HELENA — The American Football Coaches Association on Tuesday named Carroll College's Troy Purcell as its 2022 NAIA Region 5 coach of the year.
Purcell coached the Saints to an 8-3 overall record this past season, including an 8-2 record in the Frontier Conference. Carroll won a share of the Frontier championship and earned the league's automatic bid into the NAIA playoffs.
The Saints started the regular season 3-2 but closed with a five-game winning streak. Carroll's season ended with a 17-14 loss against No. 2 Grand View (Iowa) in the first round of the playoffs.
Purcell was one of five coaches honored by the AFCA at the NAIA level. The others are Mike Jasper of Bethel University in Region 1; Jordan Langs of Indiana Wesleyan in Region 2; Joe Woodley of Grand View for Region 3, and Matt McCarty of Northwestern College for Region 4.
Purcell is the first AFCA regional coach of the year winner from Carroll since Mike Van Diest was recognized four consecutive years from 2007-10.
