LAWRENCE, Kan. — Mark Mangino, who steered surprising Kansas into national football championship contention, was voted The Associated Press Coach of the Year.

In his sixth season with Kansas, the Jayhawks won a school-record 11 games, had two All-Americans and earned a spot in the Bowl Championship Series for the first time. On Jan. 3 in Miami, the Jayhawks (11-2) will play Virginia Tech (11-2) in their first major bowl since 1969.

In voting by AP college football poll voters, Mangino received 28 of a possible 58 votes, easily outdistancing Missouri's Gary Pinkel, who had 11. Hawai'i's June Jones was third (seven votes) and Illinois coach Ron Zook fourth (five votes).

"That's awesome for coach (Mangino)," Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing said. "He's earned all the recognition he gets. I don't think anybody realizes how hard coach works for us."

Mangino is the first Kansas coach to win the award since the AP started handing it out in 1998.

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