af2 arenafootball2

John Gregory Named Sportexe af2 Coach of the Year

August 12, 2009 - arenafootball2 (af2) News Release


CHICAGO - Iowa Barnstormers' Head Coach JOHN GREGORY has been named the Sportexe af2 Coach of the Year as selected by a vote of his fellow arenafootball2 head coaches and media members. The Iowa Barnstormers made it to the Semifinal Round of this year's playoffs before being knocked out by division rival Green Bay.

In 2008, his first season with the Barnstormers, Gregory finished with a record of 6-10 and a fifth-place finish in the Midwest Division. This season, the 70-year-old Gregory guided Iowa to a 12-4 regular season record and the club's first Midwest Division title. The Barnstormers won their last five games of the season, including a 54-48 home victory over No. 1-ranked Spokane. It was the Shock's first and only loss of the season.

Based on the team's regular season success, Iowa earned the No. 2 seed in the American Conference for the 2009 playoffs. The Barnstormers defeated Manchester, 70-53, in the First Round in what was the club's first-ever af2 playoff victory. Iowa's season came to an end last Saturday with a 51-46 home loss to the Blizzard.

Four of Gregory's players were named All-af2 last week. OL MIKE DANSBY and K JEFF GLAS were named to the First Team while DB TANNER VARNER and WR TIM DODGE earned Second Team honors. Dodge was also named the special teams player for the Second Team.

This is the fourth Coach of the Year honor Gregory has earned throughout his nearly 40-year football career. He was named CFL Coach of the Year in 1987 after leading the Saskatchewan Roughriders to their first playoff appearance in 11 years. He was also named AFL Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996 after coaching the Iowa Barnstormers to records of 7-5 and 12-2, respectively.

The 2009 af2 playoffs continue this weekend with the American and National Conference Championship games on Saturday, August 15. The American Conference Championship will feature the No. 6 seed Green Bay Blizzard visiting the No. 1 seed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers at 7:00 p.m. ET. In the National Conference Championship, the West Division and No. 1 seed Spokane Shock host the No. 2 seed Tulsa Talons at 10:00 p.m. ET. The winner of each Conference Championship will meet in the 2009 ArenaCup title game on August 22 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.



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