EASTON, Pa. – Lafayette head football coach John Troxell '94 has been named as one of 20 national finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, which is given annually to the national coach of the year in Division I FCS college football and presented by FedEx Ground.
 
The award, first presented in 1987 and in its 37th season, is named for legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson. All 13 FCS leagues, comprised from 15 conferences overall, are represented by a Robinson Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 7 and honored at the FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas – the eve of the FCS championship game.
 
Troxell, who is in just his second season as the Fred M. Kirby '42 Head Football Coach, has guided Lafayette to a Patriot League title, pushing the Leopards to a 9-2 record overall. It is the program's best mark since 1981 and its first winning season since 2013.
 
Lafayette finished the Patriot League campaign with a 5-1 mark for the first time since 2006, winning the program's eighth Patriot League championship while securing its fifth berth into the NCAA FCS Playoffs.
 
The Leopards have climbed the national rankings (their first appearance since 2009) throughout the season, currently residing at No. 18 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the Stats Perform poll.
 
Lafayette is coming off a 49-21 win over Lehigh in #Rivalry159, beating its archrival for the second straight season and fourth time in the last five tries. That victory marked win No. 700 in the program's history.
 
The Leopards will make their first postseason appearance since 2013 on Saturday when they travel to No. 12/11 Delaware for a 2 p.m. kickoff.