WACO, Texas – Eastern Kentucky University head football coach Dean Hood was honored as one of five NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Regional Coaches of the Year Tuesday by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Under Hood’s guidance, the Colonels (7-5) won six of their final seven regular season games to earn a share of the 2011 Ohio Valley Conference title. Eastern Kentucky has captured two OVC championships in Hood’s four seasons as head coach. EKU went on to host its first NCAA FCS playoff game since 1994 on Nov. 26 against nationally-ranked James Madison.

Towson’s Rob Ambrose (Region 1), Georgia Southern’s Jeff Monken (Region 2), North Dakota State’s Craig Bohl (Region 4) and Sam Houston State’s Willie Fritz (Region 5) were the other honorees. All five coaches guided their teams to at least a share of a conference title and a berth in the FCS playoffs.

The 2011 Regional Coach of the Year winners will be recognized at the AFCA?Coach of the Year Dinner at the 2012 AFCA?Convention in San Antonio, Texas. The dinner is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 10.