Accomplished female journalist Bonnie Bernstein and CBS Sports college football analyst Rick Neuheisel will share the hosting duties for the American Football Coaches Awards, presented by Amway. The awards show will be broadcast live on the USA TODAY Sports Facebook page on January 9, 2018, at 8 p.m. EST in Charlotte, North Carolina.
This marks the second-straight year the AFCA will broadcast its annual awards, which are voted on by AFCA-member coaches. The live one-and-a-half-hour program will air from the Crown Ballroom of the Charlotte Convention Center and coincide with the AFCA’s annual convention.
“What a tremendous honor to take the stage and shine a light on the best and brightest football coaches in America. Every team is a by-product of its coaches’ collective commitment and work ethic,” Bernstein said. “We hope this’ll be the ‘cherry on top’ of their incredible seasons!”
Bernstein is recognized by the American Sportscasters Association as one of the most accomplished female journalists in her field with 17 years on-air at ESPN/ABC and CBS. The only female to fill in as solo host for the award winning Dan Patrick Show, she has provided guest commentary for several news networks, including NBC, MSNBC and Fox News. Bernstein began her television career at WMDT-TV (ABC) in Salisbury, Maryland. She first joined ESPN in 1995 as its Chicago Bureau Chief, where she covered Michael Jordan and the Bulls’ second historic “three-peat.” Bernstein spent eight years at CBS (1998-2006) before returning for a six-year run with the ESPN family in a variety of roles. In 2017, she launched her company, Walk Swiftly Productions. Outside of broadcasting, Bernstein is a passionate public health advocate, with a focus on youth health and wellness. Bernstein graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Maryland’s prestigious Merrill College of Journalism.
“As a member of the AFCA and a believer in all that it stands for, I am thrilled to be a co-host of the 2018 American Football Coaches Awards,” Neuheisel said. “Coaches are deserving of a night like this that showcases all that gets done, both on the field and behind the scenes. I look forward to a star-studded evening and a celebration of all that is good about the game of football and the AFCA.”
Neuheisel is a football analyst, former coach, former player and attorney. He attended college at UCLA (1980-1984), where he played quarterback for the Bruins and led them to victory in the 1984 Rose Bowl, in which he was named MVP. He graduated from UCLA in 1984 with a degree in Political Science, then graduated from USC Law School with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 1990. Neuheisel was the head coach at Colorado (1995-1998), Washington (1999-2002) and UCLA (2008-2011), where he posted an 87-59 record. He led Washington to a Rose Bowl title in 2001 and brought his teams to seven bowl games during his head coaching tenure. Neuheisel joined CBS Sports in 2015 as a college football studio analyst on COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY, CBS Sports’ pre-game, halftime and post-game studio show, and INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL on CBS Sports Network. Prior to joining CBS, Neuheisel worked as an analyst for Pac-12 Networks.
In addition to presenting the AFCA Coaches’ Trophy, the show will feature several other prominent and prestigious awards including the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award; the Tuss McLaughry Award; Regional Coach of the Year awards in FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA; the USA TODAY Sports Play Call of the Year and the announcement of the FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA National Coaches of the Year.
The American Football Coaches Awards Green Carpet Event, taking place prior to the show, will also be broadcast live on the USA TODAY Sports Facebook page beginning at 6 p.m. EST. The Green Carpet Event will take place at the NASCAR® Hall of Fame.
For more details about the show, please follow @WeAreAFCA or visit AFCA.com for more information.
About the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA)
The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to “maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession” and to “provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football.”
About Amway
Amway is an $8.8 billion direct-selling business based in Ada, Michigan, USA. Top-selling brands for Amway are Nutrilite™ vitamin, mineral and dietary supplements, Artistry™ skincare and color cosmetics, eSpring™ water treatment systems and XS™ energy drinks – all sold exclusively by Amway Business Owners. Global sales in 2016 made Amway the No. 1 direct-selling business in the world, according to the 2017 Direct Selling News Global 100. The company’s annual sales figure includes revenue from direct-selling operations and other business holdings. For company news, visit amwayglobal.com/newsroom.
About USA TODAY Sports Media Group
The USA TODAY Sports Media Group encompasses all sports initiatives across USA TODAY Sports and Gannett’s more than 120 well-known local media brands. It also includes the sports photography wire service USA TODAY Sports Images; leading high school sports destination USA TODAY High School Sports; the social news hub For The Win, and the hundreds of sites within USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties such as TheBigLead.com and mixed martial arts site MMAJunkie.com, among others. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).
