GRAND FORKS, N.D.--University of North Dakota head football coach Dale Lennon has been named one of five Division II finalists for the 2007 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award. The award, which is being presented with the support of the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame, celebrates responsible coaching and a commitment to excellence both on and off the field.

Other Division II finalists include Nebraska-Omaha's Pat Behrns, Pittsburg State's Chuck Broyles, Slippery Rock's Dr. George Mihalik and Chadron State's Bill O'Boyle.

The winner for each division will receive a personal trophy and be recognized in a permanent Coach of the Year exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana. Liberty Mutual will also award $50,000 to support the winning coach's civic and charitable activities, as well as $20,000 for scholarships to the alumni association of the winning coach's school.

Lennon recently completed his ninth season as UND head coach and led the Fighting Sioux to a 10-2 overall record, including a 7-1 North Central Conference mark, and a fifth consecutive berth in the NCAA Division II postseason. His 90 wins tie him with Roger Thomas as the winningest coaches in UND football history.

Off the field, three of Lennon's student-athletes were named ESPN the Magazine Academic All-Americans. UND also placed a league-high eight student-athletes on the Academic All-NCC team and a league-high 22 student-athletes on the NCC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll.

A three-time NCC Coach of the Year, Lennon guided UND to a NCAA Division II national championship in 2001 and was named 2001 American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II Coach of the Year.

Lennon and his student-athletes are also active in the community, lending their time to numerous charitable functions, including Holiday Magic for Markus, Special Olympics, Upward Bound, Camp Sioux, Make-A-Wish Foundation, United Tribes High School Awareness Program and the Northwood tornado recovery effort.

The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year will be determined by a compilation of fan votes (20%), votes cast by a committee of College Football Hall of Fame coaches and players (55%) and the national college football media (25%). Candidates are evaluated on criteria such as coaching excellence, sportsmanship, integrity, academic excellence and community commitment.

Fans can vote by visiting www.coachoftheyear.com.

Each division winner will be profiled on an ABC special telecast on Dec. 29.

###