Hobart and William Smith Colleges

23 June 2023 • Alums Masons Endow Hobart Head Hockey Coach Position

The philanthropy of Trustee Scott J. ’81 and Lynne Nowadly Mason ’80, P’13 will create an endowed head coach position for Hobart hockey while also supporting hockey operations and annual giving. 

Through the generosity of Trustee Scott J. ’81 and Lynne Nowadly Mason ’80, P’13, the Colleges have created an endowed head coach position, the Mason Family Hobart Head Hockey Coach. The Mason’s gift was made in honor of Hobart athletics and Hobart hockey. The gift pays tribute to the leadership and success of current Hobart Head Hockey Coach Mark Taylor, who led the Statesmen to the 2023 NCAA Division III National Championship, the first in program history.

The announcement of the gift was made during the celebration of the Hobart Hall of Fame when Taylor was one of 10 inductees in the Hobart Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

“Scott Mason has been singularly devoted to Hobart hockey,” said President Mark D. Gearan during the ceremony. “Tonight – on the heels of the program’s first national championship and when Coach Taylor is inducted into the Hobart Hall of Fame – is the perfect time to announce Scott and Lynne’s extraordinary commitment. I thank them both not just for their generosity but also for their absolute belief in the hockey program and its coach. It is so greatly appreciated.”

Residents of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, the Masons are longtime supporters of the Colleges. Scott and Lynne both earned degrees in history. Scott was a member of the first three Hobart varsity hockey teams, earning the team’s most improved award in 1980. They have three children, Alyssa, Andrew ’13 and Matthew.

In addition to creating the endowed coach position, the Mason’s gift will support general operations of Hobart hockey and the HWS Annual Fund, which supports everything from academics and study abroad to internships and leadership programs.

“I’m an extremely proud alum of Hobart hockey,” Scott Mason says. “Mark Taylor is a good friend, a mentor to many and a leader to this program that was so capably demonstrated during the 2023 season. Lynne and I are happy to help sustain his leadership and the success of the Statesmen.”

Scott has served on the HWS Board of Trustees for nearly seven years. He is a co-chair of the Asset Management Committee and serves on the Advancement and Communications Committee and the Enrollment Management Committee. Additionally, Scott is a member of the Statesmen Athletic Association Board of Directors.

“HWS is an awesome place, but not just because of what’s in the acreage of the campus, but also the people around this community,” Taylor says. “You go to school or you go to work, but you find yourself a second home. Scott and Lynne championed our program long before I arrived at Hobart and have been steadfast in their support throughout my time here. I’m humbled and grateful for their support.”

Hobart hockey has posted 20 consecutive winning seasons under Taylor’s leadership, earning eight straight NCAA tournament bids and completing four straight 20-win seasons. In 2022-23, the Statesmen skated to a 29-2-0 overall record, winning the NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship with a dramatic 3-2 overtime triumph against Adrian College in the title game. Hobart also won the New England Hockey Conference Championship, the program’s seventh conference title, all under Taylor’s tutelage.

Every year, a percentage of earnings from the Mason Family Hobart Head Hockey Coach endowment will be paid out to benefit the Statesmen Hockey program. Endowment income can be used annually for various important programmatic benefits, including head coach compensation and retention, operating budget enhancements and to meet needs that maintain the competitive success of the Statesmen.

In the photo above, Scott Mason '81, P'13 cheers as the Hobart hockey team clinches the 2023 NCAA Division III Men's National Championship. The photo appeared on the front page of the sports section of the Boston Globe.