St. Lawrence head coach Joe Marsh announced today that he has withdrawn his name as a candidate for the position of head coach at Harvard University.
Last week, published reports indicated that Marsh was the leading candidate of three finalists, a list that included Yale head coach Tim Taylor and Miami head coach Mark Mazzoleni.
Marsh will remain at St. Lawrence where he will be heading into his 15th season as the head coach of the Saints.
“Clearly, St. Lawrence University has been very supportive of the hockey program and my role as head coach for the past 14 years,” said Marsh. “Win or lose, the University’s commitment to our players’ physical, social and academic well-being has never wavered.
“I am most grateful to President Sullivan, Dean Coburn and Athletic Director Margie Strait for encouraging me to continue our efforts in the years to come. The encouragement we receive from both our school and community continue to make this a very satisfying and exciting place for collegiate hockey.”
Marsh was named the ECAC Coach of the Year last season after guiding the St. Lawrence Saints to a 23-13-3 record, a second place finish in the ECAC and an NCAA tournament appearance, the first for St. Lawrence since 1992.
The 1989 winner of the Spencer Penrose Award as the Division I Hockey Coach of the Year has guided St. Lawrence to a 258-195-26 record over the last 14 seasons, winning three ECAC titles in that time. Under his tenure the Saints have reached the 20 win plateau seven times, reached the ECAC playoffs for all 14 season, made six championship game appearances and have made five trips to the NCAA tournament, including the title game in 1988.
The search for a new head coach for Harvard now turns its attention to the other two candidates mentioned as finalists for the position. Neither Taylor nor Mazzoleni could be reached for comment.
The opening was created on May 14, when Ronn Tomassoni resigned after nine years as head coach of the Crimson.
Taylor, who has led Yale for 23 years, was captain of Harvard’s ECAC Championship team in 1963 as a senior. He spent seven years as an assistant at his alma mater before becoming Yale’s head coach in 1976. He is a three-time ECAC Coach of the Year, and he was the head coach of the 1994 US Olympic Team in Lillehammer, Norway.
Mazzoleni just completed his fifth season as head coach at Miami. He is a 1980 graduate of Michigan State. Mazzoleni has already compiled over 225 wins in 11 seasons as a head coach overall. In 1996-97 he was named the CCHA Coach of the Year after guiding the Red Hawks to a second place finish in the CCHA and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Harvard spokeperson Paul McNeeley said that Harvard was hopeful to have a decision by the end of the week, but “an announcement could come by the end of Monday or in another two weeks.”
