June 23, 2008

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - Dale Lennon recently received the North Central Conference Legacy Award. The NCC bestowed its Legacy Award on sixty-six coaches, administrators and staff during the league's celebration dinner on June 21.

Lennon served three decades with the University of North Dakota football team as a player, assistant coach and head coach. As head coach, he guided the Fighting Sioux to a national championship in 2001 and runner-up finish in 2003. A three-time NCC Coach-of-the-Year and the 2001 Division II Coach-of-the-Year, Lennon led UND to five NCC titles and seven postseason appearances in nine seasons.

The NCC Legacy Award was created in the league's final year to honor NCC personnel who achieved a long-term and successful record of service to the North Central Conference. Each campus submitted nominees to the NCC selection committee. Selections were made from administrators, coaches and staff that were employed by their respective campuses at the beginning of the school year.

Lennon was named head football coach at Southern Illinois University on December 28, 2007.