Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

ROSLYN, PA -- University of Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler, who led the Blue Hen football team to an 11-4 record and a berth in the NCAA Division I Football Championships Subdivision national championship game this past fall, has been named the winner of the Tri-State Coach of the Year Award presented by the prestigious Maxwell Club.

Keeler (at right), who also earned the award in 2003 when he led the Blue Hens to the national title with a 15-1 record, becomes the first coach in Maxwell Club history to earn the award twice. He will be honored at the annual Maxwell Club Awards Dinner March 7 at Harrah’s Atlantic City Resort. The announcement of the winners was made by club President Ron Jaworski, a former Philadelphia Eagles standout quarterback and current ESPN analyst.

Other award winners who will be honored at the banquet will be West Chester quarterback Bill Zwaan, Jr. (Tri-State Player of the Year), University of Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow (Maxwell College Player of the Year), Penn State linebacker Dan Connor (Chuck Bednarik College Defensive Player of the Year), University of Kansas head coach Mark Mangino (George Munger College Coach of the Year), New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (Bert Bell NFL Player of the Year), New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick (Greasy Neale NFL Coach of the Year), Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson (Reds Bagnell Award), and Audubon High School player Steve Rizzo (Tri-State High School Player of the Year).

Keeler, a 1981 Delaware graduate, just completed his sixth season at the helm of the Delaware program and holds a career record of 140-47-1 over 15 seasons, including a mark of 52-26 with the Blue Hens and a mark of 88-21-1 at NCAA Division III Rowan University. He has led Delaware to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the quarterfinals in 2004, and two conference titles. In his 15 seasons as a head coach, he has led his teams to the national championship game seven times and to the post-season 10 times.

A native of Emmaus, PA, Keeler led the Blue Hens to one of its finest seasons in school history in 2007. Delaware posted a regular season record of 8-3, including losses in the final two games, but peaked at tournament time, defeating MEAC champion Delaware State 44-7 in the first round before storming back from 10 points down to defeat No. 1 seed and previously undefeated Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals in Cedar Falls, IA.

The Hens once again trailed by 10 points early in the semifinals vs. No. 4 Southern Illinois, but rallied to post a 20-17 win over the Salukis in Carbondale, IL. Delaware then lost to two-time defending national champion Appalachian State 49-21 in the title game in Chattanooga, TN.

Delaware will also be honored as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Team of the Year and the Lambert Cup Trophy winner as the top team in the East Feb. 19 at the ECAC Football Awards Banquet at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, NJ.

The Maxwell Football Club was established in 1935 and is the only football club in the United States to recognize excellence at all levels of football. Please direct any questions to Mr. Robert Clark Maxwell, Club Executive Director (215-884-0649) or via email at bobclark@maxwellfootballclub.org.