Jerry York
The winningest coach in college hockey history, Jerry York (Watertown, Mass.) continues today to leave an impact on American hockey that will positively affect the game for generations to come.
He enters his 27th season as head coach of the Boston College men’s ice hockey program in 2020-21, and has guided the Eagles to four NCAA championships (2001, 2008, 2010, 2012), four national runner-up finishes, and 12 NCAA Frozen Four appearances. He is the NCAA’s all-time leader in NCAA Tournament wins.
In addition, York’s teams have seized 11 Hockey East regular-season titles and nine Hockey East Tournament titles.
Over the course of his BC coaching career, York has guided his teams to winning records in 22 of 26 seasons to date, including in 22 of the past 23 campaigns. He has coached two Hobey Baker Award winners and 18 NHL first round draft picks.
York’s coaching career began with two seasons (1968-70) as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Boston College, before moving to Clarkson University where he spent two campaigns as an assistant men’s ice hockey coach before taking over as head coach of the Golden Knights in 1972 as the youngest head coach in the nation at age 26. In his seven seasons as the bench boss for Clarkson, he led the team to six ECAC playoffs and claimed the 1977 ECAC regular-season title.
On April 10, 1979, York took over as the men’s hockey head coach of Bowling Green State University where he spent the next 15 seasons. His term with the Falcons included an NCAA title in 1984, two Hobey Baker award winners, six NCAA tournament berths, four CCHA regular-season titles, and a CCHA tournament title.
York had an exceptional playing career at Boston College where he was a three-year letterman (1964-67) for the Eagles. He led BC to the 1965 Beanpot title and an NCAA runner-up finish. In his final campaign as team captain, York helped the Eagles to a 19-8 record and earned All-American First Team laurels. He was also named team MVP, a member of the All-New England team, and received the Walter Brown Award, which is presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England. York concluded his college career with 134 points (64G, 70A) in 81 games played.
The highly-decorated York, who begins his 49th season as an NCAA Division I head hockey coach in 2020-21, has earned numerous honors over his career. Among the many highlights, he is enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame (2019), Bowling Green State University Athletic Hall of Fame (2003) and Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame (1982); was honored with the Lester Patrick Trophy in 2010; and earned the Spencer Penrose Award as the NCAA Division I Coach of the Year in 1977. He is the only coach in the history of NCAA hockey to win 1,000 or more games and one of just three coaches in NCAA history to lead two different schools to NCAA titles.
