2:49 p.m., Jan. 10, 2011----After a season marked by the success of the Blue Hens on the field, achievements by his student-athletes in the classroom, and tireless dedication to his communities and charities, University of Delaware football head coach K.C. Keeler has received the ultimate reward for his inspirational efforts both on and off the field. Liberty Mutual Insurance, in partnership with the College Football Hall of Fame, on Monday announced Keeler as its 2010 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winner for the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

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The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award is the leading college football honor recognizing coaches for their sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence, on and off field.

Keeler rose above a group of five FCS coach finalists through fan votes cast Dec. 13-28 online at the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year website and ballots from elite selection committees of national media and College Football Hall of Fame players and coaches. Votes by fans contributed 20 percent to each coach's final score, and the media and College Football Hall of Fame accounted for 25 percent and 55 percent, respectively.

The additional 2010 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year winners are Gene Chizik, Auburn University, NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision; Bob Nielson, University of Minnesota Duluth, Division II; and Glenn Caruso, University of St. Thomas (Minn.), Division III.

“Coach Keeler embodies the spirit of the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award through his dedication to his students, team and community, and fans should be proud of the significant impact they made through their votes and support for their teams, alma maters and coaches,” said Greg Gordon, Liberty Mutual senior vice president of consumer marketing. “As a company that values 'doing the right thing' as its core responsibility, we introduced the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award in 2006 to celebrate responsibility in coaching because we believe it is one of the clearest examples of a positive influence one can have on young people, their families and their communities. Liberty Mutual is delighted to celebrate K.C. Keeler with our award.”

The press release announcing the honor noted that Keeler led UD, his alma mater, to the FCS national title game for the third time this season. The Hens won in 2003 and fell to Appalachian State in 2007 and by one point, 20-19, to Eastern Washington on Friday night.

The release stated: “Led by an FCS-leading defense (12.1 points allowed per game) and tremendous on-field discipline (total team penalties that were 23 percent fewer than the Colonial Athletic Association conference average), Coach Keeler's Blue Hens posted a 12-3 record giving him 74 victories in nine seasons in Newark, including one national title, ranking him third in all-time coaching wins at Delaware behind his own college coach, Tubby Raymond, for whom he played as a linebacker from 1978-1980 and won an NCAA Division II title in 1979.

“Keeler's Blue Hens excel in the classroom as well. Three student-athletes -- quarterback Pat Devlin, wide receiver Mark Mackey and tight end Zack Reed -- were named to the 2010 ESPN/CoSIDA district all-academic team; and 12 Blue Hens achieved CAA all-conference academic honors in 2009. (The 2010 team has not yet been announced.)

“Off the field, Coach Keeler and his team are renowned leaders in the Newark area and throughout the state. His seemingly endless list of philanthropic activities include co-chairing with his wife Janice the Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware's 2006 One Campaign; acting as an AFCA ambassador to the Jason Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to youth suicide prevention; supporting Autism Delaware, and leading statewide support of the National Marrow Donor program, doubling Delaware participants in 2010. Coach Keeler, his staff, and the Blue Hen players regularly volunteer at local food banks and Special Olympics events, participate in the Turkey Roundup, which collects and delivers holiday turkeys for needy families, and twice a season visit patients at the A.I. duPont Children's Hospital in Wilmington, Del.”

Keeler will be honored in the permanent Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year display at the College Football Hall of Fame.

In addition, Liberty Mutual will make a $50,000 charitable donation on his behalf, which Keeler has designated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware, Autism Delaware and the duPont Children's Hospital. Joe Purzycki of Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware was present to help accept the award.

A $20,000 scholarship award also will be presented in his name to the University of Delaware Alumni Association. UD Assistant Director of Alumni Relations Lauren Simione also attended the ceremony to help accept the award.

With this year's award, the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year winners have now donated more than $1.2 million since the award's inception in 2006.

“Today we celebrate Coach Keeler for the latest honor he has brought to our school, our fans and our community,” said UD Director of Athletics and Recreation Services Bernard Muir. “Being named the 2010 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winner is a testament to his significant impact and positive influence on our students and our community.”