Way back when Mike Schafer took over as Cornell coach, we wondered whether past changes in coaching had tended to hurt or help their programs. The new skipper might not necessarily benefit from "regression towards the mean", since coaches leave to pursue other opportunities after achieving significant milestones -- witness Ned Harkness leaving Cornell after the Perfect Season for the Detroit Red Wings.
Prior to Schafer, there had been ten coaching changes in the previous ten ECAC seasons, with mixed results. Three teams: St. Lawrence (Joe Marsh), Vermont (Mike Gilligan), and Yale (Tim Taylor) had had the same coach over the entire ten-year period.
Old Coach New Coach n-2 n-1 n n+1 n+2 n+3 Cor Lou Reycroft B. McCutcheon 1987-88 28 16 30 26 27 31 Brn Herb Hammond Bob Gaudet 1988-89 18 5 1 19 20 24 Clk Cap Raeder Mark Morris 1988-89 26 23 28 27 32 31 RPI Mike Addessa Buddy Powers 1989-90 18 18 28 28 16 31 Drt Brian Mason Ben Smith* 1990-91 15 12 3 Hvd Bill Cleary Ronn Tomassoni 1990-91 40 25 28 32 35 36 Drt Ben Smith* Roger Demment 1991-92 12 3 8 18 9 16 Prn Jim Higgins Don Cahoon 1991-92 23 15 19 15 17 21 Col Terry Slater Don Vaughan 1992-93 22 22 18 22 25 RPI Buddy Powers Dan Fridgen 1994-95 31 28 23 16 27 Cor B. McCutcheon Mike Schafer 1995-96 19 20 29 30 * Ben Smith decided he couldn't hack the Hanover winter after just one season.
Perhaps also noteworthy is that Schafer's predecessor, Brian McCutcheon, was the only coach over this period to be removed after a season in which his team improved its conference point total (although Cornell did drop in the standings).
Note to readers: more missing data, eh??? Well, as we mention elsewhere, your intrepid author is currently separated from his print records by approximately 3,500 miles and/or one helluva FedEx bill. So, more data as library resources and checkbook permit, and thanks for your patient indulgence.