Hobart and William Smith Colleges

I am so impressed with the leadership and character of our team. You performed at the highest level throughout the year, thanks to great coaching and athletic grit! Time after time, you toed the line and delivered.

As you played, you had 60 years of Hobart Hockey alums cheering you. In the final game, you carried humble beginnings to new heights with courage, determination, and style . Your accomplishment puts a stake in the ice that says: Follow Me!

We are so proud.

Henry (Hank) R. Holden ’63, P’84, P’89, GP’20, First Team

Coach Taylor - at long last! A much deserved triumph for all you have done - year in and year out - for our program. Your commitment to excellence, both on and off the ice, has produced many exceptional teams and young men, and you have now vaulted Hobart Hockey to being formally recognized among the sport’s elite. All program alums share in your achievement and owe you a debt of gratitude.

Team - what an exceptional season and magical finish. Relish the moment and relish your teammates. The bond you share is unbreakable and the memories will carry you for a lifetime. AND with so few graduating, do what only three programs have ever accomplished and Adrian couldn’t - I don’t even need to state it…

James T. Lilly, Jr. ’83

Congratulations to Coach Taylor and the entire team. We’ve been so close multiple times to winning it all and it feels great to finally see these guys make it over the hump! Coach Taylor was the best coach I ever had; I’m especially proud to see him with the trophy, it’s well deserved. I was able to attend the semi final and finals – this team is the real deal and I’m looking forward to next year!

Michael J. McCarthy ’07

Congratulations men!! Coach Taylor, I’m so thrilled for you. I was over the moon to watch you all pull it off. What an exciting game.

I’m so impressed not only with the skill of the team in every position, but also the winners’ mentality and “team first” attitude that the guys have clearly adopted.

Enjoy every bit of it!

Keith A. Longo ’09

Congratulations! The Hobart Hockey program was started as a Club in 1963 by myself (Si Anthony ’63), Joe Mechem ’64 and Jim Anderson ’65. We had no rink and had one practice on Odell’s Pond when it froze one time. We joined the Thruway Hockey League with Syracuse, Rochester, RIT, Ithaca and Buffalo. Our jerseys arrived the afternoon of our first game which was at 11 p.m. at RIT. A thousand people attended and we lost 7-4 having organized our lines in the warmup before the game. We went on from there and our record was 4-7-1 our first year. We all had a lot of fun that year and the program went on from there!

Silas R. Anthony, Jr. ’63, Former Captain

Speechless! To say how proud my family and I are to see Mark and this team accomplish his 23 year labor of love has no words. As he quoted Rulon Gardner, planting the seeds and finally harvesting them is and has been a dream for this program. I’m proud to be a Statesmen but even more proud of Mark, the team, and the HWS and Geneva community that has supported Hobart hockey all these years. Thank you for bringing a well-deserved and earned championship to The Cooler and HWS.

Scott J. Mason ’81, P’19, Trustee

Coach Tayls and team. You guys did it! Your hard work and sacrifice for the team paid off in the greatest accomplishment possible. You brought many generations of Hobart alums back together to celebrate your success. I cannot tell you how incredibly proud we all are of what you have done. Tayls, you continue to produce not only great teams but great men. The lifelong bonds that have come out of the Cooler certainly do last a lifetime. Congratulations and thank you, as once again it is a great day to be a Statemen!

Adam Scott ’07

Incredibly Proud of Coach Taylor and this group of Men!! I have always been honored to call myself a Statesmen, but especially so this week as our Hobart family rallies around the amazing achievements of this team. We were blessed to be one of Coach Taylor’s first recruiting classes, watching him put the foundation in place with the program’s first ECAC West Victory, then NCAA quarterfinal and semifinal appearances. He has dedicated so much to Hobart Hockey, carrying on the legacy that pre-dated our time, while building his own centered on excellence and growing the character of his players on and off the ice. This team has brought years of Hobart Hockey alums back together and we couldn’t be prouder of Coach Taylor, this group and our program!

Will Brame '06

Congratulations on an outstanding season, culminating in a well-deserved national championship win. Your hard work, dedication and perseverance has paid off, and you should be proud of all that you have accomplished. As a fellow Statesman, I know firsthand how much this program means to us all. Throughout my four years here, I learned invaluable lessons on and off the ice, including the importance of discipline, passion and honesty. Coach Taylor has instilled a culture of excellence that requires every player to show up and give their all, every single day. I am honored to have been a part of this incredible team, and to have contributed to the program's success. Seeing how far we have come is truly inspiring, and I know that even greater achievements lie ahead for this program.

Alec C. Robitaille ’21

What a season, what a game, what a wrist shot in overtime to hoist the trophy. There is no feeling like being a part of the team that is the last one remaining at the end of a grinding, physical season. The outcome is awesome, but more importantly, watching Coach Taylor and his staff over the last 20 years build this loyal and prideful group of Statesmen, who place team in front of self, is what it is all about. So proud and honored to be a Hobart Statesman alum!

Matt Kerwick ’90

Congratulations!!! What a well-earned and exciting accomplishment. As I watched from my den in Buffalo, pacing in front of my TV for the last hour of the game, I thought back to my experiences as a Statesmen, all of my teammates, and all the hockey alums I’ve had the pleasure to meet over the years. What a wonderful display of determination, skill and hard work you have shown us all this year. As we all know, nothing’s ever easy playing hockey for Hobart, and you showed heart and resiliency throughout the season - and especially in the final game. I’m proud to be a Hobart Hockey alumnus, and so proud of your group and your National Championship. It’s taken a long time and a lot of hard work by hundreds of players - but you guys have made it to the top and we all are so excited for you and the program.

Congratulations again.

Hobart Hockey - National Champions!!!!

Sure sounds sweet!!

Brian M. Duffett ’90, Captain

Dear Mark, Tom, Players, Trainers and the rest of the staff behind these great champions,

Congratulations on your unforgettable and well deserved 2022-23 national title! Wish I could have been there with you on the North Shore but circumstances proved otherwise. Every one of your remote supporters was glued to their screen at home with knees bouncing fast and fists clenched with you into the OT. I've been on the phone with my teammates and other hockey buds non-stop for the past week. Studs of great character like John Shane '83, Scott Liming '83, Pierre McGuire '83, Bo Buck '82, Scott Mason '81, Rob Coxe '83, Dave Steigerwald '83, Jim Lilly '83, Josh Bressler '84, Greg Pippert '83, Courtney Weymss '82, Sandy Pegram '79, Andy Brennan '09, Jason Merritt '09 and Ryan Adler '09, We are all incredibly proud of Hobart College Hockey.

Every step of the way your hockey alumni brothers have been there with you, this season and beyond. You will be there too, sooner than you can imagine; suddenly your post-college mens' league career will kick in. Some of you will skate in Europe, and maybe in the pro game here, but most of us will skate in the legendary beer leagues and if we're lucky outdoor pond hockey tourneys for the next few decades. We've chosen a unique sport: how many other elite athletes get to play high tempo team sports into their 40s and 50s and beyond? All roads lead to mens' league fellas, and you gotta love that!

And we all love The Cooler. Imagine ancient history when our team opened the place in December of 1978. No cell phones, no computers. The same hard and fast ice but roof only with no sides. Drinking age still 18 so students had no trouble marching 1/4 kegs of beer into the rink to keep warm! So freakin' cold. Other teams hated it and we loved it. Cotton underwear, Sherwood 5030 lumber, and CCM Tacks with no socks. Freezing wind howling off Seneca Lake so hard during practice we convinced Coach Turner to trade our helmets for hockey socks over our head and ears so we could finish practice. A few of us froze too many times and got gangrene in our toes that first winter.

And then one day Coach Mark Taylor took the reins. And look what he's done, and the reputation he's earned. I've said many times that if my son played college hockey, Mark's the one guy I'd want him to play for. He's a leader, a builder, a developer, a winner, and a role model for us all. You guys named your trophy Perseverance. Who embodies perseverance over the decades more than Tayls? Thank you, Mark, for all you've taught us. Also, how about a shout out to Tom Fiorentino, your assistant coach who busts his ass on the road with endless recruiting trips far and wide to bring exceptional men like you into Hobart. Tom must share the limelight, too.

So champions, enjoy your spring in Geneva. Take a break. Read a book. Interview for a job. Then drink some beer and play some softball on the Quad. You guys have earned it.

Cameron Lochhead ’82

Congratulations to Coach Taylor and the 2023 National Championship team. As a hockey alum, I am in awe of this team and proud to have witnessed the journey the team made to capture the title. To see the evolution of the program from my playing years to what it is today is nothing short of amazing. Coach Taylor and this team have built a foundation for Hobart hockey’s success for years to come.

Celebrate and savor it, you have earned it!

James Hannon ’86

Congratulations to Coach Taylor and the team! What an accomplishment. You are National Champions. It must feel incredible to say that. When I came to Hobart, there were no walls on the Cooler. We now have a National Championship banner to hang on them thanks to you guys. Embrace this moment, bottle up the feeling and let's do it again next year!

Andy Brennan ’09

Mark, - First, Congratulations to you and the team on this significant achievement. It is truly a milestone event. And things don’t just happen, people make them happen. So, kudos to all of you – I’m running you up the flagpole and saluting!

Second, and of lesser importance, I played in the very first game in which Hobart fielded a hockey team (1963) – not a varsity sport, but several individuals who loved to play hockey and were proud to wear a Hobart jersey, even though we did it all on our own funds. We drove our own vehicles to each game and, if recollection serves me correctly, we never won a game, but we started something. Charlie Boswell was our coach and team members that I recall playing that first game included: Si Anthony, Joe Mechem, Steve Brown and me, all Sigma Phi brothers; Tracy Johnson, Dave Gibson and Jock McQuilkin, all Kappa Alpha brothers; and Ted Stock. There were a few others, but I can’t remember their names.

You might also be interested in digging through old issues of The Herald and finding a picture of President Hirshson and myself putting spades in the ground for a planned hockey rink at the Colleges. We actually had metal side supports for the boards fabricated and delivered, but that’s as far as it went. We were not good fund raisers in those days.

Hope the above is of interest to you. It pales in comparison to what you have accomplished!

James F. Anderton IV ’65

Congratulations to this team on a remarkable season capped by the program’s first National Championship. As I watched the final game with my family I felt so much pride having worn the jersey. A special congratulations to Coach Taylor, so deserving of all the accolades this season. Perhaps most impressive, is the character he’s instilled in the program over the last two decades.

Jeff Bostic ’05

Sunday night’s OT victory was an event I’ll never forget. Friday night against Endicott on their home ice was just as exciting. This team is loaded with talent and expertly coached. The bonus was meeting so many hockey alums from different eras who share the Hobart hockey experience, and the mutual respect players show for everyone who helped pave the way to get to this point. I’ve never been prouder of this program or the school. Thank you Mark Taylor, Tom Fiorentino, and the entire team for your hard work and focus in winning a National Championship. You made all of us proud.

Steve Morton ’86

Congatulations to a great hockey team, all the trainers, assistant coaches , and especially to Coach Mark Taylor. We all knew you it would happen someday under your great leadership. Let's go for 2 in a row!!!

Buzz Taylor - Proud Captain of the '68-'69 Hobart Hockey CLUB

Congrats on an incredible season that had the entire HWS community, but more specifically the hockey Alum across the country behind you the whole way.

The the team - Cherish that ride!! Take it from an alum and decades worth of other alums that loved the ride but never got to finish on top. For some perspective, I was part of Tayls’ first freshman class. We had the cooler, but we didn’t have walls, we didn’t have heaters, we didn’t have that locker room and we had to get half dressed at the field house and then take old HWS vans down to the Cooler to get dressed!! That being said, the bonds formed with the boys during dry lands, 2 a days, Xmas break, road-trips, home and homes etc still exist to this day. Some of my best friends to this day are teammates that shared the ice in that freezing cold barn!!

To Tayls - I’ve never seen a coach more deserving of the year you just had. I had many coaches in my career, but what stood out most about you was your ability to understand and appreciate the corner guys, the locker rooms guys, just as much as the first liners. In doing so you assembled teams that would play hard to the final horn and run through a wall for you. From what I can see, that hasn’t gone anywhere and what a way to cap it off this year!!! I was one of the alums to storm the locker after the final 4 game vs Endicott with a couple other originals and feeling the energy in that room brought me right back! Congrats Tayls - can’t wait to celebrate with you at your HOF induction weekend.

As some other alums have mentioned it sure is a great day to be a Statesmen.

Justin Macklin ’04

Congratulations and thank you! I was lucky enough to be in the building to watch this historical moment along with 20+ teammates and many more Statesmen who came before or after me. I cannot begin to express what this accomplishment means to the Alumni and friends of the program. Each team that came before you has had a hand in adding a brick to the foundation of this program but you have finished what we all ultimately set out to accomplish, so thank you! It’s always a great day to be a Statesmen but today it is especially great. Enjoy this moment with your teammates and the people who helped you get here. And then, let’s get back to work! Congratulations!

Lee Carrier ’06

My humble view-- 60 to 23 to #1.

On Sunday, as the boys played, they had 60 years of skatesmen cheering for them. This is the primary thing I saw -- we were jumping and shouting like undergrads at a Thetes party!

Secondly, I saw a group of young men who had the poise, had the teamwork, and who had made all the sacrifices to be Great, at so Great a moment.

Mostly I see the hands of Coach Taylor all over this victory. I have been in the locker room when he has demonstrated and even demanded that his guys do what is right, rather than what is easiest or most convenient. He called the game a 'character' win -- he is the one who built that character into the program over 23 years. They say that dedicated and great coaches have hearts that are built for others. That's Tayles.

60 to 23 to #1.

Cosimo Favaloro ’85, P'17

Congratulations to Coach Taylor and all the players on such a fantastic run and championship title. I still think about my 4 years playing at Hobart often even though it’s been 30 years. One reason hockey is the greatest sport in the world is that being a hockey player never leaves you. It’s part of who you are. And today I can say I’ve never been more proud that I can call myself a “Hobart Hockey Player.” I hope Coach and the team know and understand the joy they have given to so many people. Take pride in your accomplishment that is so well deserved. Go ‘Bart.

Jeff Pohl ’92

Congratulations, men!! I was fortunate enough to be there for championship weekend, and, alongside so many old friends and teammates, it was simply a joy to watch you add an exclamation point to an already historic, remarkable season. It was especially a joy to watch Coach Taylor—to whom I, like so many others, owe so much—finally lift that trophy and get that bucket of ice water. Very, very proud to be a Statesman. Congratulations again, thank you for pushing the program to new heights, and enjoy every minute of it!

Brian Cibelli ’08

It is, in many ways, because of [Coach Taylor’s] influence upon me that I at this very moment sit typing all these words. Let it be known how he nearly conjures people into becoming part of a group. Let it be known how it is as if his philosophy practically makes a pleasant physical demand upon his listeners. In my case, it is (in spite of some of my personal doubts) as if several times his hand has reached out the dressing room door and pulled me right from my orange jacket’s collar into being a welcomed team member.

I suppose some would suggest he doesn’t have to do this. I played on a team during the lean years. As members of the NCAA West and the old Finger Lakes Hockey League, we at best were a little nebulous. Mostly self-supporting, we received only grudging recognition despite playing many of the same varsity teams Hobart hockey recently has had to confront. So I am on the list of all-time letter winners as a Hobart hockey player. I also captained a team that qualified for the playoffs but wasn’t allowed to participate because we weren’t a completely recognized varsity. We, as founding fathers, were outsider/insiders and insider/outsiders. Yes, bittersweet it was. Again, perhaps he doesn’t have to do this – not for someone from the fringe of the Hobart ice hockey experience. But he does.

Coach Mark Taylor, thank you for making me a part of the Hobart team. Your language, your philosophy, matters. No one should doubt it. The forms of words we use are correct so far as they gratify the needs they create, even to the point sometimes of their being poetic.* I wasn’t trying to stylize the moment when I wrote about a hockey rink’s scoreboard (though it isn’t what mattered most) having a mysterious agency upon me. However, moving beyond what a given scoreboard might or might not express, you have done well shaping part of my life. You have invited me to join the group. You have encouraged me to give speeches to the team. I have spoken and I have listened. I wouldn’t dare to wish or to hope for more. I could have been left outside. Like a sad little kid I could have been left on the sideline and off the team. I also could have been separated from one of my strongest remaining connections to Hobart and William Smith Colleges, a place I love. But you have brought me inside. The Hobart hockey program gets it right, and yes, the team wins games too. Much of this occurs because – and I consciously echo feelings someone had about my father years ago – “You are a great guy!”

Lawrence O. Carle ’74, P’19
Hobart Hockey Co-Capt. Winter of ’72-‘73