Joe Buehler ’89 enters his seventh year as Lebanon Valley head coach in the fall of 2022 after serving on the staff for 12 years as the program’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.
In 2021, the Dutchmen finished the year with a 5-5 overall mark and 4-4 record in conference play wrapping up the season with two big wins including a 25-2 victory at rival Albright. Four student-athletes earned All-MAC honors as Brandon Brubaker, Erik Williams, and Jacob Phillips were named to the Second Team and Joe Underwood earned Honorable Mention honors.
Due to COVID-19, LVC's 2020 schedule was canceled, however the Dutchmen still played a pair of exhibition games in the spring when they earned a 23-21 win over Alvernia and a dominant 46-14 victory over longtime rivals Albright.
In 2019, the Dutchmen posted a 3-7 overall mark, including a thrilling 41-35 victory over conference rival Widener. Buehler guided seven Dutchmen to all-conference honors, including C.J. Steinhilber and Nick Bentz, and Logan Grauer, who were name to the First Team, Hunter Wilson and Jack Heft, who each earned Second Team honors, and Patrick Clark and Brandon Brubaker, a pair that earned Honorable Mention.
Additionally in 2019, Grauer was named to D3football.com's All-America List and he and Bentz earned All-Region accolades. Finally, Bentz earned the MAC's highest honor and was named the MAC Football Scholar Athlete of the Year in addition to his Academic All-Conference nod.
Buehler guided LVC to a double-overtime victory over longtime rivals Albright in 2018, and also led four Dutchmen to all-conference accolades, including Derrec Robinson, Nick Bentz, Tyeair Diggs, and Zach Adams, who all landed on the Second Team.
In 2017, Buehler led the Flying Dutchmen to a .500 overall record and five victories in league play that included wins over perennial Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) contenders Stevenson and Lycoming.
Under his watch, five LVC players were recognized with all-conference honors. Fullback Evan Lysczek ’18 and offensive tackle Bob Van Horn ’18 earned first-team accolades, while tailback Jon Jones ’18 and linebacker Tim Schumacher ’18 were pegged second-team all-conference. Defensive end Guy Zimmerman ’18 added an all-conference honorable mention nod. Buehler’s players also succeeded in the classroom, with 35 of them earning spots on the MAC Academic Honor Roll.
Buehler’s first season at the helm ended with the Dutchmen winning their final three games, including a thrilling 28-25 victory over rival Albright in the season finale that earned the LVC student body a day off from classes on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
Under his tutelage, seven LVC players earned All-MAC honors in 2016, with three of them in Bryant Weller ’17, Lysczek, and Brendon Irving ’17 being named MAC Academic All-Conference. Weller capped his senior campaign by earning ECAC South Second-Team All-Star recognition. Behind strong offensive line play, Irving also became the program’s all-time leading rusher with 4,012 yards for his career.
As the team’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, Buehler has helped lead the LVC football program to new heights. His lines have consistently been among the best in the MAC, turning in some of the conference’s top-rated rushing offenses and sack protection numbers over the past few seasons. He also mentored all-American tackles Sean Tetreault ’10 and Jason Sneeringer ’11, and guard Brendan Kozub ’14.
The 2009 edition of the Dutchmen, which had a program-best 9-2 record, scored more points than any team in LVC history (349) and boasted two 900-yard rushers in Charlie Parker ’10 and Ben Guiles ’12; the 2011 team outdid that squad with 389 points and the best passing attack in program history on the way to the ECAC Southwest Bowl title. Guiles became LVC’s all-time rushing and touchdowns leader in 2011 to earn all-America and MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors.
During LVC’s 2013 run to the MAC title, the Dutchmen were led by a two-headed rushing game as the offense racked up six all-MAC awards, including first-team nods for Kozub and fullback Evan Fink ’14.
Irving joined Guiles as just the second back in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons thanks to Buehler’s offensive lines that included 2014 all-American Tyler Dean ’15 and 2015 all-American Tyler Good ’16. Tackle Zach Smith ’15 earned an All-MAC Honorable Mention nod in 2014 before being named second-team all-conference in 2015, while Weller earned All-MAC Honorable Mention status following the 2015 campaign before breaking out as a senior.
Buehler also coached in the high school ranks for 15 seasons, most recently as an assistant at Cedar Cliff High School in 2003. Buehler was also the head coach at nearby Palmyra High School from 1996-2002. In addition, he has served as an assistant at Milton Hershey, Lebanon, and Palmyra high schools. Buehler was an outstanding football player at LVC, where he was a four-year letterwinner and a Second Team All-MAC selection as an offensive lineman.
Buehler and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Mechanicsburg with their son, Jeb, and daughter, McKenna.
|
Overall |
|
|
MAC |
|
|
| Year |
Won |
Loss |
Pct. |
Won |
Loss |
Pct. |
| 2016 |
4 |
6 |
.400 |
4 |
5 |
.444 |
| 2017 |
5 |
5 |
.500 |
5 |
4 |
.556 |
| 2018 |
2 |
8 |
.200 |
2 |
6 |
.250 |
| 2019 |
3 |
7 |
.300 |
3 |
5 |
.375 |
2020
*Team went
2-0 in spring
exhibition season |
- |
- |
--- |
- |
- |
--- |
| 2021 |
5 |
5 |
.500 |
4 |
4 |
.500 |
| 6 Seasons |
19 |
31 |
.380 |
18 |
24 |
.429 |
