ORONO, Maine — University of Maine football coach Jack Cosgrove has been named one of 21 finalists for the 27th annual Eddie Robinson FCS Coach of the Year award, The Sports Network announced Tuesday.
Following a preseason in which his Black Bears were selected eighth in the Colonial Athletic Association football preseason poll, Cosgrove has guided Maine to its best start in history. The fourth-ranked Black Bears are 10-1 and 7-0 in league play.
Maine has wrapped up the CAA title for the first time in school history and has clinched the league’s automatic playoff bid.
Along the way, Maine defeated Massachusetts for its second-ever FBS victory. Cosgrove also picked up his 120th victory and currently stands at 121-119 in his career.
The voting for the award will reflect only regular-season results and will be done by a panel of sports information directors, broadcasters and writers. The winner will be announced at TSN’s awards banquet on Dec. 16 in Philadelphia.
The winners of the three FCS player awards — the Walter Payton (outstanding player), the Buck Buchanan (outstanding defensive player) and the Jerry Rice (freshman of the year) — also will be announced at the national banquet.
The other Robinson Award candidates are: Dino Babers, Eastern Illinois; Beau Baldwin, Eastern Washington; Craig Bohl, North Dakota State; Jamey Chadwell, Charleston Southern; Bruce Fowler, Furman; Jay Hopson, Alcorn State; Russ Huesman, Tennessee at Chattanooga; Bobby Lamb, Mercer; Ed Lamb, Southern Utah; Jimmye Laycock, William & Mary; Joe Moglia, Coastal Carolina; Joe Moorhead, Fordham; Mark Nofri, Sacred Heart; Jim Parady, Marist; Buddy Pough, South Carolina State; Rod Reed, Tennessee State; Ron Roberts, Southeastern Louisiana; Bob Surace, Princeton; Matt Viator, McNeese State; and Eric Wolford, Youngstown State.
Maine players honored
Several women’s basketball players earned all-tourney honors during events held over the weekend. Gaining awards were: Megan Phelps (Bowdoin), Hanna Lyons (Maine Maritime Academy), Jillian Perron (MMA), Erin McNamara (University of Southern Maine), Meghan Smith (UM-Farmington), Mia Diplock (Colby), Lindsay Moore (Saint Joseph’s), Morgan Cahill (St. Joe’s), and Lindsay Ranquist (UMF). Mariah Callender (USM), Lauren Hayden (U-New England), Jen Nale (Colby), and Marle Curle (Bowdoin) all earned tourney MVP honors.
In men’s basketball, UNE’s Kurt Steiner, UM-Presque Isle’s Michael Warner and Thomas’ Marquis Pollard were named to all-tourney teams.