After six years with the Manhattanville men’s hockey program both as a player and then as an assistant coach, Arlen Marshall ’10 will take over as the third head men’s hockey coach in Manhattanville history for the 2012-13 season, as announced by Director of Athletics Keith Levinthal on Monday.
“I am both thrilled and thankful for this opportunity to lead the Manhattanville men’s hockey program,” Marshall said. “I want to thank Keith and the entire search committee for this chance of a lifetime, and I look forward to building on the foundation of this nationally recognized program. Our student-athletes will have goals set and will strive toward them in the classroom, community, and on the ice so that they are strong representatives of the college.”
The hiring retains a sense of continuity for the program, as Marshall has spent the last two years as the top assistant coach under both program architect Levinthal and Eric Lang, who resigned in June after one season as head coach. A member of the Valiant hockey family since arriving on campus as a freshman in 2006, Marshall will continue to lead the Manhattanville program – this time in a head coaching capacity – while also looking to increase alumni support and build on the tradition of one of the school’s most successful programs.
“I’ve known Arlen since he was 18. As a student-athlete, he was a three-year captain and part of four of the most successful seasons in this program’s history, while he has also done a tremendous job as an assistant coach over the last two years,” Levinthal said. “At this point in time, I thought it would be best to have a head coach who understands the complexities and challenges of coaching hockey at Manhattanville. Arlen is the best person to guide this program going forward.”
In his last two years as an assistant coach, Marshall immersed himself completely in the day-to-day operations of the Valiant men’s hockey program, helping to coordinate practices, scouting and video work while also planning travel itineraries and budgets. In addition, he recruited highly sought-after student-athletes and managed team academic affairs throughout the season as well.
His first coaching role came after completing one of the most prolific on-ice careers in Valiant history. A two-year co-captain who wore a letter in three of his four seasons, Marshall completed his career as one of just three Manhattanville players to reach the 100-point plateau thanks to 38 goals and 64 assists in 105 career games. He graduated third in career points, fourth in assists and sixth in goals all-time at the school, while also departing second in games played and sixth in power-play goals for a career.
In his senior season, Marshall set new career highs with 26 assists and 35 points to help lead the Valiants to the ECAC West Conference Tournament championship, one of three ECAC West Tournament titles that Manhattanville achieved in his four years with the team. The Valiants also reached a pair of NCAA Tournaments and finished all four seasons in the top-10 in the nation according to USCHO.com.
A native of Quill Lake, Saskatchewan, the forward graduated from Manhattanville in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and political science. He also received his master’s degree in sports business management from the school in 2012.
“In addition to the academics and athletics, Manhattanville boasts numerous qualities that make it unique,” Marshall added. “This campus has been an important part of my life for the past six years, and I am happy to be able to continue to call it home.”
Marshall will begin his seventh season with the program – and first as a collegiate head coach – on November 2 in the first of a two-game series at ECAC West Conference foe Hobart. The Valiants take to the ice at Playland Ice Casino for the first time the following weekend, when the squad hosts ECAC West newcomer Nazareth for two games on November 9 and 10 at 7 p.m. Both games – along with all men’s hockey home games this season – will be streamed live online at GoValiants.TV.
