Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Cedar Rapids RoughRiders head coach Mark Carlson, a former UMass Lowell player and coach, notched his 750th career United States Hockey League win with a 7-1 victory over Muskegon Saturday night.
This puts Carlson 33 wins away from tying P.K. O’Handley as the winningest coach in USHL history.
Carlson played three seasons at UML, from 1990-93. The left wing netted six goals and nine points in 64 games. He was selected in the 1987 National Hockey League draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
After graduating from UML, Carlson spent one season as an assistant coach at Lawrenceville School before returning to Lowell to serve as an assistant to head coach Bruce Crowder. After helping the River Hawks to a berth in the 1996 NCAA Tournament, Carlson spent another three seasons beside Crowder as an assistant at Northeastern.
Carlson, who’s in his 23rd season at the Cedar Rapids helm, also serves as the president and general manager of the RoughRiders and has since 2014. Carlson was hired as the head coach of Cedar Rapids on July 7, 1999 and had since won three Anderson Cups (2004-05, 2010-11, 2015-16), and one Clark Cup (2004,05).
He has also been selected as USHL Coach of the Year three times (2004-05, 2010-11 and 2015-16).
Carlson, who owns a career record of 750-546-110, is the only head coach in RoughRiders history.
“Mark Carlson has had an extraordinary career as a coach and general manager in the USHL and 750 victories is a major milestone,” said USHL President and Commissioner Bill Robertson. “Mark’s
commitment to developing young men on and off the ice is a credit to his unique teaching and
mentoring abilities. Mark is so well respected in the USHL among his peers as well as so many across the hockey universe. We are so happy and proud for Mark as he has had an incredible career. We are looking forward to many more victories with Mark behind the bench.”
Carlson has coached over 500 players who’ve received NCAA Division I scholarships, 41 who’ve been selected in the National Hockey League Draft, 42 who’ve signed NHL contracts and 28 who’ve made their NHL debuts.
In 2008 and 2009, Carlson coached the USA teams that won gold at the World Junior A Challenge. In 2009, Carlson was recognized as the United States Olympic Committee Development Coach of the Year.
