Samuel elected to AFCA board

Southeast Missouri State football coach Tony Samuel was one of four new members elected to the American Football Coaches Association board of trustees Tuesday.

Samuel, who completed his sixth season at Southeast last fall, joined Northwestern University coach Pat Fitzgerald, North Dakota State coach Craig Bohl and Carlifornia (Pa.) coach John Luckhardt as board electees at the AFCA convention in San Antonio.

Samuel was named the AFCA regional coach of the year in 2010 after leading Southeast to a 9-3 record and the program's first conference title and NCAA playoff appearance. Other honors collected after the 2010 season included the Eddie Robinson national coach of the year and OVC coach of the year.

The board formulates policy and provides direction for the AFCA, which was founded in 1922 and has more than 11,000 members.