Wheaton, Ill. - Wheaton's Mike Swider has been recognized as the 2015 Division III North Region (Region 4) Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).  This year's recognition marks the third time that Swider has earned the Regional Coach of the Year award from the AFCA, also earning the honor in 2003 and 2014. Swider has posted a 170-45 record in 20 years at the helm of the program and his 170 career wins is the most in school history.

Swider earned the regional coach of the year recognition from his peers for guiding the Thunder to an 11-1 record this year. The 11 victories this season ties his 2014 squad for second-most in a single campaign in school history. His 2015 Thunder squad posted a 10-0 record during the regular season, marking the sixth time in school history that a Wheaton team compiled an undefeated and untied record in the regular season and the first time it has happened in back-to-back seasons.

Swider guided the Thunder to a 7-0 record in CCIW play this fall to give the program sole possession of the CCIW Championship for the second consecutive year. It marked the 18th CCIW Football Championship in the program's history and the eighth in Swider's 19 year's at the helm of the program. Earlier this fall he was named the 2015 winner of the CCIW's "Bob Reade Coach of the Year" award for the sixth time in his career, also winning the honor in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2014.

The AFCA began recognizing district coaches of the year following the 1960 season. The awards were established the same year Eastman Kodak agreed to sponsor the AFCA Coach of the Year award. Prior to 1960, the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain had sponsored the program, which recognized one national Coach of the Year. The AFCA first recognized eight district winners in each of two divisions:university and college. In 1972, a ninth district was added in each division. In 1983, the award was changed to recognize regional winners instead of district winners, and the number of divisions was increased from two to four, and five regional winners were selected in each division.