WACO, Texas – A day after being formally introduced as the 18
th head football coach in Arkansas Tech history, Roy Thompson has received a national award from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as he was tabbed as the organization's Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year.
OFFICIAL AFCA RELEASE
The national plaudit for Thompson came as a testament to his impact as the defensive coordinator at Ouachita Baptist.
This past season, Thompson engineered a defensive unit that ranked fifth in DII in scoring defense (12.0 ppg) and 21
st overall in total defense (276.3 ypg). On Oct. 19, Thompson and his defense shined brightly under the lights of primetime in one of the most anticipated matchups of the season as Ouachita hosted then top-ranked and defending national champion Harding.
Heading into that game, Harding had won 25 consecutive games and had an offensive attack that was averaging 554 yards of total offense and 61 points per game. By the final horn, Thompson's defensive unit stoned Harding to the tune of just 288 yards of total offense and 13 points as the Tigers beat Harding.
Thompson's defensive efforts helped Ouachita to a 10-2 overall record, a GAC Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs.
ABOUT AFCA ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
Each year, staff representatives from NCAA and NAIA football-playing schools are asked to nominate an assistant for consideration. From those nominations, the winners are selected by the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year Committee.
The Assistant Coach of the Year award was first presented in 1997 and was created to honor assistant coaches who excel in community service, commitment to the student-athlete, on-field coaching success and AFCA professional organization involvement.
137 assistant coaches from 103 different schools have been honored by the AFCA since the inception of the award in 1997 … Iowa and Virginia Union join Benedictine (Kan.), Morningside, Bethel (Minn.), Campbellsville, Carson-Newman and Hampton as schools with three winners each … Army, Air Force, Carroll (Mont.), Central (Iowa), Clemson, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Kansas Wesleyan, Lindsey Wilson, Marian, Mount Union, Northwest Missouri State, Tabor, Wabash, Washington (Mo.) and Winona State all have two winners each.
Winners of the Assistant Coach of the Year Award will receive a plaque to commemorate their recognition. They will be honored Sunday, January 12, during the 2025 AFCA Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
