KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Saint Xavier (Ill.) took home its first-ever national championship and was rewarded with the No. 1 ranking in the NAIA Football Coaches' Postseason Top 25 Poll, the national office announced Monday.  The Cougars defeated Carroll (Mont.), 24-20, on Dec. 17 in the 56th Annual Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship game held in Rome, Ga.  SXU had held the No. 1 position for eight consecutive weeks earlier this season from Sept. 12 - Oct. 31.

Rome, Ga. - Behind a huge offensive performance by junior quarterback Jimmy Coy (Park Ridge, Ill./Valdosta State University/El Camino College/Maine South), the No. 5 ranked Saint Xavier University football team defeated No. 2 Carroll College (Mont.), 24-20, to win the 56th Annual Russell Athletic -NAIA Football National Championship Saturday evening at Barron Stadium in Rome, Ga.  It is the first national title for SXU in any sport in its 41 years of athletics.  Coy finished with 216 passing yards and one passing touchdown as well as 78 yards rushing and a score on the ground.

CHICAGO – Saint Xavier University senior place-kicker Tom Lynch is the recipient of the 2011 Fred Mitchell Award. The Award is provided to the nation's top place-kicker in FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA for excellence on the football field and in the community. Over 750 place-kickers are eligible.  The Award is named for Fred Mitchell, the All-American place-kicker from Wittenberg University and longtime sports columnist for the Chicago Tribune.