HOUSTON, Jan. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dabo Swinney
of Clemson took home the title of the
college football Coach of the Year at the American Heart
Association's 31st annual Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards
presented by Marathon Oil Corporation. Swinney is the first coach
in the Bryant Awards history to be recognized as Coach of the Year
in consecutive seasons ('15 and '16) and just the second coach to
win the award twice.
The 2016 season is officially in the books and the Clemson Tigers finished the season 14-1, ultimately
winning the National Championship title during an action-packed
game against Alabama. In his last 60
games, Swinney is 52-8 and has claimed two ACC championships and a
National Championship.
"It's special to be back here and to win this trophy tonight,
and I'm thankful to the Bryant family and the American Heart
Association," Swinney said. "Coach Bryant to me is one of the
greatest givers and that's how we should be measured – by how much
we give not what we take. Coach Bryant was such a great giver and
he was my hero."
The winner of this coveted annual award was selected by the
National Sports Media Association, formerly known as National
Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. It is the only college
coaching honor presented after all bowl games are concluded and
recognizes an elite group of coaches for their distinguished
leadership on and off the field.
Representing the country's finest college
football coaches, other finalists were: Paul Chryst (Wisconsin), P.J.
Fleck* (Western
Michigan), James
Franklin (Penn State),
Clay Helton (USC), Dana
Holgorsen (West
Virginia), and Mike
MacIntyre (Colorado).
*P.J. Fleck is currently
Minnesota's head coach, but
honored by AHA for his accomplishments as the head coach of
Western Michigan.
The Bryant Awards also recognized 2017 Lifetime Achievement
Award winner Barry Alvarez, athletic
director and former head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Alvarez is
praised for revitalizing the Badgers' football program during his
coaching tenure from 1990-2005 and is by far the winningest coach
in Wisconsin football history
(119-74-4 record). He has led Wisconsin's athletics department since 2004
and will continue to serve in the role until 2021. In his 13-year
tenure, Wisconsin sports have won
56 conference titles and 14 national championships.
"I am humbled and honored to receive the Paul "Bear" Bryant
Lifetime Achievement Award. It is certainly a privilege to be here
supporting the American Heart Association and the tremendous job
that you do," Alvarez said. "The name alone speaks a bulk of
excellence and tonight that is what this award represents and it's
obvious why the honor is named after Bear Bryant."
For the second time in its history, sports aficionados who were
unable to attend the Bryant Awards had the opportunity to watch the
ceremony live on FOX College
Sports. In case you missed it, catch the special airing on
Sun., Jan. 22 at 9 p.m. CST on FOX Sports Southwest.
Funds raised from the Bryant Awards benefit American Heart
Association research, advocacy and educational programs across the
country aimed at the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular
diseases and stroke.
Marathon Oil Corporation has served as the presenting sponsor of
the Bryant Awards for the past eight years, underscoring the
Company's commitment to health and wellness and supporting
initiatives that promote the well-being of workers and their
families both on and off the job. The Company also values the
communities in which its employees live and work, and strives to
partner with local community leaders to recognize and advance
important public health initiatives that promote the common good
and protect the public.
For a recap of the fun, be sure to check out
www.bryantawards.com and join the conversation by following
#bryantawards and facebook.com/bryantawards.
About American Heart Association
The American Heart
Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and
stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We
team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight
for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools
and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The
Dallas-based association is the
nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to
fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get
involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit www.heart.org or call any of
our offices around the country.
About Marathon Oil Corporation
Marathon Oil
Corporation (NYSE: MRO) is a global exploration and production
company. Based in Houston,
Texas, the Company had net proved reserves at the end of
2016 of 2.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent in North America, Europe and Africa. For more information,
please visit the Company's website at www.marathonoil.com.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
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Rome, hayden@dpwpr.com
Allison Wright,
allison@dpwpr.com
Jamie Sava, jamie@dpwpr.com
Dancie Perugini Ware Public Relations
(713) 224-9115
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SOURCE American Heart Association Houston Division