University of Massachusets Athletics
Whipple Named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year
November 24, 2003 | Football
Nov. 24, 2003
AMHERST, Mass. - University of Massachusetts head football coach Mark Whipple was selected as the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in voting conducted by the league's head coaches, announced by the conference today. In addition, 11 UMass players were named all-conference selections including senior Valdamar Brower (Florence, Mass.), senior Jeremy Cain (Tamarac, Fla.) and senior Anton McKenzie (Medford, N.Y.) who each earned first team honors.
UMass (10-2, 8-1 Atlantic 10) is currently ranked fifth in the nation, and won a share of the 2003 Atlantic 10 conference title for the first time since 1999, its 19th football conference championship overall. The 10 regular season wins are a school record, as are the eight Atlantic 10 wins.
Whipple is in his sixth season at the helm of the Minutemen, leading the team to a 49-25 (.662) mark including five winning seasons. Earlier this season, he moved into sole possession of second place on the UMass all-time list for victories, and needs just 10 more wins to tie all-time leader Vic Fusia, who posted a 59-32-2 mark from 1961-1970. In 16 years as a collegiate head coach, including six seasons at UMass (49-25 / 1998-present), four years at Brown (24-16 / 1994-97) and six seasons at New Haven (48-17 / 1988-93), he carries an overall record of 121-58 (.676). In 2000, Whipple became the first Minuteman coach in 20 years to lead his team to three consecutive winning seasons. The last UMass coach to accomplish the feat was Bob Pickett, who led the Minutemen to four straight winning years from 1978-1981. Whipple is also the only coach in school history to win 20 games in his first two years. With a win over Colgate this week, Whipple would become only the second coach in school history with 50 career victories.
Other UMass players earning second team all-conference honors include senior Jeff Krohn (Phoenix, Ariz.), sophomore Steve Baylark (Apopka, Fla.), junior Jason Peebler (Modesto, Calif.), junior Rob Kane (Londonderry, N.H.) and senior Mark Kimener (Oakton, Va.).
Rounding out the group are third team selections senior Colin Christopher (Grand Rapids, Mich.), senior Mike Ziccardi (Coral Springs, Fla.) and sophomore Shannon James (Stratford, Conn.).
No. 5 UMass returns to action this Saturday, Nov. 29, in the first round of the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs as it travels to No. 6 Colgate. Kick off is set for 12:30 p.m. in Hamilton, N.Y.
