Wabash assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Neal Neathery has been named the AFCA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year.
In addition to leading the Little Giant defense to a top-25 ranking in the nation in four of the last six seasons and four North Coast Athletic Conference championships, Neathery serves as an adult Sunday School teacher, is an active member of the Indiana Home Educators Association and the Home School Legal Defense Association. He also volunteers annually at the FCA football camp in Indiana, and assists at the yearly Wabash Youth Day Clinic. Neathery has also been a guest speaker for various coaching groups throughout the state of Indiana, including twice as the featured speaker at the state football clinic. He also organized a "Defensive Summit," bringing defensive coordinators from various programs to Wabash to share ideas.
Neathery is the second Wabash assistant coach to earn the award. Brian Ward, former special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach received the honor in 2002.
Other recipients of the 2007 award are:
Football Bowl Subdivision - Calvin Magee, West Virginia
Football Championship Subdivision - Tom Matukewicz, Southern Ill.
Division II - Scott Bostwick, Northwest Missouri State
NAIA - Ryan Nourse, Morningside College
The award was first presented in 1997 and was created to honor assistant coaches who excel in community service, commitment to the student-athlete, on-field
coaching success and AFCA professional organization involvement.
The recipients will be honored at the Kickkoff Luncheon on Monday, January 7 at the 2008 AFCA Convention in Anaheim, California.
For more information see: