WACO, Texas – The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced the annual winners of their National Coach of the Year honors and Benedictine Football's Joel Osborn was among those honored.

"I am humbled and honored to receive this honor," Coach Osborn said. "It is a direct reflection of the commitment from our coaches and players and the support we receive from our administration and fans. I want to thank my wife, Audrey, and our children for their unwavering support as well. The coaching profession is a great way to impact people, and I feel it is my calling. This is a special time to be at Benedictine."

The 2025 AFCA National Coach of the Year winners – which are awarded annually from the five major divisions of collegiate football – Football Bowl Series (FBS), Football Championship Series (FCS), NCAA Div. II, NAIA and NCAA Div. III: Indiana's Curt Cignetti (FBS), Presbyterian's Steve Englehart (FCS), Kutztown's Jim Clements (Div. II), Osborn from the NAIA, and North Central's Brad Spencer (Div. III).

The winners are selected by a vote of the Active AFCA members at four-year schools in the Association's five divisions. The AFCA has named a Coach of the Year since 1935. The AFCA Coach of the Year award is the oldest and most prestigious of all Coach of the Year awards and is the only one chosen exclusively by coaches.

For Osborn, the honor comes on the heels of Benedictine's second trip to the NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinal, a 12-2 record and the outright Heart South Championship. In five seasons under Coach Osborn, the Ravens have an overall record of 50-14 with four Heart South titles, 101 All-Heart South selections and 18 NAIA All-America selections.

The National Coach of the Year honors are the first for Coach Osborn, who was also named the Heart South Coach of the Year and AFCA-NAIA Region 3 Coach of the Year this fall.