Football Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics

Middlebury's Bob Ritter Named NEFW George C. Carens Award Winner

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - Middlebury's Michael G. Heinecken Head Coach of Football Bob Ritter '82 has been selected as the 2022 New England Football Writers (NEFW) George C. Carens Award recipient. The award is presented to a person who through their life has made significant contributions to the sport of football In New England. The award will be presented at the New England Football Writers Captains and Awards Banquet on Thursday, December 8 at the Sheraton Framingham (Mass.) Hotel and Conference Center. 

Ritter has been affiliated with Middlebury football since 1982 when he was hired as the defensive coordinator. He held that post through 1988 before moving on to Tufts for seven years as an assistant football and head men’s lacrosse coach. Ritter returned to Middlebury in 1996 as an assistant in both the football and men’s lacrosse programs. He was promoted to head coach in 2000 following the retirement of Heinecken after the 2000 season.

In his 22 seasons at Middlebury, the Panthers have compiled a 111-60 record for a winning percentage of.649. He has had 19 seasons with records of .500 or better including an undefeated (9-0) 2019 campaign and four seasons (including 2022 thus far) with only one loss. His teams have been New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) champions in 2007, 2013 and 2019. In each of those championship seasons, Ritter was named the NESCAC Coach of the Year, and in 2007 he was a finalist for the American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year Award.

Ritter is the second Middlebury coach to be honored by the NEFC with the Carens Award. Heinecken was the first. He received the award in 2013. The award has been presented since 1952.
 
AT MIDDLEBURY
  • The second head coach in program history to eclipse the 100-win mark (currently 111-60)
  • 19 seasons with a .500 or better record
  • 3x NESCAC Championships (2007, 2013, 2019)
  • 3x All-Americans
  • 3x NFL rookie camp attendees
  • Guided program to first 9-0 season in NESCAC history (2019)
  • Stephen Hauschka '07 played in back-to-back NFL Super Bowls (2014, 2015), winning a Super Bowl ring on February 2, 2014 while kicking for the Seattle Seahawks 
  • McCallum Foote '14 was a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy and received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship 
AWARDS & HONORS
  • 2022 New England Football Writers George C. Carens Award
    • Presented to the person who through his or her life has made significant contributions to the sport of football in New England.
  • 3x NESCAC Coach of the Year (2007, 2013, 2019)
  • 2007 finalist for the AFCA Coach of the Year Award 
COACHING RESUME
  • Head football coach - Middlebury College (2000-present)
  • Assistant men's lacrosse coach - Middlebury College (1996-present)
  • Assistant football coach - Middlebury College (1996-2000)
  • Assistant football coach - Tufts University (1989-1996)
  • Men's lacrosse head coach - Tufts University (1989-1996)
  • Head women's ice hockey coach - Middlebury College (1983-1987)
  • Assistant football coach/defensive coordinator - Middlebury College (1982-1988)