Wayne Wilson (ice hockey)
Encyclopedia
Wayne Wilson is a Canadian
ice hockey
coach and former player.
Wilson grew up in Montreal
but his family moved to Guelph, Ontario
when he was sixteen. A defenceman, he played junior hockey for the Guelph Platers
in the Ontario Hockey Association
, then went on to college at Bowling Green State University
in Ohio
. He played four years (1980–1984) for the NCAA Division I Bowling Green Falcons
, serving as captain
in his senior year and leading the team to the 1984 national championship. He graduated with a degree in health, physical education, and recreation, then went on to get his master's degree in education from Bowling Green. While a grad student, he helped out as a part-time coach for the hockey team.
After graduating with his masters, he spent one year as an assistant at the University of New Hampshire
under coach Bob Kullen, but Kullen fell ill and that left his job in jeopardy. Seeking stability, he accepted a position as an assistant coach at his alma mater in 1988, a position he held through the 1998–99 school year.
In 1999, after five years of seeking a head-coaching position, he was hired to be head coach at Division III Rochester Institute of Technology
. He led the RIT Tigers
to a nearly-undefeated season in 2000–01; their only loss was on home ice in the 2001 national championship game. That year, he won the Edward Jeremiah Award for the top coach in Division III men's hockey.
In his first six years at RIT, he compiled a 116–31–12 record (.767 winning percentage), with four ECAC West
regular-season championships, three ECAC West tournament titles, and three NCAA tournament appearances. However, those all came in his first years at RIT; in 2003, the Tigers missed the D-III national tournament for the first time since 1995, and they would never return.
In late 2004, despite a couple of "down" years for the program (including "only" a 13–7–5 record in 2003–04), RIT President Albert J. Simone
announced that RIT would move their hockey program up to the Division I level, retaining Wilson as head coach. RIT would join Atlantic Hockey
starting in the 2006–07 season.
The rest of the 2004–05 campaign was rough, and the Tigers finished with their worst record of Wilson's tenure to date, including a painful loss to arch-rival Elmira College
in which the Tigers squandered a late two-goal lead by allowing a pair of short-handed goals in the last three minutes of regulation.
The Tigers' first season as a Division I program, in which they played as an independent
was even harder, although the highlight was a home win over the St. Lawrence Saints (ranked #18 in the nation at the time). The Tigers won only nine games that season, mostly against future Atlantic Hockey conference opponents.
Since joining Atlantic Hockey in 2006, though, success has been the Tigers' hallmark. They have won three regular-season conference championships in four years, and in 2010
they won their first conference tournament
. That granted them the conference's autobid into the national tournament, where they stunned Denver
and New Hampshire
to win the East Regional and advance to the Frozen Four.
In 2010, in recognition of reaching the Frozen Four, Wilson won the Spencer Penrose Award
, for the top coach in Division I men's ice hockey. He became the first coach to win both the Spencer Penrose Award and the Edward Jeremiah Award. He also signed a five-year contract that year, keeping him at RIT until at least the 2014-15 season.
Wilson and his wife Lynn live in Pittsford, New York
. Their daughter Stephanie attends Bowling Green State University, and their son Stuart is playing junior hockey.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
coach and former player.
Wilson grew up in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
but his family moved to Guelph, Ontario
Guelph, Ontario
Guelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it...
when he was sixteen. A defenceman, he played junior hockey for the Guelph Platers
Guelph Platers
The Guelph Platers were a junior ice hockey team in theOntario Hockey Association from 1975 to 1982, and the Ontario Hockey League from 1982 to 1989, based in Guelph, Ontario.-History:...
in the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
, then went on to college at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He played four years (1980–1984) for the NCAA Division I Bowling Green Falcons
Bowling Green Falcons men's ice hockey
The Bowling Green Falcons ice hockey team is the ice hockey team that represents Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. The school's team competes in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The Falcons last played in the NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament in 1990...
, serving as captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
in his senior year and leading the team to the 1984 national championship. He graduated with a degree in health, physical education, and recreation, then went on to get his master's degree in education from Bowling Green. While a grad student, he helped out as a part-time coach for the hockey team.
After graduating with his masters, he spent one year as an assistant at the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
under coach Bob Kullen, but Kullen fell ill and that left his job in jeopardy. Seeking stability, he accepted a position as an assistant coach at his alma mater in 1988, a position he held through the 1998–99 school year.
In 1999, after five years of seeking a head-coaching position, he was hired to be head coach at Division III Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
. He led the RIT Tigers
RIT Tigers men's ice hockey
The RIT Tigers men's ice hockey team is one of two hockey teams representing Rochester Institute of Technology in suburban Rochester, New York. The school's men's team competes in the Division I Atlantic Hockey conference. The team has won two national championships, one each at the Division II and...
to a nearly-undefeated season in 2000–01; their only loss was on home ice in the 2001 national championship game. That year, he won the Edward Jeremiah Award for the top coach in Division III men's hockey.
In his first six years at RIT, he compiled a 116–31–12 record (.767 winning percentage), with four ECAC West
ECAC West
ECAC West is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division III as a hockey-only conference.-Members:* Nazareth College will join the league with a men's team starting in 2012....
regular-season championships, three ECAC West tournament titles, and three NCAA tournament appearances. However, those all came in his first years at RIT; in 2003, the Tigers missed the D-III national tournament for the first time since 1995, and they would never return.
In late 2004, despite a couple of "down" years for the program (including "only" a 13–7–5 record in 2003–04), RIT President Albert J. Simone
Albert J. Simone
Dr. Albert Joseph Simone is a former president of the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, USA.Simone earned his Bachelor of Arts from Tufts in 1957, and his PhD from MIT in 1962....
announced that RIT would move their hockey program up to the Division I level, retaining Wilson as head coach. RIT would join Atlantic Hockey
Atlantic Hockey
The Atlantic Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates primarily in the northeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey–only conference. Unlike several other college athletic conferences, Atlantic Hockey has no women's...
starting in the 2006–07 season.
The rest of the 2004–05 campaign was rough, and the Tigers finished with their worst record of Wilson's tenure to date, including a painful loss to arch-rival Elmira College
Elmira College
Elmira College is a coeducational private liberal arts college located in Elmira, in New York State's Southern Tier region.The college is noted as the oldest college still in existence which granted degrees to women that were the equivalent of those given to men...
in which the Tigers squandered a late two-goal lead by allowing a pair of short-handed goals in the last three minutes of regulation.
The Tigers' first season as a Division I program, in which they played as an independent
NCAA Division I independent schools (ice hockey)
NCAA Division I independent schools are teams that compete in NCAA college ice hockey but are not members of a conference. There are several current schools who, at one time or another, competed as Division I independents.-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:...
was even harder, although the highlight was a home win over the St. Lawrence Saints (ranked #18 in the nation at the time). The Tigers won only nine games that season, mostly against future Atlantic Hockey conference opponents.
Since joining Atlantic Hockey in 2006, though, success has been the Tigers' hallmark. They have won three regular-season conference championships in four years, and in 2010
2009–10 RIT Tigers men's ice hockey season
The 2009–10 RIT Tigers men's ice hockey team was the Tigers' 45th season of varsity hockey and fifth at the NCAA Division I level. They represented Rochester Institute of Technology in the 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season...
they won their first conference tournament
2010 Atlantic Hockey Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
- Holy Cross vs. American International:- Bentley vs. Connecticut:- RIT vs. Connecticut:- Sacred Heart vs. Holy Cross:- Air Force vs. Army:- Mercyhurst vs. Canisius:- RIT vs. Canisius:...
. That granted them the conference's autobid into the national tournament, where they stunned Denver
Denver Pioneers men's ice hockey
The University of Denver Men's Hockey Program has been playing NCAA Division I hockey since 1949. Pioneer Hockey is one of the most successful hockey programs in the history of collegiate hockey. The Pioneers rank second in all-time NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championships with 7. Only the University...
and New Hampshire
New Hampshire Wildcats men's ice hockey
The New Hampshire Wildcats men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents the University of New Hampshire. The Wildcats are a member of Hockey East...
to win the East Regional and advance to the Frozen Four.
In 2010, in recognition of reaching the Frozen Four, Wilson won the Spencer Penrose Award
Spencer Penrose Award
The Spencer Penrose Award is awarded yearly to the top coach in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey by the American Hockey Coaches Association.The finalists for each year's award comprise the conference Coach of the Year winners from each Division I men's ice hockey conference, plus the coaches of the...
, for the top coach in Division I men's ice hockey. He became the first coach to win both the Spencer Penrose Award and the Edward Jeremiah Award. He also signed a five-year contract that year, keeping him at RIT until at least the 2014-15 season.
Wilson and his wife Lynn live in Pittsford, New York
Pittsford (town), New York
Pittsford is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States and is an affluent suburb of Rochester. The population was 29,405 at the 2010 census....
. Their daughter Stephanie attends Bowling Green State University, and their son Stuart is playing junior hockey.