WACO, TEX. — Bowie State’s head football coach Damon Wilson has been named the American Football Coaches (AFCA) NCAA Division II Region 2 Coach of the Year announced Monday. The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association’s five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The winners are selected by Active members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.
Under the 12th year head coach and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year, the Bulldogs won 12 games (third-consecutive season BSU has won 10 games or more), including a 12-game win-streak dating back to Sept. 11 to Dec. 4. While going undefeated for the second-straight season against conference opponents (7-0), not only did the nationally-ranked Bulldogs capture its third Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship and Northern Division title, Bowie State made school history by reaching the Super Region Two Finals (NCAA DII Quarterfinals) after defeating Lenoir-Rhyne (31-10) and Newberry (13-10) in the first and second round of the NCAA playoffs under the leadership of Damon Wilson. The last time a CIAA school reached the region finals was in 2012.
In addition to the playoff appearances, the two games also marked the first time Bowie State hosted two back-to-back playoff contests at Bulldogs Stadium. Bowie State concluded the 2021 season 6-0 record at home while registering 10 players to the All-CIAA ballets, including three first team recipients and six second team All-CIAA honorees, along with one All-CIAA Rookie Team nod.
Amongst the Super Region Two accolades, Wilson had five players named to the All-Region Team highlighted by sophomore Jonathan Ross (Waldorf, MD) whom was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Of those five All-Region selections, Bowie State had three players tab first team and three second team.