BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh head football coach Andy Coen has announced the team’s 2006 schedule. The Mountains Hawks are looking to capture a Patriot League title and return to the NCAA playoffs in Coen’s first season at the helm after an 8-3 overall finish in 2005. Coen looks to improve the Mountain Hawks’ second place Patriot League finish with his aggressive coaching style and positive attitude.
“I am excited about our 2006 schedule,” Coen said. “In addition to the tough league games, we have a mixture of scholarship opponents and three top notch Ivy league opponents.”
The Mountain Hawks will kick off their season and non-conference schedule with a match up against Albany on September 2 at Goodman Stadium. The season opener is the annual Kids Day celebration, and marks a stretch of four non-conference games that will prepare the Mountain Hawks for Patriot League play in the second half of the season. The stretch includes a visit to Atlantic 10 opponent Villanova on September 9, and Ivy League competitors Princeton on September 16 and Harvard on September 30. The Mountain Hawks will also look to notch another victory on October 14 over Ivy League opponent Yale after topping the Bulldogs in an exciting overtime win last season.
“In Albany and Villanova, we will be playing two quality opponents who I believe will be serious contenders for their league titles,” Coen points out. “Albany had one of the top defenses in I-AA a year ago and finished the season very strong. Villanova has been one of the top programs on the national level for many years and plays in the top I-AA conference in the country.”
”When you think of the Ivy League you think Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, and that’s who we have the opportunity to compete against in 06,” Coen said. “Having played these teams during my time at Penn, I know they will present us with a great challenge.”
The Mountain Hawks will begin league play on the road when they face Georgetown at the Hoyas home field in Washington on October 7. Lehigh will return to Goodman Stadium to host their first of three home Patriot League games when they play Bucknell on October 21. The Mountain Hawks will also challenge league foes Colgate on November 4 and Fordham on November 11 at home where they will look to beat each team for the third season in a row. They will also face a challenging match up against Holy Cross on the road. After falling to the Crusaders 13-10 last season, the Mountain Hawks hope to settle the score on October 28 when they meet at the Crusaders' Fitton Field in Worcester.
The Mountain Hawks will look to cap off their regular and Patriot League season with a win against archrival Lafayette when the two teams meet for the 142nd time on November 18 at Fisher Field in Easton.
“I believe the Patriot League will be very tough and competitive in 2006,” Coen explains. “Colgate and Lafayette both return players from playoff teams and Holy Cross beat us at home last year. There is new life with coaching changes at Georgetown and Fordham, and Bucknell had a slew of injuries last year, so I am sure they are preparing to get back into the hunt.
“We must be ready every week,” Coen concludes. “There will be a lot of great football to be seen in 2006.”
Lehigh will kick off its 2006 season on Saturday, September 2, when they play Albany at home in Goodman Stadium. Season tickets will go on sale on Monday, June 19, and single game tickets will be available beginning Monday, June 26. All of the Mountain Hawks games can be heard locally on ESPN radio, and television coverage will be announced soon.
