Clements Named AFCA Division II Region 1 Coach of the Year

WACO, Texas — After matching a program single-season record with 11 wins and taking Kutztown University to the second round of the NCAA playoffs, head coach Jim Clements was announced as the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Region 1 Coach of the Year.

Clements has presided over the back half of the most successful decade in Golden Bear football history and elevated Kutztown into the upper echelon of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. He’s compiled a 48-20 record in six seasons at KU, which includes a pair of PSAC East titles and consecutive trips to the NCAA Division II Championship tournament in 2018 and 2019.

Kutztown achieved its first ever 10-0 start in 2019 and climbed as high as No. 13 in the AFCA Division II Poll and No. 15 in the D2Football.com Poll. Clements’ team led the PSAC and ranked fourth nationally with 32 turnovers gained, while also leading the conference with 13 fumble recoveries, team passing efficiency defense (104.75) and kickoff returns (24.59 yards per return). KU’s offense hummed along all season, averaging 35.5 points and 449.0 yards per game –both fourth best in the PSAC. The defense did its job, too, allowing just 18.8 points per game, the fewest given up by a Golden Bear team since 2001 (16.3).

Clements owns the highest win percentage of any head coach in program history (.706) and has a 34-9 record in PSAC games (.791). He’s already ascended to second among Kuztown’s all-time winningest coaches and is just 13 wins shy of George Baldwin’s program record 61. The Golden Bears have enjoyed increased win totals in each of the last three seasons and Clements has never had a losing season in 14 campaigns between Delaware Valley and KU.

Clements, who also was named 2019 PSAC East Coach of the Year, is being recognized as an AFCA regional Coach of the Year for the second time. He was previously honored in 2010 after leading Delaware Valley to a 9-3 record, Middle Atlantic Conference championship and the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship tournament. This marks the third AFCA regional Coach of the Year for Kutztown as a program. Raymond Monica received the honor in 2010 and 2011.

The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association’s five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. The winners are selected by active members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions. The AFCA will announce the 2019 National Coach of the Year winners in FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA at the American Football Coaches Awards on Tuesday, January 14. Clements and the other regional winners in each division are finalists for National Coach of the Year.