UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State head coach James Franklin has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), it was announced at the AFCA Convention on Monday.
Joining Franklin as new electees are Coastal Carolina University head coach Jamey Chadwell, Wake Forest University head coach Dave Clawson, University of Texas at El Paso head coach Dana Dimel, Kennesaw State University head coach Brian Bohannon and Iowa Western Community College head coach Scott Strohmeier.
Franklin will join a group of distinguished head coaches who guide the organization. The Board formulates policy and provides direction for the AFCA, which was founded in 1922 by Amos Alonzo Stagg, John Heisman and others. Returning members of the AFCA Board of Trustees include incoming president Craig Bohl of the University of Wyoming, first vice-president Todd Knight of Ouachita Baptist University, second vice-president Jeff McMartin of Central College (Iowa); and third vice-president Paul Winters of Wayne State University (Mich.).
Also serving on the Board in 2022 are: Ken Niumatalolo, U.S. Naval Academy; David Shaw, Stanford University; Jim Catanzaro, Lake Forest College; Steve Ryan, Morningside University; Bobby Hauck, University of Montana; Neal Brown, West Virginia University; Sam Pittman, University of Arkansas; Tim Lester, Western Michigan University; Bobby Kennedy, Stanford University, ex officio member and chairman of the Assistant Coaches Committee; Van Malone, Kansas State University, ex officio member and chairman of the Minority Issues Committee; and Michael Christensen, Carson (Calif.) High School, ex officio member and chairman of the High School Committee. AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry serves as secretary-treasurer of the organization.
Franklin, a 27-year football coaching veteran, was appointed Penn State's 16th head football coach on January 11, 2014 and enters his 12th season in 2022 as a collegiate head football coach. Franklin's career head coaching record is 91-49.
Under Franklin's direction, Penn State has finished in the top 12 in the final College Football Playoff rankings in four of the last six seasons, has earned berths in three New Year's Six bowl games with two wins and won the 2016 Big Ten Championship. Franklin has guided the Nittany Lions to an 86 percent graduation success rate, a perfect single-year 1,000 APR for the 2018-19 school year and record-breaking performances in the classroom.
