Former Penn State Forward Marsh chosen as new assistant – coach for Hobart Men’s Hockey Team – College Hockey | Ucho.com

Hobart has announced that former Penn State Forward Alec Marsh has been appointed assistant coach for the men’s hockey team.

Marsh replaces Niko Kovachis, who accepted an assistant coach position earlier this summer in Niagara.

“Certainly, you must have a high level of hockey capacity to play in a program like Penn State, but what appeared in the recruitment process was what brought him there, work ethics and character, and those same qualities made him there,” Hobart -head coach Mark Taylor said in a statement. “Those are the qualities that we appreciate here at Hobart. From his earlier coaches, teammates and current employer, it was clear that his teammates liked to play with him, coaches loved him to coach and his current boss hated him to see him but could not be happier for him. That is our type of man.

“Hockey is a small world and I am excited to add Alec to ours.”

Marsh comes to Hobart after working as head coach and Academy Director for the New Jersey Rockets. He worked with the 14h, 15h and 4 pm players and emphasized the development of skills and technical understanding. In 2024 he helped reach the Rockets 14U team the national quarterfinals. In 2025 the 16h team moved to the semi -final of the National Tournament.

Marsh directed the full-time development academy, created age-specific training plans, in which both the on-IKE and the Off-Ice Curriculum is managed. He also supervised skills and player development throughout the season, while helping staff to plan exercise planning and explore opponents.

Marsh graduated from Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in criminology. He was a four-year member of the Nittany Lions Hockey team. Marsh played in 132 career matches, recorded 54 points on 22 goals and 32 assists and helped Penn State to the first Big Ten title in 2016-17 and the first two performances in the NCAA tournament.

After graduation, Marsh played professional hockey for three seasons. In his first two years he played 57 games in the Echl and the SPHL. Marsh had 27 points on 12 goals and 15 assists with the Fayetteville markings of the SPHL. In 2021-22 he played 50 games for the Coventry Blaze in England.

The departure from Kovachis to Niagara continues a trend from Hobart assistant -coaches to the I -Rangers Division. In fact, the last four assistant coaches from Taylor are all immediately to Division I Assistant -Rolls: Kovachis to Niagara, Tom Fiorentino to Bentley, Mark Phalon to Alaska Anchorage and Sean Flanagan to Umass Lowell.

“I was lucky to have good people who made themselves and me better,” Taylor said. “I don’t call a magical phone call, all my boys have deserved it. The process is not complicated, do it great where you are, while you do that, get better so that you continue to do your work better and you will be lucky to get the chance to get forward. I expect the same for my players for my players.”