Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Building a Boat

Hobart Hockey Head Coach Mark Taylor reflects on a championship season and the mindset that propelled the team through the final game.

BY PAIGE COOKE

At the helm of Hobart Hockey for 23 years, Mark Taylor has led the program to 20 consecutive winning seasons, building toward the 2023 national title. He is the most successful coach in the team’s history, compiling a record of 378-174-54 and guiding the Statesmen to 12 NCAA tournament bids. In 2023, he was named the Coach of the Year by the American Hockey Coaches Association and the New England Hockey Conference, and was inducted into the Hobart Hall of Fame. Earlier this year, Taylor guided the United States to a silver medal at the FISU World University Games in Lake Placid.

An active member of the hockey community, Taylor has coached in the USA Hockey Development program and the Geneva youth hockey program. Prior to joining the Colleges, he served five seasons as the top assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and five seasons in the same role at Cornell University.

A 1985 graduate of Elmira College, Taylor was the Soaring Eagles’ MVP and an All-ECAC selection as a senior. He transferred to Elmira after a pair of National Junior College Athletic Association Championships at SUNY Canton, earning All-American defenseman honors for the Northmen. Following his graduation from Elmira, Taylor played two seasons for Ange in the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation.

What were you thinking when the championship game went into overtime? My conversation with the guys going into overtime was very confident and very succinct — just keep doing what we are doing. Assistant Coach Tom Fiorentino ’14 and I both thought it gave the guys a breath of fresh air to go out and stay the course. We had done that all year. If you’re comparing it to the Muhammad Ali–Joe Frazier fight, I’m not Ali. I’m Frazier. I’ve got to stay at it a little longer slugging. That’s who I’ve been throughout my career, and that’s what we’ve been as a program — staying at it, staying the course, doing what we do the best we can.

What does it mean to you to win the national title? It means a lot to me because I know it means so much to so many people. It’s a combination of years of hard work and perseverance by the players and coaches I have worked with and those before me who started the program. This title is for everyone who played through tough times and good times but didn’t get it. For me, it is the satisfaction that comes with all of us getting there.

What made this year special? I’ve coached quite a few special teams in my time. We have been lucky to have some really great teams with All- Americans and Hall of Famers on the roster. There were also things that I’ve learned as a coach going into my fourth national semifinals versus the first. It was all building blocks to get us there — and this year, everything aligned for us. The saying goes: “You have to be talented, you have to be lucky and you have to have some special stuff — some mojo — that little bit extra.” This group had some special mojo.

Tell us about “building a boat.” This year we wanted to build something together, as a team, so the season’s theme was building a boat. Each game, we envisioned building a different part: collecting the wood, making the sail. The guys envision the pieces all season and it helps us come together as a group. In fact, just before NCAAs we purchased some wood and tools, thanks to donations of our supporters and alums, and the players carved their own paddles.

We named our sail Momentum early in the year and that served us well; we named the boat Tenacity before the national semifinals; we knew if we were going to win, we would have to play tenacious, and I thought we did. That mindset was huge going into overtime. We were unbridled and tenacious in our play and that was something that gave us an edge.

What major challenges did the team face this year and how did you overcome them? I think the major challenge — which didn’t trip us up — was when Luke [Aquaro ’25], Swiftie [Cooper Swift ’25] and I went to the World University games. It didn’t derail the team. Other guys got opportunities. There were a lot of nuances and distractions during that time, but I think we were a strong enough team and a selfless group that it went the other way. It strengthened us as a group.

The team was also very aware of what is going on in Artem’s life. Artem Buzoverya ’24 is from Kharkiv, Ukraine and his dad is still living in Ukraine, where he is on active duty. It was something that the guys carried with them this season.

In the Boston Globe, you described the national championship game as a “character game.” When you get to those final games in the tournament, everyone is talented. You had the best offensive team in the country in Adrian and the best defensive team in us. To me, you need to have the right type of character. Emotions are high, and if you don’t stay locked in and focused, that can hurt you. You have to stay strong as an individual and as a team. With my teams, I’ve always used the phrase “conduct by character.” Whatever you do, whether playing a championship game or life itself, if you conduct yourself with good character, you have a really good chance of doing well.

Tell us about the HWS community’s support for the team and the name of the national championship trophy. We named it Perseverance in homage to the alums and to fans, to former assistant coaches, to professors across campus and to everybody that supported us. There was so much heart and loyalty that goes way, way beyond this team. This whole team feels that and is excited about that. It was their special moment on the ice, but it wouldn’t have been nearly as special if it weren’t for all of those people.

The support does not go unnoticed. From guys I coached my first year, guys I coached last year and all the years in between — they were all around the rink. Our fans dominated the Endicott arena. I saw people from Geneva, families with kids, guys who played before I got here when the program was first built. It means so much to see all those people there and so excited for the moment. I’ve had so many great teams with great journeys. I wish some of those teams could have had it, but I think the theme for everyone was, “We got it.” That’s the beauty of it.