Baltimore Ravens Select Heisman-Winner Troy Smith in 2007 NFL Draft

ROUND ROCK, Texas. May 2, 2007-With the 174th overall pick the Baltimore Ravens selected 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, quarterback from Ohio State, during the NFL Draft this past weekend. Smith, selected in the fifth round, is one of seven players selected by the Ravens.

Baltimore, which plays on Sportexe synthetic turf systems at M & T Bank Stadium, is one of four Sportexe clients in the NFL (including the New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills) that enjoyed draft-day success during the two-day selection process of the top collegiate players in the nation.

Smith, who also earned the Davey O'Brien Award, Walter Camp National Player of the Year, Big Ten Player of the Year and All-America first-team honors, connected on 203 of 311 passes (65.3 percent) for 2,542 yards, 30 touchdowns and six interceptions. He finished seventh in the nation with a pass efficiency rating of 161.91 en route to a Big Ten championship and a berth in the national title game.

"Troy proved at the highest college level that he can play and win," said Ravens director of college scouting Eric DeCosta. "He has all the physical tools. He is an impressive person with outstanding leadership skills. His football intellect is tremendous."

Baltimore head coach Brian Billick also touts Smith: "His story is about overcoming odds, production and leadership. What's not to like?"

Overall, Smith played in 42 games with Ohio State, including 32 at quarterback in which he finished 25-3 as its starter. Smith tallied a 62.7 career completion percentage, 5,720 yards, 54 touchdowns and only 13 interceptions. He even ran for 1,168 yards on 293 carries and 14 touchdowns, 204 yards with one score during 2006, and gained 83 yards on kickoff returns.

Smith is the first Heisman Trophy winner the Ravens have ever drafted.

"There is no second-guessing the selection of Troy Smith," said football insider and Sportexe spokesperson Aaron S. Lee. "Smith's resume is well documented, and without question he possesses a blue-chip pedigree. He is a phenomenal athlete that will only bolster the Ravens' already-solid talent roster."

The Ravens earned the 29th overall pick after capturing the AFC North Division title in 2006 and selected offensive guard Ben Grubbs from Auburn as its first round choice. Grubbs was the highest rated guard in the draft, and many experts predict he could start his rookie year and remain the starter well into the next decade.

Other Baltimore draft picks include: Yamon Figurs, WR, Kansas State (3rd round, 74th pick); Marshal Yanda, OL, Iowa (3rd round, 86th pick); Antwan Barnes, LB, Florida International (4th round, 134th pick); Le'Ron McClain, FB, Alabama (4th round, 137th); and Prescott Burgess, LB, Michigan (6th round, 207th pick).

"I think we'll look back on this draft in three or four years, and you'll be able to look at a lot of players that are going to be major contributors to a team that was coming off a 13-3 season," said Ravens general manager/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome. "Hopefully, with the draft and other things we've done this offseason, we've put ourselves in position to return to the playoffs."

"We are excited to see Troy and the other six selections with Baltimore," said Lee. "And we are even more excited to see them perform on Sportexe turf at M & T Bank Stadium in the future."

Sportexe, a global leader in the synthetic turf industry, can be found underfoot of many of the nation's elite athletes from the NFL and NCAA, and is the exclusive turf provider for the Arena Football League, arenafootball2, Major Indoor Soccer League and the National Lacrosse League. Sportexe clients also include numerous high school and recreational fields across North America.

ROUND ROCK, Texas. March 26, 2007 - Sportexe, a global leader in the synthetic turf industry and official turf provider for both the Arena Football League and arenafootball2, has been named by af2 as its official coach of the year award for the upcoming 2007 season beginning March 29.

The Sportexe Coach of the Year award names the industry's top football-coaching leaders at all levels of football, including high school, collegiate and professional from both indoor and outdoor leagues throughout America, Canada and Europe.

"We're excited about this new addition to our already existing relationship with Sportexe," af2 President Jerry Kurz said. "The af2's current group of coaches is the strongest we've ever had and we're very fortunate to now have a top-notch, year-end award to recognize our league's best of the best."

af2 began in 2000 as the AFL's developmental league and has quickly flourished fielding 30 teams for the upcoming season. The rules are the same as for the parent league and the season will run through July with the ArenaCup, af2's championship game, held in August.

"We are definitely proud of our association with af2," said Doug Pullin, Sportexe AFL and af2 Project Sales Manager. "We have been involved with af2 since its inaugural season eight years ago and it has been a tremendous working relationship that has only gotten better each year. The success and longevity of the league is a direct reflection of all those associated with af2."

Past Sportexe COY winners include John Fox and Sean Payton of the NFL, Tom Higgins and Wally Buono of the CFL and Art Briles, David Bennett and Bill O'Boyle of the NCAA.

"This is a perfect fit," said Aaron S. Lee, national football-coaching insider and Sportexe spokesperson referring to the Sportexe af2 Coach of the Year announcement. "Not only does Sportexe already have a long-lasting relationship with af2 from a business standpoint, but also the Sportexe COY is quickly recognized as a new benchmark in football-coaching performance and recognition. We leave no stone unturned in our selection process and the af2 has an extremely deep pool of stellar coaching talent waiting to be acknowledged."

Sportexe synthetic turf systems can be found underfoot of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, along with many of the top NCAA sports programs such as the University of California-Berkeley, UC-Davis, University of Southern Mississippi, University of Alabama, University of Maryland, LSU and Tulane.

Canada's Globe & Mail Newspaper recently ran a story about Sportexe's Turf TV. Read the story here !

On Friday, Nov. 10 2006, Sportexe, an industry leader in synthetic turf systems, again created international buzz with a Forbes Magazine feature on what was referred to as "Turf TV".

The patented-product featured in the article fuses fiber optic technology with synthetic grass blades to create a virtual computer screen with interactive capabilities out of a normal playing surface. The purpose of "Turf TV" is to allow a trained field technician to manipulate light to instantly make changes to field markers, team logos and color schemes. Other possibilities include player tracking, instant replay and advertisement commercial viewing. The Endorsement revenue opportunities generated from on-field advertisements will be limitless.

"All these things are possible and realistic," said Sportexe CEO and President Mark Nicholls. "We have working prototypes and some of the best minds in the industry making this a reality."

Television brought the football field into the home. Now it's TV that's inside the field. Sportexe, a synthetic turf maker co-owned by former NFL honcho Art Modell, has created a playing surface that fuses fiber optics with synthetic turf. The result: an electronic field that projects stats, first-down markers, logos and video images just like your TV does.

"It can even show footfalls, so officials can tell if a player went out of bounds or not," says Sportexe CEO Mark Nicholls.

A few strokes on a keyboard can flip the field configuration from a gridiron to a soccer pitch, or swap logos when teams share the same stadium. At $1.5 million, the techie turf is about three times as pricy as a standard artificial field, but owners can recoup the cost by saving on maintenance (no lines or logos to paint) and by charging for on-the-grass advertising.

The downside? No remotes for the fans.

** Originally published in the February issue of ESPN Magazine.

Sportexe, which has installations in the New Orleans Superdome and the Baltimore Ravens' M&T Bank Stadium, recently made international headlines after receiving the only FIFA 2-Star RECOMMENDED field in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) from world soccer governing body FIFA.

"This is a very exciting time for Sportexe," said Nicholls. "It is an honor to be featured in Forbes. We waited four years in silence developing the technology and waiting for the patent before we would talk to anyone and risk losing our idea and it has been two years since received our patent on this.

"Turf TV" has been in development for five years and has yet to receive a release date for commercialization.

Sportexe af2 Coach of the Year

San Jose's Kevin Guy Changes Leagues, Not Success

ROUND ROCK, Texas. May 8, 2007- The San Jose SaberCats recorded seven touchdown passes and one on the ground to capture its third straight win with a Mark Grieb threw seven touchdown passes and ran for another lifting the San Jose SaberCats (6-3) to their third straight win with a 56-49 decision over the Arizona Rattlers in an Arena Football League game Saturday night.

The win keeps the SaberCats in possession of first place in the AFL's Western Division.

Defensive end Ron Jones tallied his seventh sack of the season and just the second of Bonner this season. He now has four sacks in the last two games and he helped San Jose limit Arizona to just 245 yards of offense. This is the second straight game Jones has led the San Jose defense.

Last week, the SaberCats' defense forced five Utah turnovers and registered four sacks holding the Blaze to a season-low point total in a 69-48 at HP Pavilion.

The win sent San Jose to first place in the AFL's Western Division, and was the SaberCats' 10th straight regular victory dating back to the 2006 season at HP Pavilion, which features Sportexe - the exclusive and official synthetic turf supplier and game system provider for both the AFL and arenafootball2.

One reason for the last two San Jose wins is the play of former Southern Miss linebacker Ron Jones, which earned the defensive player of the week honors after setting team records with 3.0 quarterback sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss, while matching the team mark with a pair of forced fumbles. He also added a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

Jones led a defense that forced five Utah turnovers and held the league's highest scoring offense to its lowest point total of the year in a 69-48 win and broke the team single-game records that have stood since 2000.

However, the main reason for the SaberCats' defensive dominance has been the addition of defensive coordinator Kevin Guy two seasons ago. In his first year with the team, Guy's defense finished the regular season ranked in the top five of four defensive statistical categories. He directed a unit that forced 34 turnovers and ranked fourth in the league with a +7 turnover margin.

The SaberCats' rushing defense was impenetrable in 2006 allowing only 14.3 rushing yards per contest, and only allowed its opponents to score just 77.5 percent of the time, the seventh-best ranking in the league.

"We've got an exceptional core of defensive players that makes my job a little easier," said Guy. "My time in San Jose has been great and I am happy to be working with one of the greatest teams in the Arena Football League."

The former af2 head coach and 2003 Sportexe af2 Coach of the Year, still holds the record for most coaching victories in the history of af2. He registered 52 career wins and a .732 winning percentage while leading the Tennessee Valley Vipers (2002-04) and Rio Grande Valley Dorados (2005).

Guy, a former defensive back who played four years in the AFL, has coached an Ironman of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Lineman of the Year award winners while having 14 players earn All-af2 recognition.

"We've got one of the best defensive coaches in the game," said Jones. "He calls the right plays at the right time, we just have to go out there and make all the right executions."

"Kevin embeds his competitive nature and aggressiveness into all of our players," said San Jose head coach Darren Arbet. "He expects a high level of performance from each of them and his players continue to deliver when we need them to."

This season Guy's defense leads the AFL in red zone efficiency (71.8) and first downs allowed per game (18.1). The SaberCats' defense tied for third in sacks (10) and ranks third in third-down percentage (43.1). San Jose also ranks fifth in yards allowed per game (284.0)."We continue to go out and work hard every week in practice as we try to reach our goals and word towards the playoffs," said Guy. "Our productivity has increased from the beginning of the season, but we've still got a long way to go."

The first-place SaberCats travel to Arizona to face the Rattlers on Saturday, May 5 and return to HP Pavilion on Saturday May 12 to host the Las Vegas Gladiators.

"It's so rewarding to see one of the many Sportexe Coach of the Year alumni continue to prosper," said football insider and Sportexe spokesperson Aaron S. Lee. "Sportexe certainly saw something special with Coach Guy in 2003, and those qualities that made Guy a success during his af2 days are certainly being utilized to make San Jose one of the AFL's premier teams and Guy one its top coaches."

Sportexe, which also names amateur and professional coach of the year winners throughout North America and Europe, will present the official Sportexe af2 Coach of the Year award during ArenaCup8 to be held in Bossier City, La., on Aug. 25. The latest news headlines and coach profiles from af2 can be found by visiting www.sportexe.com.

Sportexe is currently underfoot of many of the nation's elite athletes from the NFL and NCAA, and is the exclusive turf provider for the Arena Football League, arenafootball2, Major Indoor Soccer League and the National Lacrosse League.

City of Doral Conducts Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Public Sports Park

ROUND ROCK, Texas. May 4, 2007-The Honorable Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez and the Doral City Council cordially invited all community residents to attend the official ribbon-cutting ceremony of Doral Park on Friday, May 4, at 7 p.m.

Doral Park features two lighted soccer fields designed with Sportexe synthetic turf, three lighted basketball courts, two lighted sand volleyball courts, walking path with 10 station Vita Course, picnic shelters, large ADA accessible playground with shade canopy, lighted tennis courts, 5,000 square foot Recreation Center Building, parking for 152 cars, open play areas, landscaping and perimeter fencing, scoreboard for all sports and a central plaza for gathering with neighbors.

"This has been a team effort with Recreation Design and Construction," said Sportexe representative Joe Simpson. "Our working relationship with RDC is great as is our relationship with the City of Doral. In fact, we are scheduled to install two additional fields for the city before the opening of its second park, Doral Meadows."

The City Commission made the decision to spend the additional dollars to provide the City's citizens with the finest quality facilities available. The Sportexe Synthetic turf on both soccer fields will allow the citizens unlimited use of the soccer fields.

"Installing Sportexe will be a major benefit for the city," said Simpson. "Not only will it save on maintenance costs, but also on the wear and tear of overuse often associated with natural grass."

Grey Cup Champs Make Gee-Gees' Nicolson Team's Top Choice at CFL Draft

ROUND ROCK, Texas. May 4, 2007-With its first pick, ninth overall, in the 2007 Canadian Football League Draft, The reigning Grey Cup-champion British Columbia Lions selected University of Ottawa wide receiver Adam Nicolson (North Bay, Ont.), making it the first time since 2004 that a member of the Gee-Gees football team has been drafted in the opening round.

Sportexe CFL Coach of the Year winner Wally Buono selected Nicolson, a 6-foot-4, 219-pound biology student, who played a vital role for Ottawa under Sportexe CIS Coach of the Year Denis Piché in 2006.

The Gee-Gees recorded its best regular season record in the Ontario University Athletics conference (7-1) and the Yates Cup championship, both firsts since Ottawa re-joined the conference in 2001.

The Gee-Gees, which play at Frank Clair Stadium at Lansdowne Park featuring Sportexe synthetic turf, had the best overall defense in the country allowing only 97 points in conference play - and with Nicolson's help - led the OUA on offense with 276 points scored. Ottawa topped all OUA schools with 11 conference all-star selections.

Nicolson was Ottawa's leading receiver in 2006 hauling in 45 passes for 727 yards and three touchdowns. He caught a timely 43-yard touchdown pass at Laurier in week 2 as the Gee-Gees handed the then-defending Vanier Cup champions their first loss in three years.

"Adam is a tough, physical and gifted receiver," said Buono, who also earned the league's official Scotiabank CFL Coach of the Year award in 2006. "He's the type of player who would prefer to run through you than around you and he's what we want in BC."

Nicolson's performance peaked in the playoffs, leading Ottawa in receiving averaging 69 yards per game in the post-season. He was the Gee-Gees' top receiver in the 2006 Mitchell Bowl against the University of Saskatchewan, hauling in six catches for 109-yards and a touchdown.

"I am very pleased for Adam that he was selected in the first round of the draft," said Piché. "We projected him as a potential first rounder because of his skill and dedication to continually improve himself. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work by a solid young man."

Other members of the Gee-Gees football team who were selected in the 2007 draft include fourth year offensive lineman Kyle Kirkwood (Sudbury, Ont.) (5th round, 40th overall) by the Lions and projected transfer student from Queen's University Ian Hazlett (5th round, 38th overall) who was selected by Calgary.

Other 2006 Sportexe Coach of the Year alumni include: Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints (NFL); Art Briles, Houston (NCAA Division I-A); David Bennett, Coastal Carolina (NCAA Division I-AA); Bill O'Boyle, Chadron State (NCAA Division II); Frank Miriello, Washington & Lee (NCAA Division III); Dino Kaklis, Bethel College (NAIA); Brad Franchione, Blinn College (Junior College); Bill Redell, Westlake Village-Oaks Christian (High School); Todd Bernett, Vancouver College (Canadian High School).

Sportexe, which also announces winners of its Arena Football League and NFL Europa awards later this year, is the official coach of the year award for arenafootball2 to be presented during ArenaCup8 to be held in Bossier City, La., on Aug. 25.

"Adam Nicolson and Kyle Kirkwood will certainly strengthen the Lions' grip on the CFL's Grey Cup," said football insider and Sportexe spokesperson Aaron S. Lee. "Coach Piché does a remarkable job of preparing his young athletes for the next level, whether it's the game of professional football or the game of life. And this job has not gone unnoticed by Sportexe or Coach Buono and the B.C. Lions."

San Jose Defensive Coordinator Kevin Guy Changes Leagues, Not Success

ROUND ROCK, Texas. May 4, 2007- The San Jose SaberCats (5-3) remained undefeated at home after its defense forced five Utah turnovers and registered four sacks holding the Blaze to a season-low point total in a 69-48 win in an Arena Football League game Satuday, April 28 at HP Pavilion.

The win sent San Jose to first place in the AFL's Western Division, and was the SaberCats' 10th straight regular victory dating back to the 2006 season at HP Pavilion, which features Sportexe - the exclusive and official synthetic turf supplier and game system provider for both the AFL and arenafootball2.

One reason for the San Jose win over Utah was the play of former Southern Miss linebacker Ron Jones, which earned the defensive player of the week honors after setting team records with 3.0 quarterback sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss, while matching the team mark with a pair of forced fumbles. He also added a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.

Jones led a defense that forced five Utah turnovers and held the league's highest scoring offense to its lowest point total of the year in a 69-48 win and broke the team single-game records that have stood since 2000.

However, the main reason for the SaberCats' defensive dominance has been the addition of defensive coordinator Kevin Guy two seasons ago. In his first year with the team, Guy's defense finished the regular season ranked in the top five of four defensive statistical categories. He directed a unit that forced 34 turnovers and ranked fourth in the league with a +7 turnover margin.

The SaberCats' rushing defense was impenetrable in 2006 allowing only 14.3 rushing yards per contest, and only allowed its opponents to score just 77.5 percent of the time, the seventh-best ranking in the league.

"We've got an exceptional core of defensive players that makes my job a little easier," said Guy. "My time in San Jose has been great and I am happy to be working with one of the greatest teams in the Arena Football League."

The former af2 head coach and 2003 Sportexe af2 Coach of the Year, still holds the record for most coaching victories in the history of af2. He registered 52 career wins and a .732 winning percentage while leading the Tennessee Valley Vipers (2002-04) and Rio Grande Valley Dorados (2005).

Guy, a former defensive back who played four years in the AFL, has coached an Ironman of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Lineman of the Year award winners while having 14 players earn All-af2 recognition.

"We've got one of the best defensive coaches in the game," said Jones. "He calls the right plays at the right time, we just have to go out there and make all the right executions."

"Kevin embeds his competitive nature and aggressiveness into all of our players," said San Jose head coach Darren Arbet. "He expects a high level of performance from each of them and his players continue to deliver when we need them to."

This season Guy's defense leads the AFL in red zone efficiency (71.8) and first downs allowed per game (18.1). The SaberCats' defense tied for third in sacks (10) and ranks third in third-down percentage (43.1). San Jose also ranks fifth in yards allowed per game (284.0).

"We continue to go out and work hard every week in practice as we try to reach our goals and word towards the playoffs," said Guy. "Our productivity has increased from the beginning of the season, but we've still got a long way to go."

The first-place SaberCats travel to Arizona to face the Rattlers on Saturday, May 5 and return to HP Pavilion on Saturday May 12 to host the Las Vegas Gladiators.

"It's so rewarding to see one of the many Sportexe Coach of the Year alumni continue to prosper," said football insider and Sportexe spokesperson Aaron S. Lee. "Sportexe certainly saw something special with Coach Guy in 2003, and those qualities that made Guy a success during his af2 days are certainly being utilized to make San Jose one of the AFL's premier teams and Guy one its top coaches."

Sportexe, which also names amateur and professional coach of the year winners throughout North America and Europe, will present the official Sportexe af2 Coach of the Year award during ArenaCup8 to be held in Bossier City, La., on Aug. 25. The latest news headlines and coach profiles from af2 can be found by visiting www.sportexe.com.

Sportexe is currently underfoot of many of the nation's elite athletes from the NFL and NCAA, and is the exclusive turf provider for the Arena Football League, arenafootball2, Major Indoor Soccer League and the National Lacrosse League.

Houston's Art Briles and Coastal Carolina's David Bennett Coach Talent to Next Level

ROUND ROCK, Texas. May 4, 2007-Two of the 2006 Sportexe Football Coach of the Year winners continued to earn their stripes this weekend as they each had a quarterback selected in the 2007 NFL Draft. A global leader in the synthetic turf industry, Sportexe names coach of the year winners at every major amateur and professional level throughout the North America and Europe.

The Sportexe NCAA Division I-A winner Art Briles, head coach at the University of Houston, sent record-setting signal caller Kevin Kolb to the Philadelphia Eagles as the fourth pick in the second round (36th overall). The four-year starter set a school record by starting all 50 games he played in.

Kolb, who has set virtually every school and conference passing record, was named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, a Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award finalist and Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award semifinalist. He ranked fifth in the nation in passing efficiency (162.72), eighth in total offense (283.07 ypg) and sixth in passing yardage (3,809). Kolb connected on 292 of 432 passes (67.6 percent) with 30 touchdowns and four interceptions.

"We are pleased for Kevin as his selection in the NFL Draft is a great individual honor," said Briles. "At the same time his move to professional football showcases the quality of the University of Houston football team and direction of our program."

The entire Texas community has taken notice of Briles' commitment to the Cougars football program. On April 25, the Texas State House of Representatives and Senate honored Briles for leading Houston to the C-USA championship and earning two coaching awards.

"I am very proud to be recognized for being the C-USA Coach of the Year and Sportexe National Coach of the Year," Briles said. "But I am more prideful of the recognition those awards bring to the C-USA champion Houston Cougars."

Eight other Cougars have signed free agent contracts to join Kolb in the NFL, including: Jackie Battle, RB, and Rodney Hannah, TE, Dallas Cowboys; Vincent Marshall, WR, Atlanta Falcons; Wade Koehl, LB, New Orleans Saints; Biren Ealy, WR, Tennessee Titans; Willie Gaston, CB, Baltimore Ravens; Marquay Love, DT, Miami Dolphins; Will Gulley, Arizona Cardinals.

Sportexe NCAA I-AA Coach of the Year recipient David Bennett, head coach at Coastal Carolina University, sent multiple-threat Tyler Thigpen to the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh pick in the seventh round (217th overall).

Thigpen was named the Big South Conference Offensive Player of the Year and finished seventh in the balloting for the Walter Payton Award. He ranked second in the Football Championship Subdivision with 329.3 ypg of total offense, while being fourth nationally with 274.7 passing yards per game after leading Coastal to its third consecutive Big South title and first-ever berth in the NCAA Division I Football Championships.

"Tyler is the epitome of our program," said Bennett, who started the Chanticleers' football program just four years ago. "Both he and our program have evolved into championship-caliber talent in such a short period of time. Tyler is blessed with all the tools to be successful at the next level and we look forward to following his professional career for many years to come."

Thigpen, who finished his Coastal Carolina career 30-8 as its starter, set nine Conference season records in 2006 in total offense (3,952), total offense per game (329.3), passing yards (3,296), touchdown passes (29), passing yards per game (274.7), passing efficiency (167.42), 300-yard passing games (5), 300-total yard games (9) and rushing yards by a quarterback (656). He was named Player of the Week four times this season and became the first Big South quarterback to rush for more than 600 yards in a season, with his 656 ranking fourth overall in league rushing, while adding five touchdowns.

Coastal Carolina added another Chants' player to the NFL with safety Quinton Teal signing a free agent contract with the Carolina Panthers.

"These are examples of what makes these two Sportexe Coach of the Year winners so deserving," said national football-coaching insider and Sportexe spokesperson Aaron S. Lee. "To coach at programs that are not noted as national powers and still guide young men to the sport's highest level is indeed a great coaching accomplishment."

Other 2006 Sportexe Coach of the Year alumni include: Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints (NFL); Wally Buono, British Columbia Lions (CFL); Denis Piché, University of Ottawa (Canadian Interuniversity Sports); Bill O'Boyle, Chadron State (NCAA Division II); Frank Miriello, Washington & Lee (NCAA Division III); Dino Kaklis, Bethel College (NAIA); Brad Franchione, Blinn College (Junior College); Bill Redell, Westlake Village-Oaks Christian (High School); Todd Bernett, Vancouver College (Canadian High School).

"Clearly Coach Briles and Coach Bennett are perfect choices for the Sportexe Coach of the Year, as are all of our winners," said Lee.

Sportexe, which also announces winners of its Arena Football League and NFL Europa awards later this year, is the official coach of the year award for arenafootball2 to be presented during ArenaCup8 to be held in Bossier City, La., on Aug. 25.

Sportexe can be found underfoot of many of the nation's elite athletes from the NFL and NCAA, and is the exclusive turf provider for the Arena Football League, arenafootball2, Major Indoor Soccer League and the National Lacrosse League. Sportexe clients also include numerous high school and recreational fields across North America.