(STATS) – It’s safe to say everybody is rooting for Andy Coen as he faces a new opponent.
On Friday, Coen stepped down as Lehigh’s head coach after 13 seasons to spend more time with his family and address an early diagnosis of Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease.
The 54-year-old Coen, popular and highly respected, posted an 85-64 record at Lehigh, tying Bill Leckonby for the most wins in history at the annual rivalry game against Lafayette three weeks ago. He was twice named Patriot League Coach of the Year and led the Mountain Hawks to five league championships and four appearances in the FCS playoffs, most recently in 2017.
“Life has thrown me a curveball,” Coen said in a university statement. “I am in the early stages and it is best for me to eliminate stress and concentrate on my health and well-being. It is an opportunity for me to spend more time with my family.
“Coaching is a 24/7 job and does not allow a lot of time for family. My wife, Laura, and my children, Molly, Nolan and Finn, have supported me throughout my career and are my biggest fans. This is a very difficult decision for all of us, but it is what is best at this time.”
Said Lehigh athletic director Joe Sterrett: “More than his success on the field, Andy has always recognized the importance of his role as an educator and developer of young men.”
The 2011 season highlighted Coen’s tenure. The Mountain Hawks went unbeaten in the league and went 11-2, becoming the first team in school history to reach the national quarterfinals. They also won the school’s eighth Lambert Cup, which is given to the top FCS program in the northeast, and finished with a No. 5 national ranking.
Coen, a 1986 graduate of Gettysburg, was a finalist for the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award, presented to the national coach of the year, 2010, ’11 and ’16.
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