Eric Lang (ice hockey)
Eric Lang (born August 6, 1975) is an American former ice hockey forward who currently the head coach at his alma mater American International.[1]
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | American International |
| Conference | Atlantic Hockey |
| Record | 122–99–24 (.547) |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | August 6, 1975 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Alma mater | American International |
| Playing career | |
| 1994–1998 | American International |
| Position(s) | Forward |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2006–2008 | American International (graduate assistant) |
| 2008–2011 | Manhattanville College (women) |
| 2011–2012 | Manhattanville College |
| 2012–2016 | Army (assistant) |
| 2016–present | American International |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 135–108–27 (.550) |
| Tournaments | 1–3 (.250) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2019 Atlantic Hockey Champion 2019 Atlantic Hockey Tournament champion 2020 Atlantic Hockey Champion 2021 Atlantic Hockey Champion 2021 Atlantic Hockey tournament champion 2022 Atlantic Hockey Champion 2022 Atlantic Hockey tournament champion | |
| Awards | |
| 3× Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year (2019, 2020, 2022) | |
Career edit
Lang started his college career at American International, playing for the team while it was still in the Division III ranks. After four seasons with the Yellow Jackets he graduated with a BA in psychology. Lang worked for the NHL as an off-ice official and coached at Byram Hills High School for four years before returning to Springfield, Massachusetts to earn a graduate degree. While working towards a master's in organizational development Lang served as a graduate assistant for the men's ice hockey team at AIC from 2006 until graduating in 2008.[2]
With his degree in hand Lang was immediately hired as the head coach of the women's program at Manhattanville College, spending three seasons with the team until he took over the duties as bench boss of the men's team in 2011. Lang spent only one season with the program[3] before joining the staff at Army first as a volunteer assistant and then as a full-time assistant coach for the Black Knights. After four years under the tutelage of Brian Riley Lang accepted the head coaching position with his alma mater, replacing long-time coach Gary Wright.
Taking over a team that in 2016 ranked 60th of 60 Division I teams, Lang recruited Europeans who wanted a good education while playing hockey, and used a European playing style emphasizing puck possession. In his first season as head coach AIC's 8-20-8 record was not unusually bad compared to the team's history. In his second season Lang led the team to 15 wins, the most since 1993. In Lang's third season AIC won both the Atlantic Hockey regular season and tournament titles and led the Yellow Jackets to their first ever NCAA tournament appearance.[4][5]
Head coaching record edit
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattanville Valiants (ECAC West) (2011–2012) | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | Manhattanville | 13–9–3 | 6–6–0 | 2nd | ECAC West Semifinal | ||||
| Manhattanville: | 13–9–3 (.580) | 6–6–0 (.500) | |||||||
| American International Yellow Jackets (Atlantic Hockey) (2016–present) | |||||||||
| 2016–17 | American International | 8–20–8 | 7–14–7 | 10th | Atlantic Hockey first round | ||||
| 2017–18 | American International | 15–20–4 | 11–13–4 | 8th | Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals | ||||
| 2018–19 | American International | 23–17–1 | 18–9–1 | 1st | NCAA Regional finals | ||||
| 2019–20 | American International | 21–12–1 | 21–6–1 | 1st | Tournaments Cancelled | ||||
| 2020–21 | American International | 15–4–0 | 11–1–0 | 1st | NCAA regional semifinals | ||||
| 2021–22 | American International | 22–12–3 | 17–7–2 | 1st | NCAA regional semifinals | ||||
| 2022–23 | American International | 18–14–7 | 14–8–4 | 2nd | Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals | ||||
| American International: | 122–99–24 | 99–58–19 | |||||||
| Total: | 135–108–27 (.550) | ||||||||
| National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||
References edit
- ^ "2016-17 Men's Ice Hockey Coaching Staff". American International Yellow Jackets. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
- ^ "Eric Lang named new American International College men's ice hockey coach, replaces Gary Wright". Mass Live. 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
- ^ "Manhattanville Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
- ^ Chimelis, Ron (2019-03-12). "After decades of losing, AIC hockey is savoring its success". MassLive. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
- ^ "American International Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
External links edit
- Official biography, AIC Yellow Jackets
- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database