ROME, Ga. - Belhaven Head Football Coach Blaine McCorkle has been named the USA South Athletic Conference Coach of the Year following the Blazers' championship regular season.

Coach McCorkle and the Blazers took home their first USA South title this year following a 9-1 regular season and 7-1 record in conference play. The conference championship is the first for the Blazers since joining Division III and the first outright conference championship in program history.

McCorkle and the Blazers were dominant during the 2023 regular season campaign, leading the USA South in both scoring offense (39.4 points per game) and scoring defense (11.5 points per game). The Blazers also featured the best total offense (459.9 yards per game) and total defense (249.8 yards per game) in the conference this season.

With nine wins in the campaign, McCorkle and the Blazers set a program record for victories in a single season, the second straight season they have hit a new mark and the third straight that they have set a new highest winning percentage.

McCorkle achieved a personal mark with the Blazers this season as he became the program's all-time winningest head coach, knocking off Greensboro 34-0 on September 23rd for his 25th career victory. At 31-24, McCorkle is the first Belhaven coach to eclipse 30 career wins and now boasts the program's highest coaching win percentage. This is the third Coach of the Year award in McCorkle's Belhaven tenure having been recognized by the American Southwest Conference in the Spring 2021 season and Fall 2021 season.

Coach McCorkle was joined in this successful season by the following staff:

Matt Conner - Defensive Coordinator / Recruiting Coordinator
Carson Stewart - Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach
Justin Williamson - Special Teams Coordinator / Linebackers Coach
Jordan Potts - Defensive Backs Coach
Nick Luckey - Offensive Line Coach
Maurice Stewart - Wide Receivers Coach
Mayowa Asagunla - Tight Ends & Fullbacks Coach
Bradley Foley - Running Backs Coach
Luke Fondren - Defensive Graduate Assistant
Aaron Wood - Director of Strength & Conditioning
Lee Simpson - Director of Football Operations
Martin Moody - Head Equipment Manager

With the Blazers USA South championship, McCorkle leads Belhaven into their first ever NCAA Football Playoff matchup on Saturday against #1 North Central (IL) in Naperville, Illinois. Kickoff between the Blazers and the reigning national champions is set for 12:00 PM Central.