Cortland football head coach Curt Fitzpatrick has been named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Region 1 Coach of the Year. 
 
Fitzpatrick is one of five coaches honored in Division III by the AFCA, along with Greg Chimera of Johns Hopkins, Jerheme Urban of Trinity (Texas), Jason Couch of Alma and Chris Winter of Wartburg. The AFCA uses different labels for their five regions than the NCAA does for its six regions, of which Cortland is in Region 2. 
 
The AFCA winners are selected by active AFCA members in their respective regions. Each regional winner is a finalist for AFCA Division III National Coach of the Year, which will be announced in January. 
 
Fitzpatrick has led Cortland to a current record of 12-1 and the program's first-ever NCAA Division III tournament semifinal appearance. Cortland won the Empire 8 title for the third straight season with a 6-0 record and finished the regular season with a 9-1 overall record. The Red Dragons have defeated Endicott, Grove City and Alma in NCAA play and will travel to Randolph-Macon (Va.) for the semifinals on Saturday at noon.