BC’s Jerry York ties all-time wins record
On Saturday, the Boston College Eagles men’s hockey team beat their rival, Boston University, 5-2. But this wasn’t any ordinary win for the defending national champion Eagles. By virtue of the win, their head coach, Jerry York, tied the record for most all-time wins for a college hockey coach.
York tied the record of Ron Mason, who set the mark at 924 wins. York, a Watertown native, has been coaching BC–his alma mater–since 1994, leading them to national titles in 2001, 2008, 2010, and 2012. He has amassed 457 wins with the Eagles so far. He was previously head coach at Bowling Green in Ohio, and he led Bowling Green to a national championship in 1984.
“It’s an honor to be part of this experience, and to play for coach York here at BC,” said junior forward Bill Arnold. “He won’t talk about it, but he’s obviously changed the lives of all the guys on the team. To be able to give something back to him, and get this record for him, is something we all wanted to do.”
As ESPN reports, after the game, BU coach Jack Parker,a long-time friend of York’s, said the opposing bench boss is very deserving of the record.
“He deserves all the accolades, it’s hard for people to believe this, because he’s been around so long and been so successful, and he’s won so many games, but I still don’t think he gets the credit he deserves,” said Parker.
The win clearly meant a lot not only to York, but also the team as BC had lost to rival BU at BU’s rink on Friday. The Eagles returned home to a friendlier Conte Forum on Sunday, and the rink was packed with BC fans who chanted “Jerry! Jerry!” before the game began.
York will have his first opportunity to set the record for all-time wins this Friday when BC takes on the Providence Friars. The record will be quite a testament to a great career and a great coach.
