Mack Brown Named Recipient Of 2016 Paul "Bear" Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award

HOUSTON, Sept. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Heart Association's Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards presented by Marathon Oil Corporation announced today that Mack Brown is named the recipient of the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award. The award will be presented to Brown at the 30th Anniversary event on Jan. 13, 2016 in Houston.

Brown is widely known for his tenure as the head of the Texas Longhorns for 16 seasons.  He led the Longhorns to the 2005 BCS National Championship and shortly afterward was named the American Heart Association's 2005 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year.  In 2009, he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year after leading the Longhorns back to the National Championship game.

Prior to his time at the University of Texas, Brown served a nine year tenure as the Head Coach for the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC) and is widely credited with revitalizing their football program. Brown is one of few coaches in the history of college football to lead two separate programs to a top five national finish.

There is no doubt Brown made a name for himself in the coaching world of football. True to the spirit of the Bryant Awards recognizing excellence on and off the field, Brown exemplified leadership with setting the expectation of academic excellence. Under his mentorship, his players maintained a high level of achievement in the classroom and in the community.

First awarded in 2000, the Paul "Bear" Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the career accomplishments of the nation's finest college football coaches. Among the past recipients of this award are Jimmy Johnson (2015), R.C. Slocum (2014), LaVell Edwards (2013) and Hayden Fry (2012). 

While the Lifetime Achievement Award highlights the achievements throughout a coach's career, the Coach of the Year award, which is presented after each season's bowl games, provides an opportunity to recognize a college football coach for an outstanding season. Finalists will be in attendance at the event along with Brown to accept awards.

The Bryant Awards presented by Marathon Oil Corporation has raised over $6 million in the past 29 years to fund research, advocacy and educational programs across the country that are necessary for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke. "Bear" Bryant died of a heart attack in 1983.  He always talked about being bigger than something other than himself. The Bryant Awards offer an opportunity to do just that - to be a part of team Bryant in the fight against heart disease and stroke.

Marathon Oil Corporation has served as the presenting sponsor of the Bryant Awards for the past eight years, underscoring the Company's commitment to health and wellness and supporting initiatives that promote the wellbeing of workers and their families both on and off the job. The Company also values the communities in which its employees live and work and strives to cooperate with local community leaders to recognize and advance important public health initiatives that promote the common good and protect the public.

For more information on the Bryant Awards, or to purchase tickets or a table for the event, visit www.bryantawards.com or call 832-918-4030.

About American Heart AssociationThe American Heart Association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Our mission is to build healthier lives by preventing, treating and defeating these diseases – America's No. 1 and No. 5 killers. We fund cutting-edge research, conduct lifesaving public and professional educational programs and advocate to protect public health. To learn more or join us in helping all Americans, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit www.heart.org.

About Marathon Oil CorporationMarathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) is a global exploration and production company. Based in Houston, Texas, the Company had net proved reserves at the end of 2014 of 2.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent in North America, Europe and Africa. For more information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.marathonoil.com.

Media Contact: Apiyo Obala, American Heart Association832-918-4039 or [email protected]

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SOURCE American Heart Association Houston Division