What do Chelsea Clinton, St. Lawrence University Coach Joe Marsh, and Yale Coach Tim Taylor have in common? All three rejected an opportunity to come to Harvard University. When Coach Ron Tomassoni decided it was time to move on and leave the job of coaching the Harvard Crimson hockey program after nine years, little did Athletic Director Billy Cleary realize that filling his shoes would not be an easy task. The history of Crimson hockey is a storied one. As a matter of fact, Ron Tomassoni was only the third Head Coach Harvard had had in its 102 year history. Behind Cooney Weisland and Billy Cleary himself, Tomassoni left a program that claims nine Beanpot Championships as well as a National Championship in 1989. So with the May 14 resignation of Coach Tomassoni,, such began the Billy Cleary's saga of finding only the fourth coach in Harvard history and hopefully someone who could resurrect a program that had been slumbering in the ECAC since its last conference championship in 1994. Cleary's "short list" of potential coaches included three primary targets: St. Lawrence Saint Head Coach Joe Marsh, Yale Bulldog Head Coach Tim Taylor, and Mark Mazzoleni from Miami of Ohio. For Cleary, Marsh seemed to be the best fit. Marsh was coming off of a 1998-99 ECAC Coach of the Year honor by coaching the Saints to a 23-13-3 record and who owns a Spencer Penrose Trophy as National Coach of the Year in 1989. Unfortunately for Cleary, the feeling was not mutual as Marsh decided to withdraw his name from consideration on July 10. Marsh for reasons unspecified decided that leaving the St. Lawrence University program and taking the Harvard task was not in his best interest. Unfazed, Cleary turned his focus to Tim Taylor, the legendary Head Coach of bitter Ivy League rival Yale University. Taylor, the 21 year coach of Yale, and 1994 United States Olympic Head Coach in Lillehammer, Norway, would certainly be on any Division I Athletic Director's wish list. Tim Taylor made sense to coach the Harvard Crimson and his success in recruiting and coaching in a program with strict academic standards made him even that much more appealing. Once again Cleary was shunned as the 1997-98 ECAC Coach and second all-time winningest coach in Yale Bulldog history withdrew his name from consideration only five days after Marsh did. Billy Cleary himself was an outstanding coach at Harvard and in fact coached the Crimson to their National Championship in 1989. Perhaps it was that determination he learned as a coach that helped him in his quest to fill their vacancy. His next choice was 43 year-old Miami of Ohio Head Coach Mark Mazzoleni, who had three Division 3 Championships under his belt while coaching at Wisconsin-Stevens Point. After five years at Miami and posting a 85-83-20 record including a 27-12-1 campaign in 1996-97 which earned him CCHA Coach of the Year honors, Mazzoleni decided that maybe the Harvard job was just what he was waiting for. He met with Cleary, and on July 18, the former top scholar athlete and top goalie at Michigan State was Harvard's new Head Coach. With an emphasis on recruiting and his strong commitment to academic as well as athletic excellence, Mark Mazzoleni was introduced to the University as the fourth Head Coach in Harvard history. With the Crimson's track record of coaching longevity and the surprisingly tough task of finding a Coach, Billy Cleary hopes that he will be around for a long time. -DJW
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