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Jan. 7, 2009

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk announced Wednesday that Ken Niumatalolo has agreed to a contract extension as the head football coach at the Naval Academy. Terms of the contract were not released.

Niumatalolo is coming off the most successful campaign for a first-year head coach at the Naval Academy in the modern era, compiling an 8-5 record, leading the Midshipmen to a school-record sixth-straight Commander-In-Chief's Trophy, defeating a school-record four bowl teams, appearing in a school-record sixth-straight bowl game, winning an NCAA-record fourth-consecutive national rushing title and leading the nation in graduation rate for a fourth-straight year.

"Rare is the case when a major coaching transition at this level of competition results in the extraordinary success we realized this past season under Kenny's leadership," said Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk. "Having been a member of the Naval Academy family for more than a decade as both an associate and head coach, there is no member of our staff that understands the philosophy, values, commitment, objectives and dynamics of this leadership institution more so than he. His vision for the future of the program and our midshipmen goes well beyond this past season's stellar accomplishments. There is not a better on or off the field leader and role model for our midshipmen than Ken Niumatalolo."

"The Naval Academy has made a significant commitment to me and my family, for which we are eternally grateful," said Niumatalolo. "We love this great institution, we love Annapolis and we love the young men that we have been entrusted to lead. The Naval Academy is a special place and I have no desire to coach anywhere else in the country. This mutual commitment is a clear sign of the future direction of this storied program. The Naval Academy is about excellence. Excellence is not just expected here, it is demanded. We will continue to raise the bar of excellence on the field while we continue to develop leaders of men off the field."

Niumatalolo's eight wins are the most by a first-year Navy coach since 1926 when Bill Ingram led the Midshipmen to a 9-0-1 record, while he became just the second coach in Service Academy history (joining Navy's George Welsh) to win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy in his first year.

Navy's 24-17 win over Wake Forest on Sept. 27 was the Mids' first victory over a team ranked in both polls since 1985, while the back-to-back victories over Rutgers and Wake Forest marked the first time since 1981 that Navy had won back-to-back games against teams currently in a BCS conference.

Navy accomplished all the above despite being one of only 12 schools in the country to start three different quarterbacks during the year. Navy averaged a nation's- best 292.4 yards per game on the ground, marking the fourth-straight year the Mids have led the nation in rushing. Before Navy's current streak, no team had ever won more than two-straight NCAA rushing titles.

The Mids were also stout on defense in 2008, sporting the most-improved scoring defense in the country (14.4 points per game improvement) and posting back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1986.