FERRIS FOOTBALL COACH NOMINATED FOR NATIONAL AWARD

Pierce Named A 2006 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award Candidate

Ferris State University football head coach Jeff Pierce, the all-time winningest coach in the FSU program's history, has been nominated for the 2006 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award.

The award honors the college football coach who best exemplifies responsibility and excellence both on and off the field. A selection committee including members of the College Football Hall of Fame, the national media and fans will help choose the winner.

The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year will receive a personal trophy, which will be featured in the December 16 television special, and will be recognized in a Coach of the Year exhibit at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind. Liberty Mutual also will award $100,000 to support the winning coach's civic and charitable activities, and $20,000 for scholarships to the alumni association of the winning coach's school.

Fans across the country are encouraged to visit www.coachoftheyear.com between September 8 and November 5 to vote for the college football coach who they believe embodies responsibility - not only to his own team and players, but also in society and in his community. All football head coaches at a NCAA-member college or university at all division levels are eligible for consideration. Following the initial fan voting (Sept. 8-Nov. 5), a second phase (Nov. 8-20) will be conducted and feature online fan voting for the 10 finalists. The finalists will also be judged individually by the selection committee.

Fans who go online to vote will be entered into a sweepstakes drawing to win a trip for four to the 93rd Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, Calif., on January 1, 2007. Fans may vote daily although will only be permitted one sweepstakes entry per email address.

ABC will air a one-hour program, hosted by Hall of Fame broadcaster Keith Jackson, profiling the 10 Liberty of Mutual Coach of the Year finalists on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 2-3 p.m. (ET) and 4-5 p.m. (PT). The winner will be showcased on a one-hour ABC special Saturday, Dec. 16, which will also be hosted by Keith Jackson. Program times are 2-3 p.m. (ET) and 4-5 p.m. (PT).

Pierce, who's currently in his 12th year as head coach at Ferris State, boasts a 72-52-0 overall coaching record (.581 winning pct.) to date. He was honored as the 1995 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's (GLIAC) Coach of the Year.