BOSTON – Taylor Wasylk, Suffolk women's hockey head coach, was announced as a finalist for the CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year.
The ward will be announced tomorrow, Thursday, March 17 and presented on Friday, April 22 at the AHCA Convention in Naples, Florida.
To be considered a finalist, one must either be named Coach of the Year at the conference level or advance to the NCAA Frozen Four. Among the 10 finalists, two have taken home the honor before in six-time honoree Kevin Houle of Plattsburgh and three-time winner Bill Mandigo of Middlebury.
Wasylk led the Rams to their winningest season to date with a 19-6-0 overall mark, which upstaged the previous win mark of 15 triumphs held by the inaugural team in 2018-19 (15-9-2). The blue-and-gold's 76.0-win percentage is the 10th-best in the country. Conference wise, Suffolk skated to a 14-4-0 league ledger, good for the second spot in the league's first-ever postseason. For her performance on the bench, Wasylk's Commonwealth Coast Conference peers selected her as the inaugural CCC Coach of the Year.
Suffolk's scoring was one of the most high-profile in Division III this year with 4.00 goals per game. The 100 pucks put into the back of the net is the 10th-most in the country, while the 29.9 conversation rate on man-up chances sits fourth in DIII. In addition to those categories, Wasylk's squad appeared in the NCAA DIII top 10 in assists (8), goals (10), power play goals (8) and faceoff win percentage (8).
The Rams' defense was also something to write home about as they limited foes to just 2.00 goals per game, which also ranked in the top 20 in the nation.
Wasylk, now in her fourth season, earned her second bid to the ballot, first since 2018-19. The two-time conference coach of the year has never taken home the national recognition.
2021-22 CCM/AHCA WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY COLLEGE DIVISION COACH OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Chris Baudo, Nazareth, UCHC Coach of the Year
Mike Carroll, Gustavus Adolphus, MIAC Coach of the Year/NCAA Semifinalist
Tim Crowley, Elmira, NCAA Semifinalist
Rick Filighera, Cortland, NEWHL Coach of the Year
Kevin Houle, Plattsburgh *, NCAA Semifinalist
John Lauziere, Southern Maine, NEHC Coach of the Year
Lindsay Macy, Finlandia, NCHA Coach of the Year
Bill Mandigo, Middlebury *, NESCAC Coach of the Year/NCAA Semifinalist
Taylor Wasylk, Suffolk, CCC Coach of the Year
* Former recipient of the award