WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ- On the heels of the most successful season to date, Monmouth University Head Coach Kevin Callahan has been named FCS Region 2 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
 
Callahan, who is in his 27^th season at the helm of the Hawks, led Monmouth to an 11-3 record, its first Big South Conference championship and its first playoff victory. The Hawks went unbeaten at home (7-0) and finished 6-0 in conference play. Callahan earned his first Big South Coach of the Year honor and is among the coaches up for the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award, bestowed upon the top coach in the nation.
 
The Monmouth offense set a school record for points scored, rushing yards and total offense. The unit was guided by the nation's leading rusher in Pete Guerriero and the Big South Offensive Player of the Year in Kenji Bahar. Both Bahar and Guerriero were on the Walter Payton Award Watch list with Guerriero becoming the first Monmouth player to be named as a finalist.
 
Coming into the season Callahan, who is the only coach that Monmouth has ever had, has won six conference championships at Monmouth. He is one of three FCS coaches with 150+ wins all at one institution and his 27 years as a head coach has the seventh most victories among active coaches. Over the past three years Monmouth is 28-7 against FCS competition.
 
Callahan and the other region winners will be in consideration for the AFCA National Coach of the Year, which will be announced later in the month.