Charlotte, NC (CIAA) – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), along with its Football Coaches Association and Sports Information Directors Association, announces Elizabeth City State University Head Coach Earnest Wilson III the 2016 CIAA Football Coach of the Year.[lasso align=”right” cart=”y” identifier=”B00GJ1V60M” locale=”US” tag=”hbcusports-20″ ref=”amzn-elizabeth-city-state-vikings-garden-flag-and-yard-banner” type=”single” id=”71888″ link_id=”5157″]
In his first year at the helm of the Vikings’ football program, Coach Wilson led his team to a 5-5 overall record, going 4-3 in conference play and 3-2 in the Northern Division. Throughout the season, Elizabeth City State climbed the rankings in the Northern Division and had a run to appear at the 2016 CIAA Football Championship after upsetting division rivals Chowan University (40-21) and Virginia Union University (24-21).
Offensively, Elizabeth City State averaged 28.3 points per conference game while marking 220.1 passing and 167.3 rushing yards. The Vikings defense ranked second in the CIAA in sacks (19) and grabbed a total of 424 conference tackles on the season.
2016 marked Wilson’s 25th year of coaching. He joined ECSU with a strong background in college and professional coaching experiences, most recently from Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) member Savannah State University where he served as the head football coach since 2013. Prior to SSU, Wilson served as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Hampton University in 2012.
