Wachenheim Named 2019 SoCon Coach of the Year

Scott Wachenheim, VMI head football coach, was named 2019 Southern Conference Coach of the Year as voted by the league coaches. The league office made the announcement as part of the postseason honors released from the conference headquarters in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Nov. 26, 2019.

The VMI football team triumphantly displays the Silver Shako in Charleston, South Carolina, following their victory over The Citadel Oct. 5, 2019. Photo by Chuck Steenburgh ’86.

Wachenheim guided the Keydet football team to five wins overall in 2019 – the most since 2003 when VMI posted a 6-6 mark. VMI closed out the regular season with a 31-24 win over Chattanooga in the last game of the season, finishing with a 4-4 mark in SoCon play, which marked the first time since 1979 that the Keydets had secured four conference wins in a season. VMI also captured the Silver Shako trophy for the first time since 2002 with a 34-21 win over The Citadel Oct. 5 in the Military Classic of the South.

Wachenheim becomes the first VMI coach named SoCon Coach of the Year since Cal McCombs in 2002.
Wachenheim was also named as a finalist to the 33rd annual Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the FCS Coach of the Year and joins 14 other FCS coaches nationally to be considered for the STATS FCS award.

“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized as the Southern Conference Coach of the Year by my peers in my profession,” said Wachenheim. “It is also a tribute to the outstanding job my staff has performed this season.”

For a complete listing of all-conference teams, go to www.soconsports.com.