The winningest coach in NCAA Men’s Hockey history is calling it a career. Boston College’s Jerry York announced Wednesday that he would be retiring following a 50 year career as a collegiate coach.
York informed the College and his players at a team meeting Wednesday afternoon that he would be stepping down. No successor was immediately named, as it’s expected the College will look at both internal and external options heading into the 2022-23 season.
The 76 year old amassed 1,123 wins over a career that spanned five decades. York began at Clarkson in 1972, before taking the head coaching position at Bowling Green where he won his first NCAA National Championship in 1984.
Following a 15 year stint at Bowling Green, York returned to his alma mater in 1994 where he posted a 656-347-94 record, good for a .641 win percentage with the Eagles. The Watertown, MA, native was a center for the Boston College hockey team between 1963 and 1967.
During his historic run at BC, York captured the Hockey East Coach of the Year award 5 times, including as recently as 2021. The Eagles won 4 National Championships under his guidance, to go along with 9 Beanpot Championships, including a run of 5 in a row between 2010 and 2014.
For his efforts, York was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019. His 1,123 Division 1 wins are 199 clear of the next closest coach, as he sits alone in the 1000 win club for the time being.
“It is difficult to put into words all that Jerry York means to Boston College,” athletic director Patrick Kraft said in a statement. “He is a legend and one of the classiest individuals to ever coach in college sports.”
York has coached numerous current NHL players during his time at Boston College. As of opening night 2021-22, 14 of his former players were on NHL rosters, including star forwards Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary), and Chris Kreider (New York Rangers).
The legendary coach is one of only three bench bosses in NCAA history to win the Men’s National Championship at two different schools. Associate head coaches Mike Ayers, Brendan Buckley, and Assistant Coach Brooks Orpik are rumoured to be amongst the names the College is considering as possible replacements for York moving forward.