Now in its fourth year of heralding college football coaches who demonstrate sportsmanship, integrity and responsibility on and off the field, Liberty Mutual Insurance today named University of Minnesota Duluth's Bob Nielson one of five NCAA Division II finalists for the 2009 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award. The winner, to be announced on Jan. 6, 2010, will be awarded $50,000 by Liberty Mutual Insurance to donate to the charity of his choice and a $20,000 grant to donate to his institution's alumni association for student scholarships and activities.

Fan voting will begin Dec. 15 and run through Dec. 29 at coachoftheyear.com.

Past recipients, including University of Alabama's Nick Saban (2008), Northern Illinois University's Jerry Kill (2007) and last year's Division II winner Chuck Broyles of Pittsburg State University, have used their Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award money to help build homes in local communities, support children in need and even fight terminal diseases. Including the 2009 winners, Liberty Mutual will have donated nearly $1 million to support dozens of national and local charities and college scholarship funds on behalf of its Coach of the Year Award winners.

Nielson recently completed his seventh year with the Bulldogs by coaching UMD to an 11-2 overall record, its second straight Northern Sun Conference Intercollegiate title and its second NCAA II playoff appearance in as many years. In 2008, his Bulldogs captured the school's first NCAA II national championship in any sport, amassing a perfect 15-0 record in the process (one of only three NCAA II teams to ever do so) after going 4-6 the previous year. Nielson, who also directed the Bulldogs to one other NSIC crown and NCAA II playoff berth (both 2002), has rolled up a 64-21 career record at UMD for a .753 winning percentage.

“Many passionate fans came out to vote for Bob Nielson because he embodies the college football spirit and the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year values,” said Greg Gordon, senior vice president of Consumer Marketing at Liberty Mutual. “Bob has made a great impact on the lives of his student-athletes and his community and we are proud to recognize him as a Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year finalist.”

Joining Nielson as the 2009 Division II finalists are Bo Atterberry of Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Danny Hall of Bloomsburg University; Bill Maskill of Midwestern State University and Mel Tjeerdsma, Northwestern Missouri State University.

Between Dec. 15 and Dec. 29 fans can visit www.CoachoftheYear.com to vote among the finalists. Fan votes constitute 20 percent of a coach's final score.

To ensure candidates are evaluated fairly and measured against the specific values of responsibility and integrity, selection committees of College Football Hall of Fame players and coaches – including Archie Manning, Lou Holtz, Vince Dooley, Ronnie Lott, and Jerry Rice – and the national college football media will also cast votes for the winners. Hall of Fame and media votes account for 55 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Launched in 2006, Liberty Mutual created the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award to celebrate responsible coaching because it is one of the clearest examples of a positive influence on young people, their families and entire communities.