:Randy Awrey
{{Short description|American football player and coach, track and field coach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Randy Awrey
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_title = Head coach (football)
| current_team = Perquimans County HS (NC)
| current_conference =
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|4|27}}
| birth_place = Iron Mountain, Michigan, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_sport1 = Football
| player_years2 = 1974–1977
| player_team2 = Northern Michigan
| player_positions = Running back, cornerback
| coach_sport1 = Football
| coach_years2 = 1981
| coach_team2 = Westwood HS (MI) (freshmen)
| coach_years3 = 1982–1985
| coach_team3 = Michigan Tech (DB)
| coach_years4 = 1986–1989
| coach_team4 = St. Lawrence (DC)
| coach_years5 = 1990–1993
| coach_team5 = Kentucky Wesleyan
| coach_years6 = 1994–1998
| coach_team6 = Lakeland
| coach_years7 = 1999–2007
| coach_team7 = Saginaw Valley State
| coach_years8 = 2008–2011
| coach_team8 = Northern Michigan (DC)
| coach_years9 = 2012
| coach_team9 = Marietta (DC)
| coach_years10 = 2013–2017
| coach_team10 = Concordia (IL)
| coach_years11 = 2018–present
| coach_team11 = Perquimans County HS (NC)
| coach_sport12 = Track and field
| coach_years13 = 1982–1986
| coach_team13 = Michigan Tech
| coach_years14 = 1986–1990
| coach_team14 = St. Lawrence
| overall_record = 134–106–1 (college football)
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record = Football
4–5 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
| championships = Football
2 IBFC (1996–1997)
2 GLIAC (2000, 2003)
| awards = Football
2× IBFC Coach of the Year (1995–1996)
GLIAC Coach of the Year (2003)
| coaching_records =
}}
Randy Awrey (born April 27, 1956) is an American football coach, former player, and former track and field coach. He is the head football coach at Perquimans County High School in Hertford, North Carolina, a position he has held since 2018. Awrey served as the head football coach at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1990–1994), Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin (1994–1998), Saginaw Valley State University (1999–2007), and Concordia University Chicago (2013–2017), compiling a career college football coaching record of 134–106–1. He was also the head track and field coach at Michigan Technological University from 1982 to 1986 and St. Lawrence University from 1986 to 1990.
Awrey played college football as a running back at Northern Michigan University from 1974 to 1977 and was a member of the 1975 Northern Michigan Wildcats football team, which won the NCAA Division II Football Championship title. He has been inducted in the athletics hall of fame at Northern Michigan, St. Lawrence, Lakeland, and Saginaw Valley State.
Early years and playing career
Awrey was born and raised in Iron Mountain, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He was a childhood friend of Steve Mariucci, with whom he played college football at Northern Michigan University.{{Cite news |last=Wood |first=Mike |date=November 13, 2021 |title=Perquimans football coach Randy Awrey: He chose the right profession |url=https://www.dailyadvance.com/sports/high_schools/perquimans-football-coach-randy-awrey-he-chose-the-right-profession/article_64e8e5d0-8c1f-5627-a0e9-a4a355e947ad.html |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=Elizabeth City Daily Advance |location=Elizabeth City, North Carolina}} Awrey played for the Northern Michigan Wildcats football team as a cornerback during his freshman year before switching to running back. As a sophomore on the 1975 Northern Michigan team, he scored the winning touchdown on a 67-yard run in the second half of the Camellia Bowl, earning MVP honors for the game as the Wildcats captured the NCAA Division II Football Championship title over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.{{Cite news |date=December 15, 1975 |title=Glass slipper fits 'Cinderella' Wildcats |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20889369/glass_slipper_fits_cinderella_wildcats/ |work=Escanaba Daily Press |page=18 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=December 14, 1975 |title=Northern Michigan wins Division II |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eXsjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f9YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2688,2457305 |access-date=November 19, 2010 |work=The Gadsden Times |location=Gadsden, Alabama |page=57 |via=Google News |agency=Associated Press}} As a senior, Awrey earned honorable mention on the 1977 Little All-America college football team by the Associated Press. He finished his career for the Wildcats with 2,096 rushing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 45 receptions for 487 yards receiving. He graduated in 1978 from Northern Michigan with degrees in criminal justice, business administration, and physical education and health.{{Cite news |last=Suwanski |first=Rich |date=February 17, 1990 |title=KWC names Awrey head football coach |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114252405/messenger-inquirer/ |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=Messenger-Inquirer |location=Owensboro, Kentucky |page=sports, 1 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}}}}
Coaching career
In 1981, Awrey coached the freshman football team at Westwood High School in Ishpeming Township, Michigan.{{Cite news |last=Suwanski |first=Rich |date=February 17, 1990 |title=Awrey (continued) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114252424/messenger-inquirer/ |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=Messenger-Inquirer |location=Owensboro, Kentucky |page=sports, 5 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}}}}
In February 1990, Awrey was hired as the head football coach at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro, Kentucky, succeeding Billy Mitchell, who had been fired the previous November.{{Cite news |last= |date=October 11, 1981 |title=U.P. teams in playoff picture |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114251804/green-bay-press-gazette/ |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=Green Bay Press-Gazette |location=Green Bay, Wisconsin |page=C4 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}}}} He resigned from his post at Kentucky Wesleyan in 1993 after leading the Panthers to a record of 11–29 in four seasons. His 1993 squad went 6–4, achieving the program's first winning season since the school reinstituted the sport in 1983 following a 50-year hiatus.{{Cite news |last= |date=December 31, 1994 |title=The Thrill of Victory... |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114255845/messenger-inquirer/ |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=Messenger-Inquirer |location=Owensboro, Kentucky |page=8B |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}}}}
Awrey moved on to Lakeland College—now known as Lakeland University—in Plymouth, Wisconsin, where he was introduced as the school's new head football coach in February 1994.{{Cite news |last=Knuth |first=Michael |date=February 18, 1994 |title=Head Musky knows rebuilding |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114256174/the-sheboygan-press/ |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=The Sheboygan Press |location=Sheboygan, Wisconsin |page=B1 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}}}}{{Cite news |last=Knuth |first=Michael |date=February 18, 1994 |title=Muskies (continued) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114256494/the-sheboygan-press/ |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=The Sheboygan Press |location=Sheboygan, Wisconsin |page=B2 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}}}} After a 4–6 campaign during his first year at Lakeland in 1994, Awrey's Muskies improved to 6–3–1 overall in 1995 with a mark of 4–2 in Illini–Badger Football Conference (IBFC) play, and he was named IBFC Coach of the Year.{{Cite news |last= |date=November 24, 1995 |title=Lakeland's big season rewarded by conference |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114251609/the-sheboygan-press/ |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=The Sheboygan Press |location=Sheboygan, Wisconsin |page=B10 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}}}} In 1996, Lakeland improved again to 8–2, winning the IBFC championship as Awrey repeated as the conference's coach of the year.{{Cite news |last= |date=November 22, 1996 |title=Honors roll in for Lakeland football |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114251638/the-sheboygan-press/ |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=The Sheboygan Press |location=Sheboygan, Wisconsin |page=B2 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}}}} The Muskies won a second consecutive IBFC title in 1997 with a perfect 10–0 season. Awkrey resigned after the 1998 season to become the head football coach at Saginaw Valley State University in University Center, Michigan. He finished his five-year tenure at Lakeland with a record of 35–14–1 and the best winning percentage (.700) of any head coach in program history.{{Cite news |last= |date=February 16, 1999 |title=Lakeland football coach accepts job in Michigan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114267113/the-sheboygan-press/ |access-date=December 7, 2022 |work=The Sheboygan Press |location=Sheboygan, Wisconsin |page=B12 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}}}}
Awrey was the head football coach at Saginaw Valley State for nine seasons, from 1999 to 2007, compiling a record of 76–27. He has the highest winning percentage (.738) of any head coach Saginaw Valley State football history.{{Cite web |last=DeLassus |first=David |title=Saginaw Valley State Coaching Records |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ii/gliac/saginaw_valley_state/coaching_records.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213084129/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ii/gliac/saginaw_valley_state/coaching_records.php |archive-date=December 13, 2010 |access-date=November 18, 2010 |publisher=College Football Data Warehouse}}
Honors
Awrey was inducted into the athletic hall of fame at Northern Michigan in 1998 and at Saginaw Valley State in 2022.{{Cite web |last= |title=Randy Awrey (1998) – Hall of Fame |url=https://nmuwildcats.com/honors/hall-of-fame/randy-awrey/10 |access-date=December 7, 2022 |publisher=Northern Michigan University}}{{Cite web |last= |date=April 28, 2022 |title=SVSU announces Cardinal Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2022 |url=https://www.svsucardinals.com/general/2021-22/releases/20220428js0ioa |access-date=December 7, 2022 |publisher=Saginaw Valley State University}}
Head coaching record
=College football=
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = AFCA }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers
| conf = NCAA Division III independent
| startyear = 1990
| endyear = 1992
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1990
| name = Kentucky Wesleyan
| overall = 0–10
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1991
| name = Kentucky Wesleyan
| overall = 2–8
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1992
| name = Kentucky Wesleyan
| overall = 3–7
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers
| conf = NCAA Division II independent
| startyear = 1993
| endyear = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1993
| name = Kentucky Wesleyan
| overall = 6–4
| conference =
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Kentucky Wesleyan
| overall = 11–29
| confrecord =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Lakeland Muskies
| conf = Illini-Badger Football Conference
| startyear = 1994
| endyear = 1998
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1994
| name = Lakeland
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 2–4
| confstanding = T–3rd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = no
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1995
| name = Lakeland
| overall = 6–3–1
| conference = 4–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1996
| name = Lakeland
| overall = 8–2
| conference = 5–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 1997
| name = Lakeland
| overall = 10–0
| conference = 5–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1998
| name = Lakeland
| overall = 7–3
| conference = 4–3
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Lakeland
| overall = 35–14–1
| confrecord = 20–9
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Saginaw Valley State Cardinals
| conf = Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
| startyear = 1999
| endyear = 2007
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 1999
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 4–5
| confstanding =
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2000
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 9–3
| conference = 9–1
| confstanding = T–1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division II First Round
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 4 (Northeast)
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2001
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 11–2
| conference = 9–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname = NCAA Division II Quarterfinal
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 9
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2002
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 9–3
| conference = 8–2
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname = NCAA Division II First Round
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 15
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| year = 2003
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 12–1
| conference = 10–0
| confstanding = 1st
| bowlname = NCAA Division II Quarterfinal
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 1
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2004
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 7–3
| conference = 7–3
| confstanding = 4th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 25
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2005
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 11–2
| conference = 9–1
| confstanding = 2nd
| bowlname = NCAA Division II Quarterfinal
| bowloutcome = L
| bcsbowl =
| ranking = 3
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2006
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 6–4
| conference = 6–4
| confstanding = T–4th
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2007
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 7–3
| conference = 7–3
| confstanding = T–2nd
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 76–27
| confrecord = 69–20
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Concordia Cougars
| conf = Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
| startyear = 2013
| endyear = 2017
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2013
| name = Concordia
| overall = 2–8
| conference = 1–5
| confstanding = 6th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2014
| name = Concordia
| overall = 1–8
| conference = 1–5
| confstanding = T–5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2015
| name = Concordia
| overall = 2–8
| conference = 0–6
| confstanding = 7th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2016
| name = Concordia
| overall = 4–6
| conference = 2–4
| confstanding = 5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| year = 2017
| name = Concordia
| overall = 3–6
| conference = 1–5
| confstanding = T–5th
| bowlname =
| bowloutcome =
| bcsbowl =
| ranking =
| ranking2 = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Concordia
| overall = 12–36
| confrecord = 5–25
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
| overall = 134–106–1
| bowls = no
| poll = no
| polltype =
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://pioneers.marietta.edu/sports/football/roster/coaches/randy-awrey/259 Marietta profile]
{{Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers football coach navbox}}
{{Lakeland Muskies football coach navbox}}
{{Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football coach navbox}}
{{Concordia Cougars football coach navbox}}
{{1975 Northern Michigan Wildcats football navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Awrey, Randy}}
Category:American football cornerbacks
Category:American football running backs
Category:Concordia Cougars football coaches
Category:Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers football coaches
Category:Lakeland Muskies football coaches
Category:Marietta Pioneers football coaches
Category:Michigan Tech Huskies football coaches
Category:Northern Michigan Wildcats football coaches
Category:Northern Michigan Wildcats football players
Category:Saginaw Valley State Cardinals football coaches
Category:St. Lawrence Saints football coaches
Category:College track and field coaches in Michigan
Category:High school football coaches in North Carolina
Category:People from Iron Mountain, Michigan