Munz Named AFCA Region Coach of the Year

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. - University of Wisconsin-Platteville head football coach Ryan Munz was selected as the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 2024 DIII Region 5 Coach of the Year it was announced on Tuesday morning.

The winners of the award are selected by AFCA active members who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions. Each Coach of the Year honoree will be recognized on Monday, January 13, during the 2025 AFCA Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In his third season as head coach, Munz guided the Pioneers to a WIAC title, the third outright championship in program history and the first since 1970. After being picked to finish fourth in the 2024 WIAC preseason poll, the Pioneers earned the conference's automatic qualifier to the 2024 NCAA DIII Championships. It will be UW-Platteville's third trip to the championships in program history and first since 2016.

The Pioneers wrapped up the regular season with a 9-1 record and 6-1 mark in conference play. Following three non-conference wins against Lakeland, Dubuque, and Wabash, the Pioneers beat third-ranked UW-La Crosse 30-27 in overtime for the team's first statement win. UW-Platteville then upset fourth-ranked UW-River Falls 28-7 and later added another win over a top-25 team in 19th-ranked UW-Whitewater.

UW-Platteville enters the NCAA DIII Championships riding a four-game winning streak, including a 46-38 win in the regular season finale at UW-Stout. The Pioneers will receive a first-round bye before traveling to take on Wartburg at noon on Saturday, November 30.

Each regional Coach of the Year winner is a finalist for AFCA National Coach of the Year in each division. That award will be announced on Monday, December 16.

The full AFCA release can be found HERE.