Lackner Named AFCA Division III Region 2 Coach of the Year

(WACO, Texas) – Carnegie Mellon University head football coach Rich Lackner has been named American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 2021 Regional Coach of the Year for Region 2. This marks Lackner's first honor by the AFCA in his 36 years at the helm.

Lackner led Carnegie Mellon to an 8-2 overall record and an 8-1 mark in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). The Tartans captured a share of this year's PAC title and the league's automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III Championship, which was the seventh all-time in program history.

The Tartans defeated two ranked opponents, No. 24 Westminster (34-10) and No. 22 Washington & Jefferson (27-11) on the way to capturing their eighth PAC title and first since 1989. Lackner owns a career record of 234-125-2 and is tied for the third-most victories among active Division III coaches.

The AFCA will announce the 2021 National Coaches of the Year winners in FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA on Monday, January 10. The Regional winners in each division are finalists for National Coach of the Year.