By Mackenzie Larson, HWS Athletic Communications
Hobart College Hockey Head Coach Mark Taylor was named the recipient of the 2023 Edward Jeremiah Award as the CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Division III Men’s Coach of the Year. A nine-time finalist, this is the first time that Taylor has won the award.
Taylor, the 2023 New England Hockey Conference Coach of the Year has guided the Statesmen to a 27-2-0 record entering the national semifinals. The 27 wins are the most in a single season in program history. Hobart went 19-0-0 at home this year, marking the first time in program history it went undefeated on its home ice. The Statesmen captured their second consecutive NEHC regular season title with a 16-2-0 mark in conference play. Hobart defeated Babson 5-1 to claim the NEHC Tournament title. The Statesmen earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, marking their eighth consecutive selection. Hobart is currently ranked second in the USCHO.com poll but spent 10 weeks in the middle of the season at No. 1 for the first time in program history.
Taylor’s charges rank first in the nation in scoring defense (1.20 gpg), allowing a mere 35 goals through 29 games. The Statesmen entered the tournament ranked first in the nation in winning percentage (.929), fourth in scoring margin (+2.82), eighth in penalty-killing percentage (.894) and 10th in scoring offense (4.00).
Now in his 23rd year in charge of Hobart, Taylor is 376-174-54. He has guided Hobart to 12 NCAA tournament bids, including four trips to the national semifinals (2006, 2009, 2019, 2023). Entering this weekend, Taylor is eighth among active DIII coaches in wins and is 20th overall.
When Taylor was hired to lead the Statesmen in July of 2000, he inherited a program that had suffered seven consecutive losing seasons. In 21 of his 22 seasons, Taylor has registered at least 10 wins. He has produced nine 20-win seasons. He was named the ECAC West Coach of the Year five times (2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2015, 2016) and the NEHC Coach of the Year twice (2022, 2023).
A tremendous motivator and recruiter, Taylor has mentored all 18 of Hobart’s All-Americans. Five Statesmen have won conference player of the year awards, including Luke Aquaro, who was named this year’s NEHC Player of the Year. In the classroom, Taylor has mentored countless conference all-academic selections and AHCA All-American Scholars and two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
Taylor will be back behind the bench tomorrow, March 24, when the Statesmen take on fourth-ranked Endicott. Faceoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
