Stats Perform announced the award Thursday.
Cahill, who is preparing the Mountain Hawks for Saturday’s second-round FCS playoff games against Villanova, has led the resurgence of Lehigh football. He has guided the Mountain Hawks to back-to-back Patriot League championships and two consecutive FCS playoff appearances.
The Eddie Robinson Award, named for the legendary Grambling State head coach, is now in its 39th year and is selected by a national voting panel that covers all 13 FCS conferences.
Cahill, who celebrated his 47th birthday earlier his week, will be honored at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show, Jan. 3 in Nashville, Tenn.
In three seasons, Cahill has established a family-based foundation at Lehigh. He inherited a team coming off 2-9 season in 2022 and went 2-9 in his first season in 2023.
The commitment to the process resulted in the second-largest turnaround in the FCS in 2024. The Mountain Hawks won nine games, closed the regular season with five consecutive victories, and after defeating Lafayette to win the Patriot League championship and automatic playoff berth, Lehigh defeated Richmond on the road for the program’s first playoff victory in 13 years.
The turnaround netted Cahill Patriot League Coach of the Year honors in 2024. He was also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, finishing 10th in the final voting.
This year, Cahill guided the Mountain Hawks to a 12-0 record and the program’s 14th Patriot League championship. Lehigh clinched the title with a 42-32 win at rival Lafayette on Nov. 22.
The Mountain Hawks enjoyed their sixth undefeated regular season in program history and the 12 wins tie the school record held by the 1977, 1998, and 2000 squads, while its in-season 12-game winning streak matches the longest in school history. The Mountain Hawks have also won an FCS-best 17 consecutive regular-season games dating back to last season.
The undefeated regular season and second straight league title led the Lehigh staff, under Cahill’s direction, to win the Dick Biddle Patriot League Coaching Staff of the Year award.
“This is a tremendous and well-deserved honor for Kevin Cahill, and one that reflects the incredible work of our entire football coaching staff,” said Lehigh’s Dean of Athletics Jeremy Gibson. “The success of our football program is a testament to Kevin’s leadership and his commitment to developing excellence both on and off the field, which has had a tangible and positive impact on Lehigh University as a whole.”
Cahill , who has a 23-13 career mark, is only the second Lehigh head coach to win the Eddie Robinson Award, joining Pete Lembo, who received the award in 2001 after guiding the Mountain Hawks to their last undefeated regular season. He emerged from a group of 15 finalists, announced Nov. 24. Cahill received 136 points, including 12 first-place votes, edging North Dakota State’s Tim Polasek by seven points. Lehigh and North Dakota State are the only two undefeated teams in the FCS.
Tickets are still available for Saturday’s noon kickoff.
Tickets are the same price whether purchased online or in person at the box office. Parking passes for the reserved lot are no longer available. Parking in the general parking lots is complimentary. Tailgating is permitted in all parking lots. Email athleticstickets@lehigh.edu with any questions regarding FCS Playoff tickets or parking.
For more information, call 610-7LU-GAME.
