VMI head football coach Scott Wachenheim was honored as the 34th annual Stats Perform FCS Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year on Tuesday.
The honor is presented to the national coach of the year in college football’s Division I subdivision as voted upon by a 40-member national media panel. Two weeks ago, he was placed on a list of 16 finalists for the honor.
Wachenheim, named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year for a second straight season, will be recognized on an FCS National Awards show to air on Bally Sports Regional Networks on Saturday, May 15.
Wachenheim led the Keydets to a 6-2 overall record for the year, the program’s first SoCon title in 43 years (1977) and the program’s first-ever FCS playoff appearance.
Named the AFCA Region 2 Coach of the Year, Wachenheim also received the Touchdown Club of Richmond’s Bobby Ross Coach of the Year award given to the top Division I college football coach in the commonwealth of Virginia.
The Keydets earned the program’s first winning season since 1981 and nationally ranked as high as No. 10 in both the coaches’ and media polls after defeating Wofford College on March 27 to move to 5-0 on the year, its best start since 1960.
Prior to this season, VMI had never been nationally ranked since joining the FCS ranks in 1982.
VMI triumphed in all three road tests to finish the regular season road record undefeated for the first time since 1922. All three away wins (Western Carolina, Samford, and Wofford) occurred where VMI had never won before.
The Keydets’ win over #10 Furman to open the season marked VMI’s first over a nationally ranked team since the 2002 campaign.
Junior wide receiver Jakob Herres was named the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year and sophomore linebacker Stone Snyder was named the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year in both the coaches’ and media polls following the season.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Seth Morgan was named the SoCon Freshman of the Year in the coaches’ poll.
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Chris Graham
