Hudspeth Named Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award Finalist

Vote for Coach Hudspeth Daily Through December 22 at www.CoachoftheYear.com; Each Division Winner to Receive $50,000 for Charity and $20,000 for Alumni Association Scholarship

After leading the Ragin' Cajuns football team to one of the best seasons in school history and the first bowl appearance in 41 years, head coach Mark Hudspeth became the first Sun Belt head coach to be named one of ten FBS finalists for the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, announced Liberty Mutual on Tuesday. The award is the leading college football-coaching honor that celebrates coaches for their sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence, and for giving back to their teams, schools and communities, on and off the field.

“I can't say enough about what Coach Hudspeth means to our program and community,” UL Director of Athletics Scott Farmer said. “He is very deserving of this honor. Coach Hudspeth does just as much for his student-athletes and community off the field, as he does on the field, which gives Ragin' Cajun fans and alumni something to be proud of. I encourage our fans to keep voting for Coach Hudspeth to bring home the trophy, and to support his charities and our school.”

The ten finalists 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. Each coach was among the top 15 in fan votes in FBS to qualify for the model, which considers, among other criteria: wins, team penalties, on-field sportsmanship, academic achievement by the student-athletes, and commitment to charitable endeavors.

“College football fans clearly recognize Coach Hudspeth as one of the game's true leaders, and we agree he is an excellent finalist for the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award,” said Greg Gordon, Liberty Mutual senior vice president, Consumer Marketing. “Each year, we ask fans to vote for the coaches who best exemplify the award's characteristics – sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence, on and off the field. Coach Hudspeth does just that, through his success on game days, as well as providing leadership to his student-athletes and commitment to the greater Lafayette community.”

“This is a great honor for our football team and coaching staff,” Hudspeth said. “I am very appreciative of the support our fans have given this team.”

Joining Coach Hudspeth among the ten FBS finalists for the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award are, in alphabetical order: Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State University; Brady Hoke, University of Michigan; Mike London, University of Virginia; Les Miles, Louisiana State University; Bobby Petrino, University of Arkansas; Mark Richt, University of Georgia; Nick Saban, University of Alabama; Bill Snyder, Kansas State University; and Dabo Swinney, Clemson University.

Fans can visit www.CoachoftheYear.com between December 6 and December 22 to vote daily among the finalists in each division. Selection committees of more than 50 College Football Hall of Fame players and coaches – including Archie Manning, Lou Holtz, Vince Dooley, Ronnie Lott, Archie Griffin – and the national college football media, such as Kirk Herbstreit, Stewart Mandel and Tim Brando, will also cast votes for the winners to ensure coaches are evaluated fairly and measured against the specific values of responsibility and integrity. Winners are ultimately determined using the following voting weight: fans, 20-percent; College Football Hall of Fame, 55-percent; and college football media, 25-percent.

Liberty Mutual will announce the four winners the morning of the BCS Championship game, January 9, 2012, in New Orleans. If Coach Hudspeth is named 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year for the Football Bowl Subdivision, he will receive $50,000 to donate to the charities of his choice and a $20,000 grant to his school's alumni association. Since 2006, the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award has celebrated the work of 17 winning coaches by donating more than $1.2 million to over 80 charities and college alumni scholarship funds across the country. Former Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Football Bowl Subdivision winners include: Gene Chizik, Auburn (2010); Gary Patterson, TCU (2009); Nick Saban, Alabama (2008); Ron Zook, Illinois (2007); and Greg Schiano, Rutgers (2006).

Ragin' Cajuns fans also can join the conversation for the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year on Facebook by visiting www.Facebook.com/LMCoachofYear or on Twitter, @LMCoachofYear.

-- RaginCajuns.com --

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Hudspeth Named Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award Finalist

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