Small Town News

Baldwin is finalist for coach of the year award

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Eastern Washington University head football coach Beau Baldwin has been named one of five FCS finalists for the esteemed Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.

The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award is the premiere college football coaching honor that celebrates coaches for their sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence, as well as their efforts to give back to their team, school and community both on and off the field.

The finalists for the award were determined as a result of online fan voting at www.CoachoftheYear. com and through an objective scoring model endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame. Baldwin qualified for the model by finishing among the top 15 in fan votes in the FCS division. The model considers, among other criteria: wins, team penalties, on-field sportsmanshi d, academic achievement by the student-athletes and civic and philanthropic endeavors.

"Coach Baldwin is a great candidate for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award," Greg Gordon, Liberty Mutual senior vice president, consumer marketing said. "The passionate Eastern Washington fans and alumni have suitably honored his coaching excellence, his dedication to student-athletes, and his commitment to community by casting votes and sharing anecdotes about his contributions, both on and off the field."

Joining Baldwin among the five finalists for the Football Championship Subdivision are, in alphabetical order: Rob Ash, Montana State; K.C. Keeler, Delaware; Danny Rocco, Liberty; and Andy Talley, Villanova.

"It is well-deserved for coach Baldwin to be a finalist, and is also an honor for Eastern Washington to be included among this esteemed list of candidates," EWU athletics director Bill Chaves said.

The winning coach, as selected by a combination of online fan voting and a committee of college football media and College Football Hall of Fame players and coaches, receives $50,000 to donate to the charities of his choice and a $20,000 grant to his school's alumni association, providing further positive impact on their school and local community.

As fan voting accounts for 20 percent of a coach's final score, Eas tern students, alumni, and fans are encouraged vote for Baldwin online at www.CoachoftheYear. com through Tuesday, Dec. 28.

The winners in each division will be announced during a televised luncheon prior to the BCS National Championship game on Jan. 10 in Glendale, Arizona.



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