Ryan gains prominent national role

Morningside College head football coach Steve Ryan has been elected to the American Football Coaches Association's Board of Trustees.

Ryan, who recently guided the Mustangs to their first National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championship as part of an unbeaten season, will handle the role as NAIA representative on the board. He joins Lake Forest College head coach Jim Catanzaro and the University of Montana head coach Bobby Hauck on being named. Catanzaro is an NCAA Division III representative, while Hauck will be the same for the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision.

Catanzaro, Ryan, and Hauck will join a group of distinguished head coaches who guide the organization. The board formulates policy and provides direction for the AFCA, which was founded in 1922 by Amos Alonzo Stagg, John Heisman, and others and has more than 11,000 members from all levels.

Returning members of the AFCA Board of Trustees include incoming president Frank Solich of Ohio University, first vice-president Gary Patterson of TCU, second vice-president Pat Fitzgerald of Northwestern University and third vice-president Craig Bohl of the University of Wyoming. Also serving on the Board in 2019 are: Bronco Mendenhall, University of Virginia; Todd Knight, Ouachita Baptist University; David Cutcliffe, Duke University; Jeff McMartin, Central College (Iowa); Blake Anderson, Arkansas State University; Dan Mullen, University of Florida; Danny Rocco, University of Delaware; Ken Niamatalolo, U.S. Naval Academy; Paul Winters, Wayne State University (Mich.); David Shaw, Stanford University; Seth Littrell, University of North Texas; Danny Pearman, Clemson University, ex officio member and chairman of the Assistant Coaches Committee; Van Malone, Kansas State University, ex officio member and chairman of the Minority Issues Committee; Michael Christensen, Lakewood (Calif.) High School, ex officio member and chairman of the High School Committee; and Mark McElroy, Saddleback College, ex officio member, and Junior College representative. AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry serves as secretary-treasurer of the organization.