(Waco, TX) The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has announced the 2021 Spring AFCA NAIA Regional Coaches of the Year. Cardinals Head Football Coach Joshua Schumacher has been named the AFCA NAIA Region 2 Coach of the Year. This is the first time Coach Schumacher has been honored with this award.
Coach Schumacher's honor comes on the heels of the program's first MSFA Mideast League Championship. The Cardinals secured their first conference championship after finishing the regular season with a perfect mark of 4-0 in the competitive MSFA Mideast League. The Cardinals were undefeated on the season at 5-0 overall. The Cardinals defeated three ranked teams to start the season (#22 – Siena Heights, #2 Marian, and #9 St. Francis (Ind.).
In four years as head coach for the Cardinals, Schumacher has posted an overall record of 32-8 and has not lost a game at Cardinal Stadium (17-0). The Cardinals have also been ranked in 39 consecutive NAIA Coaches top 25 polls. On Sunday night, the Cardinals earned their fourth consecutive bid to the NAIA Football Championships Series. The Cardinals have now reached the playoffs in all four years that Schumacher has been the head coach.
The AFCA recognizes coaches in five of the NAIA regions. The honorees from each region will now be put on the national ballot for the AFCA NAIA Coach of the Year which will be announced prior to the NAIA National Championship Game.
The Cardinals will return to the gridiron this Saturday, April 17th as the 5th seed. The Cardinals will play the 12th seeded Tigers of Georgetown. Kickoff is set for 1:30pm in Georgetown, KY.
