UND's football season wrapped up with a dramatic win against South Dakota last month, one that gave the program its first conference championship as a Division I FCS program.
But the honors are still arriving at the football offices in Memorial Stadium.
UND coach Chris Mussman learned Tuesday that he is one of five FCS finalists for the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year honor.
"It's a pretty special honor because when you get to this point it truly is a team award," Mussman said. "It validates what you've been doing, not only on the field but off the field as well. To me, that's a statement that we're doing things the right way, on the field and off the field."
The award honors one coach from each NCAA division who displays sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence on and off the field.
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The top 15 coaches based on the initial round of fan voting were run through an objective computer model that measured coaching excellence, sportsmanship and integrity, academic success and community service to arrive at the five finalists.
Towson's Rob Ambrose, Montana State's Rob Ash, Holy Cross' Tom Gilmore and Appalachian State's Jerry Moore are the other finalists.
On the field, Mussman led UND to a turnaround season. UND finished 8-3 and earned a share of the Great West Conference title with its come-from-behind win against South Dakota on the last day of the season.
A year ago, UND finished 3-8. The turnaround from 2010 was the third best in program history.
Off the field, the UND football program has been active as well.
In addition to the 8-3 record, Mussman and his players combined to put in more than 1,800 community service hours throughout the calendar year. These projects included hosting the West Elementary Family Fun Night, filling bags of food for the Grand Forks 'Feed My Starving Children' program, hosting free youth football clinics in the community and orchestrating the program's annual 'Holiday Magic From Markus' fundraiser that benefits families of children stricken with poor health.
UND coaches are on the recruiting trail this week. But one message they will deliver to potential UND players focuses on community involvement.
"This is an expectation of this program," Mussman said about community participation. "It always has been. It's been an expectation that we're going to give back to the community. We do what we can."
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If Mussman wins the coach of the year award, he will receive $50,000 to donate to a charity of his choice and $20,000 in scholarship money for the UND Alumni Association.
Nelson reports on sports. Reach him at (701) 780-1268; (800) 477-6572, ext. 268; or send e-mail to wnelson@gfherald.com .
