Missouri football coach Gary Pinkel is the 2008 winner of the Missouri Athletic Club’s "Sports Personality of the Year" Award. He will receive the award at the MAC’s Jack Buck Sports Awards Banquet on Monday, Dec. 15.
Pinkel, in his eighth season at Mizzou, has guided the Tigers to a 9-2 record in 2008 and to the program’s second-straight Big 12 Conference North Division championship – the first back-to-back conference or division titles at MU since 1941-42.
Pinkel, with a record of 58-39 (59.8%) at Mizzou, stands as the third-winningest coach in program history. The Tigers will play in their fourth-consecutive bowl game this year for only the second time in school history (1978-81 was the other such stretch). Pinkel’s overall career record is 131-76-3 (63.1%).
Pinkel becomes the third football coach from Mizzou to win the Sports Personality of the Year award. Al Onofrio won the award in 1972 and Warren Powers in 1978. Mizzou basketball coach Norm Stewart received the honor in 1992.
The event is open to the public and always sells out, so make reservations now by calling 314-539-4470. The event begins with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and the program at 8 p.m. The Missouri Athletic Club is located in downtown St. Louis at 405 Washington Ave.