UMass Dartmouth associate head football coach Steve Faniel has been named as the Division II/III Assistant Coach of the Year by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.  The longtime Corsair mentor will receive the honor on the 2019 Gridiron Club College Football Awards Dinner on Thursday, December 19^th at the Burlington Marriott.

A native of Wareham, Mass., Faniel completed his 13^th season as a member of Head Coach Mark Robichaud’s staff, as he has served as the Corsairs’ defensive coordinator since 2007 and was promoted to associate head coach in 2015.  Steve has coached 41 all-conference performers that includes junior defensive back Jacob Burkhead, who last year became the University’s first male Academic All-America honoree and just the second overall in school history.

Faniel’s defensive unit has consistently ranked among the best in the region, and earlier this fall UMass Dartmouth was rated 12^th nationally in total defense while leading all of Division III in tackles for loss.  He also mentored former Corsair great Marvey Mathurin ’18 during his All-New England campaign as a senior in 2017.

“Steve’s contributions to our program go far beyond what you see on the field,” Robichaud said of Faniel.  “He instills lessons that not only help our players succeed in competition, but more importantly, in their lives after football.  Steve is a great ambassador for the University, and I join our entire staff in congratulating him on this well-deserved honor.”

A 2005 graduate of Westfield State, Faniel was a four-year starter who helped lead the Owls to a 30-11 overall record and the 2001 New England Football Conference championship as part of a school-record 10-win campaign.  A special education teacher at Wareham High School, Steve also serves as the Vikings’ head boys’ basketball coach.

Release courtesy of UMass Dartmouth Sports Information