BOSTON - University of New Hampshire coach Sean McDonnell has been selected as the Division I FCS Coach of the Year by the New England Football Writers.

McDonnell, who has guided the Wildcats to the NCAA Division I FCS Championship for a national-leading seventh straight season, will be honored at the New England Football Writers Annual Awards and Captains Banquet on Dec. 9 at the Montvale Plaza in Stoneham, Mass.

It is the third New England honor for McDonnell, who was also recognized in 2005 and 2008. Under his tutelage, UNH rallied to win five of its final six regular-season games, including a school-record four against ranked opponents, to earn an at-large bid to the postseason.

McDonnell, who is in his 12th season at UNH, will bring a career record of 87-57, into Saturday's second-round NCAA playoff game against No. 13 Bethune-Cookman University, champion of the MEAC, in Daytona Beach, Fla. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Radio coverage on the Wildcat Sports Radio Network gets underway at 12:30 p.m, and www.ncaa.com will provide free video streaming.

Former UNH head coaches Chief Boston (1962), Joe Yukica (1967) and Bill Bowes (1994) previously garnered the honor, which has been handed out annually since 1953.