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CITY (NewsDakota.com) – Valley City State assistant head football coach Gregg Horner was honored with a major award this week after he was named the 2012 Assistant Coach of the Year in NAIA Football.

The award is presented by the American Football Coaches Association and was created to honor assistant coaches who excel in community service, commitment to the student-athlete, on-field coaching success and AFCA professional organization involvement. 

Horner is the longtime defensive coordinator for the Vikings, who went 7-3 this season. He has been at VCSU for 19 years.

As VCSU Academic Coordinator, the football team has had a 95 percent graduation rate for student-athletes who have participated in the program for four years. Horner’s defense ranks No. 18 in the nation in total defense, allowing just 298.5 yards per game, and is No. 13 in pass defense, allowing just 159 yards per game.

He organizes a First grade reading volunteer program for student-athletes and coordinates a VCSU athletic department ‘Bleed Cardinal’ blood drive. Horner is a member of the VCSU Environmental Task Force and coordinates student-athlete volunteers at a community youth Halloween party, ‘Ruckus at the Rec,’ annual Earth Week city park cleanup and Salvation Army bell ringers