Connell Maynor
WSSU Head Football Coach
First Season at WSSU
Alma Mater - North Carolina A&T State University '95

Connell Maynor, a veteran of more than 20 years of football experience both as a player and coach - and most recently as the offensive architect of the 2009 CIAA Champion Fayetteville State University Broncos offense, serving as both Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach - was named the eighth head football coach at Winston-Salem State University on Dec. 15, 2009.

Maynor, a former standout football student-athlete at both Winston-Salem State University and North Carolina A&T State University was selected from a talented pool of more than 75 applicants representing 17 states in the Rams' national search to find a head coach to lead WSSU's historic football program.

Maynor brings more than two decades of football experience both as a coach and as a player in the intercollegiate and professional ranks and is the proud owner of 10 championships, six as a player and four as a coach.

Maynor comes to WSSU by way of Fayetteville State University where he spent the last 10 seasons as a member of the Broncos' award-winning football staff, most recently serving as both the Quarterbacks Coach and Offensive Coordinator where he helped to lead FSU to four CIAA title game appearances and three CIAA Championships (2002, 2003 and 2009).

Maynor's offensive unit produced two All-CIAA quarterback selections (2002 and 2003) and ranked first in the CIAA in rushing offense, total offense and scoring in 2008 en route to a 13th-place national ranking in scoring offense and a 39th-place national ranking in total offense in Division II in 2008.

In addition to his collegiate coaching responsibilities, Maynor served as the Offensive Coordinator for the Arena Football League's Philadelphia Soul from 2006-2008 where he helped to lead the Soul to the Arena Bowl XXII World Championship in 2008.

Under his leadership the Soul ranked first in scoring offense (62 ppg), touchdowns (132), touchdown passes (102) and red zone efficiency (85 percent) in 2008 en route to an Arena Bowl title.

Maynor's successes come not only as a coach but as a player as he has earned six championships as an athlete.

The starting quarterback for the Rams' 1987 CIAA championship football team under then-head coach and current-WSSU Director of Athletics William "Bill" Hayes, Maynor was named to the All-CIAA team as a freshman after passing for 1,071 yards.

After following Hayes to North Carolina A&T State University, Maynor was named First-Team All-MEAC in both 1990 and 1991. In addition to All-MEAC honors Maynor was named the MEAC Offensive Player of the Year and was honored as the 100% Wrong Club Player of the Year in both 1990 and 1991 en route to leading the Aggies to the 1991 MEAC Championship.

Maynor turned in spectacular junior and senior seasons at North Carolina A&T as he passed for 1,698 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior and passed for 1,527 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior in '91 as the Aggies went 9-2. With a history-making career for the Aggies, Maynor ranks fourth in N.C. A&T history in passing yards (4,318) and touchdowns (39).

A veteran of 12 years in the Arena Football League (AFL) Maynor is a four-time AFL World Champion having led the Tampa Bay Storm to the 1993 and 1994 World Championships in addition to quarterbacking the Orlando Predators to the 1998 and 2000 World Championship titles. For his effort, Maynor was named the Arena Bowl Most Valuable Player in 2000.

One of the top players in the history of the Arena Football League, Maynor spent most of his 12-year AFL career as a quarterback but also saw time at linebacker and wide receiver as well as appearing on special teams.

Maynor finished his Arena Football League career with more than 5,000 yards passing, more than 400 rushing yards and more than 500 yards receiving and turned his best season in 2003 as he set career highs with 235 completions (400 attempts) for 3,167 yards and 54 touchdowns.

Maynor's athletic prowess extends not only to intercollegiate and professional football but earned him two appearances in major motion pictures as he appeared in Warner Bros. Pictures "Any Given Sunday" and Buena Vista Pictures "Remember the Titans".

A veteran of both the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Maynor has extensive experience at the both the Division I and Division II levels and has demonstrated extensive recruiting acumen which will immediately help him at Winston-Salem State University as he prepares to lead the Rams' back to glory.

A 1995 graduate of North Carolina A&T State University with a bachelor of arts in Recreation Administration, Maynor is currently enrolled at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke where he is pursuing a master of arts in physical education with and anticipated graduation date in 2012.

Maynor is married to the former Meryl Carter and the couple have a nine-year-old daughter, Nicole.