St. Lawrence University and the St. Lawrence Hockey Alumni Association are extremely pleased to announce that former Charles W. Appleton II Head Men’s Hockey Coach Joe Marsh will be inducted into the Legends of Appleton on December 4, 2021. He will be formally recognized for his tremendous contributions to both the men’s and women’s programs – in addition to his leadership within and loyalty to the Laurentian and North Country community.
The Legends of Appleton program was launched by the University and Hockey Alumni Association in the fall of 2017 to celebrate inductees for their play, commitment, and impact on the St. Lawrence hockey programs and the hockey world. Marsh epitomizes the very best personal qualities and the extraordinary talents that St. Lawrence hockey was built on.
Marsh is a two-time Spencer Penrose Award winner as the AHCA National Men’s Coach of the Year and a four-time Tim Taylor ECAC Hockey Men’s Coach of the Year. In his 26-year career with the men’s program he forged one of the most successful coaching careers in U.S. college history. Not only was he successful with wins and championships, but he was also one of the most revered and admired coaches of his generation. He coached twelve of the fourteen 20+ win seasons in St. Lawrence history and produced ECAC Hockey championship teams in 1988, 1989, 1992, 2000 and 2001. He took teams to eight ECAC Hockey tournament championship game appearances, two Frozen Fours and the 1988 NCAA National Championship game.
He retired in 2012 with a 468-399-72 record and was just the third coach in Division I hockey with more than 400 wins at one institution.
In addition, Marsh coached 18 All-Americans, seven Hobey Baker finalists, six ECAC Hockey Player of the Year Award winners, four ECAC Hockey Rookies of the Year, five Outstanding Defensive Forward Award recipients and five Outstanding Defensive Defensemen.
He not only mentored former Saints as players, but was invested in their development as people and connected to their families, too. In addition, Marsh taught in the University’s First-Year Program and served as an academic advisor. In 2014 Marsh was the recipient of The American Hockey Coaches Association’s John MacInnes Award recognizing him for his great concern for amateur hockey and youth programs. The recipients of the MacInnes Award have had high winning percentages as well as outstanding graduation percentages among their former players. The winners of this award have helped young men grow not only as hockey players, but more importantly as men.
Marsh’s most prolific accomplishment far surpasses any awards or recognitions he has received for his illustrious coaching career. Marsh has built a family that spans the generations around St. Lawrence Hockey that includes former players, coaches, trainers, managers, alumni and community members.
After a brief hiatus from coaching following his retirement from St. Lawrence, Marsh served as the interim head coach of the Dartmouth women’s hockey team for one season, coached at New Hampton School and, in 2018, returned to Appleton Arena as a volunteer assistant coach for the Saints’ women’s hockey program.
In the spring of 2021, the University announced that the men’s hockey team suite in the newly renovated Appleton Arena would be named in his honor. And now, Marsh will have a permanent place on the concourse among the other Legends of Appleton.
Coach Marsh joins three prior classes of Legends, including inaugural inductees Brian McFarlane ’55 and the late Bill Torrey ’57, former men’s coach Mike McShane, former women’s coach Paul Flanagan ’80, Peter McGeough ’88 and Gina Kingsbury ’04.
As alumni of one of the most storied Division I hockey programs in the nation, those honored as Legends of Appleton represent the most elite and well-respected hockey alumni our program has produced. The selections are made by a representative group of the University, Athletic administration, and St. Lawrence Hockey Alumni Association Executive Board.
The induction will take place in conjunction with the women’s and men’s hockey games on December 4, 2021. The women’s game vs. Clarkson University begins at 3 p.m. with the men’s game against Cornell University following at 7:00 p.m. Marsh will be formally recognized during an on-ice ceremony in between the first and second periods of the men’s game.
(St. Lawrence Hockey Photo)
