Colgate announced Friday that it has selected all-time leading scorer and former assistant coach, Mike Harder, as the men’s ice hockey head coach. Harder replaces Don Vaughan, who retired at the end of the 2022-23 season after 30 years at the helm.
Harder returns to Colgate after spending six years (2013-2019) as an assistant coach for his alma mater. As coach of the Raiders, he compiled 89 wins with a pair of ECAC Tournament appearances and NCAA Tournament bids.
Harder will be officially introduced during a press conference on Friday, June 9.
He will serve as Donald Vaughan’s president of men’s ice hockey, which was named after his predecessor in 2007.
“It is a great honor to return to Colgate,” Harder said in a statement. “I am so excited to be part of a program, institution, and community that has done so much for me over the past 30 years. I look forward to being a part of Colgate’s future while continuing Coach Vaughan’s legacy of mentoring student-athletes on and off the ice.”
“Mike has a great passion and love for Colgate University and Colgate hockey,” said Vaughan. “During my tenure with Mike he has demonstrated an exceptional ability to communicate with players, staff and faculty. His communication across campus in his time here has been impressive. His energy and passion are infectious. He is an excellent teacher of the game and is always willing to learn and try new things.”
Harder scored 214 points during his college career. He graduated fourth all-time in goals scored with 88 and second in assists with 126 points. He went on to win the 1997 All-America Award, and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and a nominee for the Hockey Humanitarian Award.
Harder played 13 seasons professionally across North America and Europe, including for Hartford in the American Hockey League where he was part of the Calder Cup championship in 2000.
Harder began his coaching career at Colgate in 2013-14 as a volunteer assistant. After being promoted to assistant coach in July 2014, Harder helped lead the Raiders to a 22-12-4 mark overall and an appearance in the ECAC Hockey Championship title game for the second consecutive season.
Harder returns to Hamilton as the 15th men’s hockey coach in program history. He directs a program coming out of its first ECAC hockey tournament since 1990 and its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2014.
“Since I arrived at Colgate as a freshman, Hamilton has felt like home,” said Harder. Friendly people, a supportive community, and city-university ties make it an unparalleled place to thrive. I’m excited to get started.”