North Central’s Brad Spencer receives AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year honor

North Central College head football coach Brad Spencer has been named the 2025 NCAA Division III Region 4 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The announcement comes after North Central completed its fifth consecutive unbeaten regular season.

Spencer is the second head coach from North Central to receive this honor, following Jeff Thorne, who won in 2016. Other Division III recipients this year include C.C. Grant from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Dan Wodicka of Johns Hopkins University, Tony Kunczewski from Berry University, and Mike McElroy at Bethel University.

This marks Spencer's first AFCA coaching award. Last season, he was recognized as both Regional and National Coach of the Year by D3football.com. Over his four years leading North Central’s program, Spencer holds a record of 54-1 overall. He remains undefeated in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play at 36-0 and has not lost a regular season game with a 40-0 record. He also earned the CCIW's Bob Reade Coach of the Year award for a fourth consecutive year.

The current team leads Division III in scoring offense with an average of 54.2 points per game during the regular season. Defensively, they are ranked third nationally for fewest points allowed per game at 6.6 and second for yards allowed per game at 198.6. North Central is also among the top five teams nationally in several categories: first in team passing efficiency (214.90), second in red zone defense (46.7%), fourth in red zone offense (94%), third in defensive touchdowns (five), and fifth in defensive third down conversion percentage (25%).

Regional winners become finalists for AFCA’s National Coach of the Year Award. All regional honorees will be formally recognized on January 12 during the AFCA annual convention held in Charlotte, North Carolina.