KU’s Jim Clements named Regional Coach of the Year
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For the second year in a row and fifth time, Kutztown University head coach Jim Clements has been recognized as an American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year.
Clements was selected as the Division II Region 1 Coach of the Year for the fourth time since 2019. His first AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honor came in 2010 at Division III Delaware Valley.
The unbeaten Golden Bears (11-0) have emerged as one of the perennial elites in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and Super Region One under Clements. After leading Kutztown to 12 consecutive victories, a PSAC championship and its first SR1 title in 2023, Clements has the Golden Bears reaching new heights this season.
On the way to the first unbeaten regular season in the modern era, No. 3 Kutztown has achieved its highest national ranking in the AFCA Division II Poll, won a school-record and Division II-best 20 consecutive regular season games and captured a second straight PSAC championship.
The winningest coach in program history, Clements has a 90-28 (.763) record and boasts a 60-11 (.845) record in PSAC East games after his team’s fourth unbeaten run through the division in the last five seasons.
Clements has guided the Golden Bears to winning campaigns in each of his 10 seasons , including four 10-plus win seasons. He’s a four-time PSAC East Coach of the Year. In 18 seasons as a college head coach between Delaware Valley and Kutztown, Clements is 156-52 (.750).
The AFCA selects five Regional Coach of the Year award winners in each of the five divisions of collegiate football: Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Division II, Division III and NAIA. Winners are chosen by active members of the AFCA who cast votes for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.
Clements is one of only three repeat winners along with FCS Region 2’s Chennis Berry (South Carolina State) and Division III Region 1’s Curt Fitzpatrick (SUNY Cortland).
In addition to Clements, Division II’s Regional Coach of the Year recipients were Valdosta State’s Tremaine Jackson (Region 2), Central Oklahoma’s Adam Dorrel (Region 3), Oauchita Baptist’s Todd Knight (Region 4) and Augustana (S.D.)’s Jerry Olszewski (Region 5).
The regional award winners are finalists for AFCA National Coach of the Year, which the organization will announce across all divisions on Dec. 16.