While the 2024-2025 season will be coach George Roll’s final campaign behind the Nazareth bench, he leaves a legacy of coaching that spans almost 30 years across the D-I and D-III landscape with not only success on the ice, but in the character of the players that have played for him beyond their college years. Roll has been Nazareth’s only coach since establishing the men’s program back in the 2012-2013 season and will be handing off to James McDonald next season as the current Coach-in-Waiting will assume full responsibilities for the Golden Flyers. That is down the road so for now the focus is the current team, the current season, and an opportunity to send-off one of the true gentlemen coaches in the college game.
“I got my start as a graduate assistant for Jerry York when I was getting my master’s degree, stated Roll. “Mark Morris was going to be the new coach at Clarkson and had a commitment from Pierre Maguire as an assistant coach, but something fell through with Pierre taking a different job and the opportunity opened for me at Clarkson. Since then, I have had a couple of stints with the Golden Knights and, of course, some great years at Oswego (with lifelong friend coach Ed Gosek) before coming here to Nazareth. Through all the ups-and-downs, I really have loved living and being in upstate New York and while I wished maybe we won a little more, I have loved coaching and all the players along the way.”
McDonald is the latest addition to the Roll “Coaching Tree” and has had a relationship with his mentor long before his time as a player for the Golden Flyers.
“I actually thought about retiring last season,” noted Roll. “I worked closely with our Athletic Director, Peter Bothner and the school on a good plan for the transition since I thought it was important that the next coach be an alumnus and having a strong connection to the institution. I have known James since he was young as our families had ties through parents and siblings. Of course, James had a great career here as a player and has been an assistant since his graduation in 2020. He loves the school and the program, and I wanted to leave a good situation for the Nazareth hockey moving forward.”
Originally from Illinois, Roll has found his place in upstate New York where he loves the environment and outdoor activities including fishing and golf. Outdoor activities aside, there is one must-do activity that the coach has participated in since his earliest coaching days as a way to refresh and rejuvenate from the rigors of coaching and the demands of the season and intense competition.
“I love to do a daily sauna and some breathing exercises,” said Roll. “I find it is a place where I can be quiet with my thoughts and separate from the hectic aspects of daily life. I have been doing it for a very long time and I am sure it will be something I do after I retire from coaching. It is a very relaxing thing for me.”
While McDonald has assumed more responsibilities in Roll’s final season, the head coach is still focused on having his team build for results in a six-team UCHC that has the demands of facing five very good teams four times this season in advance of the playoffs where Nazareth has come close to a title in recent seasons only to fall to Utica.
“Two years ago, we won a lot of games and battled right to the end,” stated Roll. “Last year was a tough one in terms of wins but I like this group and the character and talent we have. We opened with a nice win against Elmira and then really had a tough time against Utica which I think will help us be better as a team. We had good battles with Chatham last weekend and face Manhattanville this week with a focus on being better each time we play.”
This year’s team has been led by a pair of juniors in Blake Frost and Logan Tobias. Among the team’s leaders in scoring last year and already this season, the pair of forwards, along with the rest of this roster, are a big reason why Roll returned for one more campaign.
“I love all these kids, and this roster is a really close-knit group,” noted Roll. “I am thrilled that players like Blake and Logan chose Nazareth and represent our program and institution so well on the ice and off it. While hockey can teach a lot of lessons, and it would be nice to have a few more wins, I think I am most proud of the men of character that I have had the opportunity to coach and see their success in life beyond college and college hockey. No doubt I will miss the game and probably the time on the ice in practices the most but at almost three decades it is time to transfer the reins to the next generation and I know James will do a fantastic job for Nazareth hockey this year and going forward.”
The 2-2-1 Golden Flyers travel to face Manhattanville in a two-game series this weekend before closing out the first half of the season with SUNYAC’s Buffalo State, two games against Brockport and a matchup with NESCAC’s Hamilton before the semester break.
