Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame
Coen*, Andy
Andy Coen*
- Induction:
- 2023
A fiery and passionate leader who possessed a unique ability to motivate and inspire his student-athletes, Andy Coen spent 19 seasons coaching football at Lehigh, including 13 as the Mountain Hawks’ head coach. Coen won a school-record 85 games as Lehigh’s head coach from 2006-2018 and guided Lehigh to five Patriot League championships, leading Lehigh football’s resurgence in the 2010s.
During his time as Lehigh’s head coach, Coen mentored 135 All-Patriot League selections, six Patriot League major award winners, 25 All-America selections, 10 CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees, two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and 236 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selections.
Coen went 85-64 in 13 seasons with the 85 career victories tying Bill Leckonby for the most in the long and distinguished history of Lehigh football. Under Coen's leadership, Lehigh won Patriot League championships in 2006, 2010, 2011, 2016 and 2017. Coen won Patriot League Coach of the Year honors in 2010 and 2016 and was a three-time finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the top coach in the Football Championship Subdivision.
“Andy was a genuine person who valued family and friendship and always welcomed you into his life,” said friend and former assistant coach Donnie Roberts, who worked on staff for all 13 years, the latter part as assistant head coach. “He was easy to talk to and to me, we always had a great time just hanging out. He listened to people and never seemed to make the conversation about himself. He was more than a football coach though he was great at that profession, in the coaching world everyone who knew Andy respected him and liked him because he was a good person.”
Lehigh's 2011 squad was one of the finest in school history. Under Coen's leadership the Mountain Hawks won their second straight league title, and after earning a first-round bye, defeated CAA champion Towson 40-38 in the second round of the FCS Playoffs, to secure Lehigh's first NCAA quarterfinal berth since 2001. Lehigh finished the season ranked fifth nationally and earned the program's eighth Lambert Cup, given to the top FCS program in the northeast.
In addition to the 2011 Lambert Cup, Coen's Lehigh teams were twice recognized as ECAC Team of the Year: the 2011 team and the 2016 squad which won its final nine regular season games to claim the program's 11th Patriot League title.
“Andy had the ability to make you appreciate the opportunity you had and it made you work harder to give him your best,” Roberts recalled. “Our teams were successful because the players and coaches respected coach Coen and wanted to do their best for him - and not disappoint him - which from a commitment standpoint they did not disappoint him. He never forgot what it was like being an assistant coach so you knew he respected you and though he was the one standing in front and leading he knew success was both a team and family effort.”
Coen was named the 28th head football coach in Lehigh history in January 2006. That announcement marked his return to Lehigh, where he spent six seasons as an offensive line coach – including four as the team's offensive coordinator under head coach Kevin Higgins. Coen was part of three Patriot League championship teams during his first stint at Lehigh (1995, 1998, 1999). In between stints at Lehigh, Coen spent six seasons as the offensive coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania, where he captured three Ivy League titles, including a top ten national finish in 2003.
A native of Cherry Hill, N.J., Coen was an offensive lineman at Gettysburg College, earning his degree in history in 1986 before embarking on a 30-plus year coaching career that included stops at Minnesota, James Madison, the United States Merchant Marine Academy in addition to his time at Lehigh and Penn.
Coen stepped away from his head coaching position at the end of the 2018 season, following a diagnosis of Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. He passed away on April 15, 2022.
Coen is survived by his wife Laura, daughter Molly and sons Nolan and Finn.
During his time as Lehigh’s head coach, Coen mentored 135 All-Patriot League selections, six Patriot League major award winners, 25 All-America selections, 10 CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees, two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and 236 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selections.
Coen went 85-64 in 13 seasons with the 85 career victories tying Bill Leckonby for the most in the long and distinguished history of Lehigh football. Under Coen's leadership, Lehigh won Patriot League championships in 2006, 2010, 2011, 2016 and 2017. Coen won Patriot League Coach of the Year honors in 2010 and 2016 and was a three-time finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the top coach in the Football Championship Subdivision.
“Andy was a genuine person who valued family and friendship and always welcomed you into his life,” said friend and former assistant coach Donnie Roberts, who worked on staff for all 13 years, the latter part as assistant head coach. “He was easy to talk to and to me, we always had a great time just hanging out. He listened to people and never seemed to make the conversation about himself. He was more than a football coach though he was great at that profession, in the coaching world everyone who knew Andy respected him and liked him because he was a good person.”
Lehigh's 2011 squad was one of the finest in school history. Under Coen's leadership the Mountain Hawks won their second straight league title, and after earning a first-round bye, defeated CAA champion Towson 40-38 in the second round of the FCS Playoffs, to secure Lehigh's first NCAA quarterfinal berth since 2001. Lehigh finished the season ranked fifth nationally and earned the program's eighth Lambert Cup, given to the top FCS program in the northeast.
In addition to the 2011 Lambert Cup, Coen's Lehigh teams were twice recognized as ECAC Team of the Year: the 2011 team and the 2016 squad which won its final nine regular season games to claim the program's 11th Patriot League title.
“Andy had the ability to make you appreciate the opportunity you had and it made you work harder to give him your best,” Roberts recalled. “Our teams were successful because the players and coaches respected coach Coen and wanted to do their best for him - and not disappoint him - which from a commitment standpoint they did not disappoint him. He never forgot what it was like being an assistant coach so you knew he respected you and though he was the one standing in front and leading he knew success was both a team and family effort.”
Coen was named the 28th head football coach in Lehigh history in January 2006. That announcement marked his return to Lehigh, where he spent six seasons as an offensive line coach – including four as the team's offensive coordinator under head coach Kevin Higgins. Coen was part of three Patriot League championship teams during his first stint at Lehigh (1995, 1998, 1999). In between stints at Lehigh, Coen spent six seasons as the offensive coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania, where he captured three Ivy League titles, including a top ten national finish in 2003.
A native of Cherry Hill, N.J., Coen was an offensive lineman at Gettysburg College, earning his degree in history in 1986 before embarking on a 30-plus year coaching career that included stops at Minnesota, James Madison, the United States Merchant Marine Academy in addition to his time at Lehigh and Penn.
Coen stepped away from his head coaching position at the end of the 2018 season, following a diagnosis of Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease. He passed away on April 15, 2022.
Coen is survived by his wife Laura, daughter Molly and sons Nolan and Finn.
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