This is a list of NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) Division I football seasons from when the NAIA split its football championship into two divisions in 1970 until it consolidated back into a single championship in 1996.[1] The NAIA added flag football as a women's varsity sport in 2021.[2]
| Year | Coach of the Year[3] | |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Montana State & Saint Joseph's (IN) | |
| 1957 | Pittsburg State | |
| 1958 | Northwestern State (OK) | |
| 1959 | Texas A&I | |
| 1960 | Lenoir–Rhyne | |
| 1961 | Pittsburg State (2) | |
| 1962 | Central State (OK) | |
| 1963 | Saint John's (MN) | |
| 1964 | Concordia–Moorhead & Sam Houston State | |
| 1965 | Saint John's (MN) (2) | |
| 1966 | Waynesburg | |
| 1967 | Fairmont State | |
| 1968 | Troy State | |
| 1969 | Texas A&I (2) |
| Year | Coach of the Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Texas A&I (3) | |
| 1971 | Livingston | |
| 1972 | East Texas State | |
| 1973 | Abilene Christian | |
| 1974 | Texas A&I (4) | |
| 1975 | Texas A&I (5) | |
| 1976 | Texas A&I (6) | |
| 1977 | Abilene Christian (2) | |
| 1978 | Angelo State | |
| 1979 | Texas A&I (7) | Dick Strahm |
| 1980 | Elon | |
| 1981 | Elon (2) | |
| 1982 | Central State (OK) (2) | |
| 1983 | Carson–Newman | |
| 1984 | ||
| 1985 | Central Arkansas (2) & Hillsdale | |
| 1986 | Carson–Newman (3) | |
| 1987 | Cameron | |
| 1988 | Carson–Newman (4) | |
| 1989 | Carson–Newman (5) | |
| 1990 | Central State (OH) | |
| 1991 | Central Arkansas (3) | |
| 1992 | Findlay (OH) (2) | |
| 1993 | ||
| 1994 | Northeastern State (OK) (2) | |
| 1995 | Central State (OH) (3) | Dick Strahm (2) |
| 1996 | Southwestern Oklahoma |
See also: List of NAIA Division II football seasons.
| Year | Coach of the Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Findlay (OH) (4) | Bo Hurley (QB), Findlay (OH) | Dick Strahm (3) | |
| 1998 | Azusa Pacific | Jack Williams (RB), Azusa Pacific | Vic Shealy | |
| 1999 | Northwestern Oklahoma | Eddie Eviston (QB), Georgetown (KY) | Tim Albin | |
| 2000 | Georgetown (KY) (2) | Eddie Eviston (QB), Georgetown (KY) (2) | Bill Cronin | |
| 2001 | Georgetown (KY) (3) | Eddie Eviston (QB), Georgetown (KY) (3) | Bill Cronin (2) | |
| 2002 | Nick Kortan (RB), Sioux Falls | Carl Poelker | ||
| 2003 | Carroll (2) | Tyler Emmert (QB), Carroll | Mike Van Diest | |
| 2004 | Carroll (3) | Cory Jacquay (RB), Saint Francis (IN) | Kevin Donley (2) | |
| 2005 | Carroll (4) | Tyler Emmert (QB), Carroll (2) | Mike Van Diest (2) | |
| 2006 | Sioux Falls (2) | Brian Kurtz (LB), Saint Francis (IN) | Kalen DeBoer | |
| 2007 | Carroll (5) | Chad Cavender (QB), Sioux Falls | Mike Van Diest (3) | |
| 2008 | Sioux Falls (3) | Owen Koeppen (LB), Carroll | Kalen DeBoer (2) | |
| 2009 | Sioux Falls (4) | Lorenzo Brown (QB), Sioux Falls | Kalen DeBoer (3) | |
| 2010 | Carroll (6) | Jon Ryan (WR), Sioux Falls | Mike Van Diest (4) | |
| 2011 | Saint Xavier | Chance Demarais (RB), Carroll | Mike Feminis | |
| 2012 | Marian | Jimmy Coy (QB), Saint Xavier | Steve Ryan | |
| 2013 | Kyle Schuck (WR), Morningside | Mike Woodley | ||
| 2014 | Southern Oregon | Austin Dodge (QB), Southern Oregon | Mark Henninger | |
| 2015 | Marian (2) | Ryan Kasdorf (QB), Morningside | Mark Henninger (2) | |
| 2016 | Saint Francis (IN) | Logan Brettell (QB), Baker | Kevin Donley (3) | |
| 2017 | Saint Francis (IN) (2) | Nick Ferrer (QB), Saint Francis (IN) | Kevin Donley (4) | |
| 2018 | Morningside | Trent Solsma (QB), Morningside | ||
| 2019 | Morningside (2) | Charles Salary (RB), Marian (IN) | ||
| 2020 | Lindsey Wilson | Tyson Kooima (QB), Northwestern (IA) | ||
| 2021 | Morningside (3) | Joe Dolincheck (QB), Morningside | ||
| 2022 | Northwestern (IA) | Joe Dolincheck (QB), Morningside (2) | ||
| 2023 | Keiser | Jalyn Gramstad (QB), Northwestern (IA) | ||
| 2024 |
| Year | National Champions | |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Ottawa (KS) | |
| 2022 | Ottawa (KS) (2) | |
| 2023 | Ottawa (KS) (3) | |
| 2024 | Ottawa (KS) (4) |