March 30, 2009

Florida Atlantic University Head Football Coach Howard Schnellenberger was one of ten members inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony which took place at the Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach on Sunday, March 29. He was honored by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and was inducted alongside other Palm Beach County native athletes, such as former NBA standout Derek Harper, PGA pro Mark Calcavecchia and other local athletes and media.

Schnellenberger has been the architect of an FAU program that became the fastest Division I startup program to receive an invitation to a bowl game. He led the Owls to back to back bowl wins when FAU defeated the University of Memphis in the New Orleans Bowl in 2007 and Central Michigan University in the Motor City Bowl last season.

Prior to his time at FAU, Schnellenberger rebuilt programs at the University of Miami and the University of Louisville. He led Miami to a national championship in 1983, and mentored such NFL quarterbacks as Jim Kelly, Vinny Testaverde and Bernie Kosar. Schnellenberger then moved back to his home state, leading Louisville to two bowl wins. He has been inducted into three other sports Halls of Fame in his career. Schnellenberger was previously honored by Miami, Louisville and his alma mater, the University of Kentucky.

This is the third consecutive year an FAU coach has been named to the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame. Former FAU baseball head coach Kevin Cooney was inducted in 2007. Last year, FAU softball head coach Joan Joyce was honored.

Also honored at the March 29 event was FAU quarterback Rusty Smith, who was named Palm Beach County Amateur Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year. Smith threw for 3,224 yards and 24 touchdown passes in leading the Owls to a 7-6 record and a win over Central Michigan University in the Motor City Bowl.