Courtesy Middlebury Athletic Communications

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - Middlebury College football coach Bob Ritter has been named the Region 1 AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) Coach of the Year. The seventh-year head coach led the Panthers to the 2007 NESCAC Football Championship with a record of 7-1 on the season. He along with four other regional winners will now be placed on the National Coach of the Year ballot, to be announced later this month.

Ritter, who also earned NESCAC Coach of the Year honors this season, now has a career record of 32-24 at Middlebury. Despite returning just half of their starters from a year ago, the Panthers didn’t miss a beat as they improved on a 6-2 record with just one loss in ‘07. Ritter’s squad ranked in the top-three in the league in 9 of 11 team statistical categories this season.

In his time as a head coach with the Panthers, Ritter has coached 45 All-NESCAC selections, while seeing his players break 18 school records. Twenty-eight players have earned All-NESCAC Academic honors in his time, with four Academic All-Region selections as well as 28 NESCAC players of the week.

The Holden, Massachusetts native began his coaching career immediately following his graduation from Middlebury. In the fall of ’82, he joined the coaching staff and spent six years as the defensive coordinator under Heinecken.

Following his six years at Middlebury, Ritter took a head men’s lacrosse and assistant football coaching position at Tufts University, where he worked as both the offensive and defensive coordinator during his tenure.

Ritter returned to Middlebury in the fall of ’96 to take on duties as an assistant football and assistant men’s lacrosse coach. He was named the head coach of the football program in the spring of ’01.

Ritter continues to work as an assistant coach in the spring for the three-time NCAA Championship men’s lacrosse team.

For more information: 
Brad Nadeau, Director of Athletic Communications, Middlebury