Bill Harrison (ice hockey)

William Harrison was an American ice hockey coach. He was the head coach of Clarkson for a decade after World War II and provided the team with their only undefeated season.[1]

William Harrison
Biographical details
BornWalpole, Massachusetts
Playing career
1941–1943Dartmouth
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1948–1958Clarkson
Head coaching record
Overall127-47-6 .722
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1951 Tri-State League Champion
1956 Tri-State League Champion
1958 Tri-State League Champion
Awards
1956 Spencer Penrose Award
2008 Clarkson Athletic Hall of Fame
Records
Highest winning percentage one season: (1.000)

Career

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After graduating from Dartmouth in 1943 William Harrison signed up with the Marines at the height of the second world war.[2] Harrison left after three years of service and returned to Walpole, Massachusetts to coach at the local high school before accepting a position to become a professor of civil engineering at Clarkson and coach the ice hockey team.

Harrison Coached at Clarkson for 10 seasons, winning 3 league titles (after the Golden Knights founded the Tri-State League), making 2 Frozen Four appearances and providing Clarkson with an undefeated season in 1955–56 season.[3] Because the '56 team had eight seniors that were 4-year varsity players (they would have been ineligible to participate in the 1956 NCAA tournament) the team as a whole voted to decline the invitation to play.[2] Harrison received the 1956 Spencer Penrose Award despite the eligibility conflict and resigned as head coach two years later.

Harrison continued on in an academic capacity with Clarkson, receiving a fellowship from the National Science Foundation in 1959. He was inducted into Clarkson's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.[2]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Clarkson Golden Knights Independent (1948–1950)
1948-49 Clarkson 8-5-0
1949-50 Clarkson 4-8-2
Clarkson: 12-13-2
Clarkson Golden Knights (Tri-State League) (1950–1958)
1950-51 Clarkson 12-2-1 4-1-0 1st Tri-State League Tie-Breaker (Win)
1951-52 Clarkson 10-5-0 3-3-0 3rd
1952-53 Clarkson 9-9-1 1-3-1 4th
1953-54 Clarkson 7-8-2 1-4-0 3rd
1954-55 Clarkson 18-4-0 4-2-0 2nd
1955-56 Clarkson 23-0-0 6-0-0 1st
1956-57 Clarkson 19-3-0 4-2-0 2nd NCAA Consolation Game (Win)
1957-58 Clarkson 17-3-0 5-0-0 1st NCAA Consolation Game (Win)
Clarkson: 115-34-4 28-15-1
Total: 127-47-6

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Clarkson men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
  2. ^ a b c "Harrison - Clarkson Athletic Hall of Fame". Clarkson Golden Knights. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
  3. ^ "Bill Harrison Year-By-Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
  4. ^ "2013-14 Clarkson Media Guide". ISSUU.com. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by Spencer Penrose Award
1955–56
Succeeded by