ARLINGTON, TEXAS (June 11, 2026) – The United Football League announced today that Orlando Storm Head Coach Anthony Becht has been named the 2026 Buddy Teevens UFL Coach of the Year.
Following the announcement of the Orlando Storm as a UFL expansion franchise, Anthony Becht was named the team’s head coach on Dec. 23, 2025. In his first season leading the Storm, Becht guided Orlando to a league-best 8-2 regular season record and the franchise’s first playoff appearance.
“I'm honored and grateful to receive this award,” said Becht. “Individual awards are always about the people around you. When you surround yourself with a great coaching staff and 50 players who fully buy into the process, you’re always rewarded tenfold on the backend. This award is a reflection of the commitment and work put in by everyone in our organization.”
The 2026 season marked the second consecutive year a Becht-led team finished with the league’s best regular season record. Across four seasons as a UFL/XFL head coach, Becht has compiled an overall 30-10 regular season record.
Orlando won four of their first five games, earning victories over the Columbus Aviators (23-16), the Louisville Kings twice (19-9 and 29-27), and the Birmingham Stallions (16-0). In Week Eight, the Storm clinched a playoff spot with a 31-24 victory over Dallas at Toyota Stadium in Fort Hood, Texas.
Under Becht's leadership, quarterback Jack Plummer delivered a standout inaugural campaign, leading the UFL in both passing yards (2,188) and completions (195). Orlando also paced the league offensively, finishing first in total yards with 2,803. Prior to joining Orlando, Becht spent three seasons as head coach of the St. Louis Battlehawks, leading the franchise to a 22-8 regular-season record and consecutive playoff appearances.
The UFL Coach of the Year Award is named in honor of Buddy Teevens, a longtime head coach at Dartmouth College, who was celebrated for his forward-thinking approach, unwavering commitment to player safety and well-being, and lasting impact on the game of football over a nearly 40-year coaching career. Teevens earned widespread respect for his ability to build winning programs, including leading the Big Green to five Ivy League Championships, but more importantly, exemplified leadership, innovation, integrity, and commitment to the development of his players both as athletes and people. He believed that football was a vehicle for teaching character, accountability, resilience, and teamwork - lessons that would serve his players long after their playing days had ended.
He was a true pioneer who consistently challenged conventional thinking in pursuit of excellence, whether through new approaches to player safety, embracing emerging technology, or fostering a culture built on trust and respect, he demonstrated that great coaching requires both courage and compassion. He also famously championed diversity and opportunity within his coaching staff and his commitment to creating opportunities for women in coaching fostered a more inclusive environment that broke down barriers for women in football. Sadly the world lost Coach Teevens in September 2023 but his legacy lives on through this award.
Becht will be honored at the UFL Awards presented by Dynasty Financial Partners celebration on Friday, June 12, leading into the United Bowl, which will be played on Saturday, June 13, at 3 p.m. ET at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. and broadcast nationally on ABC.
Limited tickets remain available for the United Bowl presented by Credit One Bank at Ticketmaster.com.