Lenoir-Rhyne's Cronic Named AFCA Region Coach of the Year for Second Consecutive Year

WACO, TEX. – For the second consecutive season, Lenoir-Rhyne Head Football Coach Drew Cronic was named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Regional Coach of the Year. Cronic led the Bears to a 13-1 overall record and a second consecutive South Atlantic Conference Championship. Cronic's Bears appeared in an NCAA Quarterfinal game for the second straight season and the 13 wins match a program record. 

LR was the only 13-0 team going into last weekend in NCAA Division I, II or III. Cronic guided LR to the nation's longest home winning streak at 15 games which also broke a team record of 14 straight which stood since 1961. 

LR was ranked in the top 10 all season long under Cronic, peaking at No. 6 in the final regular-season poll. The second-year Head Coach also had a program-record 15 players selected to the All-Conference team and senior DE Jaquan Artis was named conference and regional Defensive Player of the Year. 

This marks the fourth Regional Coach of the Year award for Cronic in his four years as a head coach. Previously, he won two while coaching at Reinhardt. He is one of three repeat winners in Division II and five nationally. 

The AFCA will announce the 2019 National Coach of the Year on Tuesday, January 14. The regional winners are finalists for National Coach of the Year which Cronic won in 2018. 

2019 AFCA FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA Regional Coaches of the Year

Division II
Region 1: Jim Clements, Kutztown University
Region 2: Drew Cronic, Lenoir-Rhyne University
Region 3: Jim Svoboda, University of Central Missouri
Region 4: Todd Knight, Ouachita Baptist University
Region 5: Todd Hoffner, Minnesota State University