Good profile of Ned Harkness in the most recent
RPI alumni magazine, titled "A League of His
Own".  It's mostly about Harkness' success as a
lacrosse coach at RPI in the 50's, but it does also
have passing references to his hockey
achievements as coach of national champions at
RPI and Cornell.
 
Most striking is that this guy was a phenomenally
consistent winner.  Biography, briefly:
 
+  born Ottawa, 1922; father coached both
lacrosse and hockey at Union College (where Ned
also did in 70s, though the dates aren't mentioned)
 
+  graduated Worcester Academy, 1939.
 
+  middle-weight boxing champion in RCAF; flew
39 combat missions as bombardier in WWII.
 
+  started RPI lacrosse in 1945; won NCAA title in
1952; was 112-26-2 in 13 years.
 
+  revived RPI hockey in 1950; won NCAA title in
1954; was 178-98-7 in 14 years.
 
+ first coach to win NCAAs in both lacrosse and
hockey; note from the dates that he was doing all
this in his late 20's and early 30's!
 
+  took over Cornell lacrosse in 1963 (team had
been 7-17 in 61-62); was 35-1 in 3 years.
 
+  took over Cornell hockey in 1964; won five
straight Ivy titles, 4 straight ECAC
championships, and won NCAAs in 1967 and
1970; was 163-27-1 in 7 years.
 
+ only hockey coach in history to win NCAA Div. I
titles with different teams.
 
+  winningest coach by percentage in NCAA
hockey history (.757)
 
+ first college coach to go directly to the NHL as
head coach.
 
+  head coach of Detroit Red Wings, 1970; later
general manager.
 
+  founded the Adirondack Red Wings (one of the
most successful AHL franchises); AHL Executive
of the Year in 1979.
 
+  first president and CEO of the NY Olympic
Regional Development Authority, which runs the
Lake Placid Olympic facilities.
 
+  part-owner, chairman, and governor of the
Albany River Rats.
 
Harkness is 71 and living in South Glens Falls,
NY.  Ground was broken this spring on the Ned
Harkness Athletic Track and Field at RPI.
Considering his tenure and success, as well as his
intimate relationship to three ECAC members, he
would have to be considered among the most
important individuals in the history of the
conference.
 
 
Greg
Cambridge
Let's Go Red!