ALBANY, NY – Union college men's ice hockey head coach Nate Leaman is one of four candidates for the ECAC Hockey's Tim Taylor Coach-of-the-Year Award, the league announced Monday. Leaman is joined by Yale's Keith Allain, St. Lawrence's Joe Marsh and Colgate's Don Vaughan.
Under the direction of Leaman, Union's 12 conference wins are the most in program history and the team's 18 overall victories is one away from tying a school record. Selected to finish sixth in both the coaches' preseason and media polls, the Dutchmen earned a three seed in the league's postseason tournament. Union's .618 winning percentage overall is twelfth in the country and the highest all-time in school history. Leaman guided Union to a 10-game unbeaten streak (Nov. 6 - Dec. 9) tied for longest in team history --the 1993-94 team had gone 8-0-2. Union also opened the conference schedule with a 7-0-3 mark, which was the best start and longest ECAC Hockey unbeaten streak in team history. The Dutchmen were solid at both ends of the ice finishing second in team scoring offense (3.68 G/GM) and third in scoring defense (2.73 G/GM) in conference action. A 7-0 win at UConn on Dec. 12 gave Leaman his 100th victory of his career -- all at Union College. Leaman's squad placed three student-athletes on the all-league teams and one on the all-rookie team this season.
The reigning Taylor Award Winner, Allain guided Yale to its second consecutive ECAC Hockey regular-season title, as progress continues in New Haven. The Bulldogs have been a top-10 team in the national polls throughout the season. Under Allain, Yale's offense has excelled, leading not only the conference in scoring offense (4.18 G/GM), but the nation (4.24 G/GM). The Bulldogs are in the only team in the nation to average more than four goals per contest this season. Allain's Bulldogs feature ten student-athletes that have registered double-digits in scoring in conference play. Yale features three student-athletes on the all-league teams this season.
Colgate's all-time winningest coach, Don Vaughan is another finalist for the Taylor Award. Vaughan, in his 17th season in Hamilton, led the Raiders to a fourth place finish in the conference, after being selected as a preseason No. 7 pick by the coaches and No. 9 selection by the media. The Raiders, under Vaughan's tutelage finished third in the league in scoring offense netting 3.55 goals per game and sixth in scoring defense, yielding 3.18 goals per game. Colgate's productive offense witnessed eight student-athletes register double-digit points in conference play this season. The Raiders were also a very disciplined under Vaughan's direction, as they only averaged 11.8 penalty minutes per contest, second best in the league. Colgate earned points in five of its last six games to earn a first-round bye in the league's postseason tournament, as it looks to advance to its sixth semifinal conference appearance under the veteran coach. Vaughan will be looking to stake claim to his second coaching honor, after winning the league award in the 1999-2000 season.
The fourth finalist for the league's coaching honor is no stranger to the award. A four-time winner of the league's coaching honor (1988-89, 1995-96, 1998-99, & 2006-07), Marsh led the Saints to a fifth place
finish this season in ECAC Hockey play. Having been selected as the No. 7 preseason selection by the media and No. 10 by the league's coaches, Marsh's Saints have advanced to the league's postseason quarterfinal round with an opening round series win over rival Clarkson. In his 25th year at the helm, Marsh is just the third Division I coach to win 400 or more games all at the same institution. Under Marsh the Saints placed two student-athletes on the all-league teams and one on the all-rookie team this season.
