COLUMBIA, Ky. — It's fitting that the Mid-South Conference West Division Coach of the Year is named after the long time Fighting Tiger coach Ron Finley because today another Campbellsville coach picked up the honor.
Perry Thomas was named Coach of the Year by his peers for the second-straight season after the Tigers won the MSC West Division Championship.
In the 28 years of Campbellsville University Fighting Tiger Football there has only been two coaches to put the team on the national stage – Ron Finley and Perry Thomas.
"This award doesn't just go to me it goes to the entire staff," said Thomas. "It helps that I have been able to get a great staff in place and keep them all here because the student-athletes see that and want to stay. Without the staff and coaches that I have and their preparation on and off the field, this award would not be possible."
Thomas' Tigers lost their first two games of the season and the way the strength of schedule looked the rest of the way out, Campbellsville would have a long year. But CU rallied by tying the longest win streak in all of Fighting Tiger football by winning eight-straight games and finishing 8-2.
CU knocked off two Top 8 opponents on the road in No. 3 Faulkner and No. 8 Lindsey Wilson. The Tigers also rallied at home against No. 7 Reinhardt in the final regular season. After trailing 28-7 in the first quarter by going on a 42-7 run and sealed its second-consecutive MSC title.
The regular season championship and NAIA Playoff appearance is also the fourth in CU history.
Thomas, who is in his eighth season, now has a record of 46-41 and has led Campbellsville to  two-straight NAIA appearances. The last two seasons have been record breaking in every facet of the game, with 23 program marks going down.
The Tigers have the best passing offenses in the NAIA with Jacob Russell throwing for more than 370 yards per contest and 3,704 total yards. CU's Jarrod Harrington ranks No. 1 in All-Purpose yards (1,909) and all-purpose yards per game with 191. Also, Tyus Alcorn leads the MSC and ranks No. 3 in the NAIA in total scoring with 19 touchdowns and 114 points.
Campbellsville is on the road in the opening round of the NAIA Football Championship Series. The 11th-ranked Tigers take on No. 6 Marian University (Ind.) on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 1 p.m. EST. Fans can listen to the game live on the Campbellsville University Sports Network – 88.7 The Tiger (www.wlcufm.com).
