Cumberland University's Woody Hunt has been named the Rawlings-NAIA Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to the second national championship in school history.
It marks the second national Coach of the Year honor for Hunt during his 29-year career as head coach at Cumberland. He was named the Rawlings-National Coach of the Year after the Bulldogs lost in the NAIA World Series title game in extra innings, according to a news release issued by Cumberland University.
The award will be presented at the 2011 Rawlings-NAIA Awards Luncheon in Nashville on Jan. 7. The luncheon is part of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Convention which runs from Jan. 6-9 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.
"This is a very prestigious honor, but it's really a team accomplishment," Hunt said. "Everything we get as coaches reflects on our team. We were such a singular unit as a team this season, and I'm more proud of our team than any individual accomplishments."
Hunt is one of only six coaches in history to register 1,000 career victories in the NAIA and owns a career record of 1,284-523-3. The Bulldogs have appeared in 11 NAIA World Series, including five in the last seven seasons, claiming the national championship in 2004 and 2010 as well as runner-up finishes in 1995 and 2006.
Cumberland has won 17 conference championships during Hunt's tenure, including 10 in the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference (TCAC), five in the Mid-South Conference (MSC) and two in the TranSouth Conference (TSAC). CU has four district championships, 12 NAIA regional titles and has played in five super regionals as well.
The program has posted 21 seasons with 40 or more victories in 27 years as a four-year program, including 17 of the last 18 campaigns, while registering 50 or more wins eight times, all since 1997. The 2004 squad set the school record for victories with 59, followed closely behind by the 2010 club with a 58-9 mark.
The Bulldogs have produced 56 NAIA All-Americans, including 2010 National Player of the Year Matt Greener and Steve Green, the only three-time All-American in program history. Seventy-four of Hunt's former players have signed professional contracts.
Hunt has also achieved individual success in the awards category, claiming 17 Coach of the Year honors. He is a seven-time Southeast Region Coach of the Year and has also been a finalist for the National Coach of the Year Award five times.
Cumberland University was picked fourth in the Mid-South Conference (MSC) West Division in a recently released poll of league coaches.
Fifth-year head coach Dewayne Alexander returns 17 starters and 45 letter-winners from last season's 5-6 club. The Bulldogs suffered three one-point losses and a 13-3 setback as well during the 2009 campaign.
The University of the Cumberlands (9-2, 5-1 MSC) received six of the seven first-place votes and tallied 36 points in earning the moniker of division favorite. Shorter University (6-5, 3-3) was picked second with 27 points, with Bethel University (5-6, 4-2) third with 23 points.
Cumberland (5-6, 3-3) was tabbed fourth with 19 points, with Belhaven University (6-5, 4-2) receiving the other first-place vote and rated fifth overall with 18 points. Union College (4-6, 3-3) tied for fifth with Belhaven and Faulkner University (2-9, 0-6) was seventh with six points.
Campbellsville University (7-4, 3-2) received three first-place votes and Georgetown College (7-4, 4-2) collected two first-place votes, as the longtime rivals tied for the top spot in the East Division with 32 points. UVA-Wise (5-6, 4-2) obtained the other two first-place votes and was tabbed third with 29 points.
Pikeville College (3-8, 1-5) received 20 points and was fourth, while West Virginia Tech (3-8, 0-6), Kentucky Christian (1-9, 1-5) and Lindsey Wilson (first season of football) rounded out the poll.
Cumberland University opens the season on Thursday, Sept. 2 at Austin Peay before entertaining Campbellsville University in the home opener on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 1:30 p.m. The Bulldogs also host West Virginia Tech (Sept. 25), Lindsey Wilson (Homecoming, Oct. 2), Shorter University (Oct. 9), Union College (Oct. 30) and Belhaven University (Nov. 6) at Lindsey Donnell Stadium-Kirk Field in 2010. Click here to view the Bulldogs' 2010 Football Schedule.
