Taylor named AHCA Coach of the Year
Hobart Sports Information Department
Hobart Head Coach Mark Taylor was named the recipient of the 2026 Edward Jeremiah Award as the CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Division III Men's Coach of the Year. This is the third time in the last four seasons that Taylor has won the award. He is the fourth coach to win the award three times, joining Mike McShane, Bill Beaney and Sid Watson.
Taylor has guided the Statesmen to a 29-0-0 record entering the national semifinals. Taylor and his staff, Alec Marsh, Joel Stoneham '26 and Victor Cutting 28, were named the 2026 SUNYAC Coaching Staff of the Year. The 29 wins are tied for the most in a single season in program history. The Statesmen went 16-0-0 on home ice, posting their fourth straight unblemished season at The Cooler. The Statesmen have won a collegiate hockey record 69 straight games at home. Hobart captured its first SUNYAC regular season title with a 16-0-0 mark in conference play. The Statesmen then defeated Oswego 4-0 to claim the SUNYAC tournament title. Hobart has been ranked No. 1 in the USCHO.com poll in every poll this season.
Taylor's charges are first in the nation in winning percentage (1.000), scoring offense (5.28), scoring defense (0.90) and scoring margin (+4.38). Hobart is second in the nation in power-play percentage (.342) and third in penalty-killing percentage (.914).
Now in his 26th year in charge of Hobart, Taylor has guided the Statesmen to seven straight 20-win seasons and 22 consecutive winning seasons. His career record stands at 464-177-56. The Statesmen have been selected to 11 straight NCAA tournaments and 15 overall. This is Hobart's seventh trip to the national semifinals. The Statesmen have won the last three national titles. Taylor is tied for fourth among active coaches in Division III in wins.
In 24 of his 25 seasons, Taylor has registered at least 10 wins, including 11 20-win seasons. He was named the ECAC West Coach of the Year five times and the NEHC Coach of the Year four times.
A tremendous motivator and recruiter, Taylor has mentored all 31 of Hobart's All-Americans. Eight Statesmen have won conference player of the year awards, including Damon Beaver, who won the Sid Watson Award as national player of the year today.
Taylor will be back behind the bench tomorrow, March 21, when the Statesmen take on seventh-ranked UW-Stout in the second NCAA semifinal. Faceoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.
