern College
Athletic Conference (ECAC) has emerged as the nation's largest
Conference. The ECAC has grown considerably from its charter
membership of 58, currently boasting over 300 member schools in
Divisions I, II and III, ranging in location from Maine to South
Carolina, and westerly to Missouri. In the 2014-15 academic
year, the ECAC will host nearly 100 championships in 32 men's and
women's sports as the sponsors of over 5,800 varsity teams and
111,000 male and female athletes. For more information, visit
www.ecacsports.com.