GENEVA — Hobart hockey head coach Mark Taylor recently announced that former Penn State forward Alec Marsh will serve as his assistant coach for the 2025-26 season. Marsh replaces Niko Kovachis who accepted an assistant coach position at Niagara University.
“Certainly you have to have a high level of hockey ability to play at a program like Penn State, but what surfaced in the hiring process was what got him there, work ethic and character, and those same qualities are what made him achieve there,” Taylor said. “Those are qualities that we value highly here at Hobart. From his prior coaches, teammates and current employer, it was clear his teammates loved playing with him, coaches loved coaching him and his current boss hated to see him go but couldn’t be happier for him. That is our type of guy. Hockey is a small world, and I am excited to add Alec to ours.”
Marsh comes to Hobart after spending the last three years working as head coach and academy director for the New Jersey Rockets. He worked with the 14U, 15U and 16U players, emphasizing skill development and technical understanding. In 2024, he helped the Rockets U14 team reach the national quarterfinals. In 2025, the U16 team advanced to the semifinals of the national tournament. Marsh directed the full-time development academy, creating age-specific training plans, managing both the on-ice and off-ice curriculum. He also oversaw skill and player development throughout the season while assisting the staff with practice planning and the scouting of 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 games, recording 54 points on 22 goals and 32 assists. Marsh helped Penn State to its first Big Ten title in 2016-17 and its first two appearances in the NCAA tournament Division I.
Following graduation, Marsh played three seasons of professional hockey. 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 Marksmen. In 2021-22, he played 50 games for the Coventry Blaze in England.
Kovachis’ departure for Niagara continues a trend of Hobart assistant coaches moving to the Division I ranks. In fact, Taylor’s last four assistants all have moved straight to DI assistant roles: Kovachis to Niagara, Tom Fiorentino to Bentley, Mark Phalon to Alaska Anchorage, and Sean Flanagan to UMass Lowell.
“I’ve been fortunate to have good people who made themselves and me better,” Taylor said. “I don’t make a magic phone call, all my guys have earned it. The process is not complicated, do a great job where you are at, while doing that, get better so you keep doing your job even better and you will be fortunate to get an opportunity to advance. I expect and want the same for my coaches as I do for my players.”
Hobart kicks off its quest for a fourth straight national title on Oct. 31 when it takes on Route 14 rival Elmira.