AFCA Release 

U.S. Coast Guard Academy head football coach C.C. Grant has been named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) NCAA Division III Region 1 Coach of the Year.
 
This is Grant’s first AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honor. Grant led the Bears to a 7-3 overall record and a 5-2 conference record, finishing third in the NEWMAC.

This is Grant’s sixth season as the head coach at Coast Guard, and 27^th overall season, as he started in 1998 as the offensive coordinator, before moving to defensive coordinator in 2004, and taking over as head coach in 2020.
 
The AFCA recognizes five regional Coach of the Year winners in each of the Association’s five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, and NAIA. The winners are selected by Active members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.  
 
Grant is now a finalist for the 2025 National Coaches of the Year in Division III, which will be announced on Monday, December 15.  

About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 20 sports.