The attainment of something elusive and something new were the hallmarks of the 2022-2023 season for Hobart College head coach Mark Taylor. Extending his team’s current streak to eight consecutive NCAA appearances, the Statesmen won their first national title with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over Adrian to finish a 29-2-0 season that also included the NEHC regular season title as well as the conference tournament championship.
In addition to success at the collegiate level in his 23rd year (22 playing seasons due to COVID), Taylor also was the head coach for the World University Games where D-III players for the first time represented the United States in both the men’s and women’s ice hockey tournaments. With a roster that had never played together assembled from many of the best players at the D-III level, the team reached the gold medal game where they ultimately lost to a Canadian roster filled with NHL draft picks and AHL experienced players. The silver medal was the first earned medal of any kind for the USA men’s team and there is great optimism that the governing body will continue the D-III trend for the next winter games planned for 2025 in Italy.
Coach, how do you top this year? “By coaching another year. You do it long enough you realize you have a pretty good job. So, we intend to try to be sitting here as the national champions next season – that is the challenge. We had two guys that were injured, we want to make sure they have a chance of playing in the national tournament. It was fun – it was awesome. There were two guys that went to the University Games from my team. That was a nice sign for a lot of people that you can have the best of both worlds. The kids had experiences, playing for their country, they should have. When people have to step away for a little bit others have to step up.”
Taylor has also been named this year’s recipient of the Edward Jeremiah Award recognizing the D-II/III coach of the Year by the American Hockey Coaches Association and will be presented with the award at the annual conference in Florida at the end of April. Just prior to the Florida convention, coach Taylor will also celebrate an honor closer to home as he will be inducted into the Hobart-William Smith Hall of Fame on April 22 along with past two-time, All-American goaltender Keith Longo from the Class of 2009.
Taylor and his Statesmen finished the year with a quarterfinal win over Curry in the NCAA tournament before downing Endicott in the semifinal round and Adrian in the championship game. Hobart finished No. 1 in the final USCHO national poll and returns a strong nucleus to challenge again for the championship under Taylor’s tutelage next season.
