Gary Wright (ice hockey)

Gary Wright is an American retired ice hockey coach. Wright served as head coach of Rice Memorial High School from 1976 to 1979, an assistant coach at Maine from 1979 to 1984, and as the head coach of American International from 1984 through 2016. After the retirement of Jack Parker in 2012–13 Wright became the longest-tenured coach in the NCAA along with Red Berenson.[2]

Gary Wright
Biographical details
BornBurlington, VT, USA
Playing career
1973–1976Vermont
Position(s)Center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1976–1979Rice Memorial HS
1979–1984Maine (assistant)
1984–2016American International
Head coaching record
Overall313–605–76 (.353)
Accomplishments and honors
Records
Most Losses, One School: (605)[1]

Career

Gary Wright got his start in college hockey at Vermont after graduating from Proctor Academy in 1972. After his sophomore season the Catamounts made the move to Division I, giving Wright two valuable years of playing experience at the top level under Jim Cross.[3] Wright's playing career ended upon his graduation in 1976 and he quickly moved into the coaching ranks, becoming the head coach for Rice Memorial in his hometown of Burlington. Wright got the team to a second-place finish in his second season but after the third he left to become an assistant for Maine.[2]

At the time of his arrival, Maine had just jumped up to the D-I ranks, joining ECAC Hockey in 1979–80. The Black Bears managed just one winning season over the next five years under Jack Semler as they grew accustomed to the stiffer competition but, as Semler was being replaced by Shawn Walsh after 1983–84, Wright got the opportunity to become the head coach at American International.[4] Wright took over in AIC's final season as a Division II as the level was dissolving, forcing the Yellow Jackets to drop down to Division III the following year. The program joined ECAC East that same year and began to build a respectable reputation that would carry them into the mid-1990s.[5] Despite a sharp decline after 1994, AIC was willing to sign on to the NCAA-mandated Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference as an associate member in 1998–99.

After a good first season in the MAAC, AIC remained at or near the bottom for the remainder of their time in the conference. When Atlantic Hockey formed in 2003–04 to take over from the discontinued MAAC the Yellow Jackets accompanied all of the former members into the new conference. The chance in name brought little difference in outcome for Wright's team. The Yellow Jackets were one of the worst programs in terms of wins in their conference and all of college hockey after joining the Division I ranks. Despite the lack of on-ice success, Wright was lauded for achieving a perfect Academic Progress Rate with his players and coaching AIC to three Team Sportsmanship Awards.[6]

Wright coached AIC from 1984 to 2016. Although his 605 losses are an NCAA record for a coach at one school, Wright was respected at the university for keeping the program alive as it played much larger and better-funded Division I teams.[7]

Head coaching record
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
American International Yellow Jackets (ECAC 2) (1984–1985)
1984–85 American International 16–15–0
American International: 16–15–0
American International Yellow Jackets (ECAC East) (1985–1998)
1985–86 American International 11–19–17–15–0
1986–87 American International 9–19–25–18–2
1987–88 American International 21–10–016–8–0
1988–89 American International 24–7–020–3–0
1989–90 American International 18–9–315–6–1
1990–91 American International 16–11–212–9–2
1991–92 American International 11–13–29–11–2
1992–93 American International 16–8–313–7–3
1993–94 American International 14–12–010–7–0
1994–95 American International 4–19–22–13–2
1995–96 American International 7–15–26–12–1
1996–97 American International 5–18–24–13–2
1997–98 American International 5–18–13–15–1
American International: 161–178–20122–137–16
American International Yellow Jackets (MAAC) (1998–2003)
1998–99 American International 12–16–411–13–45thMAAC Quarterfinals
1999–00 American International 7–20–35–19–39th
2000–01 American International 10–20–110–15–19th
2001–02 American International 7–21–06–20–09th
2002–03 American International 10–20–29–16–19th
American International: 46–97–1041–83–9
American International Yellow Jackets (Atlantic Hockey) (2003–2016)
2003–04 American International 5–25–43–17–49thAtlantic Hockey Quarterfinals
2004–05 American International 4–23–44–16–49thAtlantic Hockey Play-In
2005–06 American International 6–21–56–17–58thAtlantic Hockey Quarterfinals
2006–07 American International 8–25–17–20–110thAtlantic Hockey Quarterfinals
2007–08 American International 8–23–58–17–310thAtlantic Hockey First Round
2008–09 American International 5–28–25–22–110thAtlantic Hockey First Round
2009–10 American International 5–24–45–19–410thAtlantic Hockey First Round
2010–11 American International 8–24–17–19–112thAtlantic Hockey Quarterfinals
2011–12 American International 8–26–36–18–310thAtlantic Hockey First Round
2012–13 American International 12–17–69–12–69thAtlantic Hockey First Round
2013–14 American International 10–25–19–17–111thAtlantic Hockey First Round
2014–15 American International 4–25–74–17–710thAtlantic Hockey First Round
2015–16 American International 7–29–36–19–310thAtlantic Hockey First Round
American International: 90–315–4679–230–43
Total:313–605–76[8]

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References
  1. "All-Time Coaching Records". USCHO. Retrieved 2012-08-07.
  2. "2012–13 Men's Ice Hockey Coaching Staff". AIC Yellow Jackets. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  3. "Vermont Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  4. "2012–13 Maine Hockey Media Guide". Maine Black Bears. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  5. "Men's Ice Hockey Year-By-Year Results". AIC Yellow Jackets. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
  6. "Commentary: Wright's tenure at American International wasn't defined by wins and losses". USCHO.com. April 1, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  7. Chimelis, Ron (2019-03-12). "After decades of losing, AIC hockey is savoring its success". MassLive. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  8. "Gary Wright Year-by-Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
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