U.S. Hockey Hall: Mason’s storied coaching career continues to be recognized

By Nick Barnowski – 

A group of names very familiar to those in the state of Michigan headline this year’s United States Hockey Hall of Fame class of 2013.

Legendary college hockey coach Ron Mason, Plymouth Whalers owner Peter Karmanos Jr., and Michigan native Doug Weight were elected into the prestigious hall today, representing some of the best hockey icons the state has to offer.

Also inducted were Cindy Curley and Bill Guerin.

“This is a class that represents extraordinary contribution and success in many different areas of our sport,” said Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey. “It’s a truly remarkable collection of individuals, all so very deserving of their place among immortals in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.”

Leading the way was Mason, who won 924 hockey games in his illustrious career spanning 36 years as head coach. He coached for three different schools – Lake Superior State, Bowling Green State, and Michigan State, where he won a NCAA national championship in 1986.

He held the all-time wins record for a college hockey coach until Boston College’s Jerry York passed him last season.

Mason also helped create the CCHA in 1972, served on both the NCAA Ice Hockey Committee and NCAA Ice Hockey Rules Committee during his career, and was MSU’s athletic director from 2002-07.

“I’d like to thank the hall of fame committee for this honor,” Mason said. “It’s the people in hockey that make it happen – whether it’s the players, whether it’s the support group, trainers, equipment people, I don’t think you can find a better sport.”

Mason got his start at Lake Superior State in 1966, which he remembers as one of the finest moments of his hockey career.

“It gave me the chance to prove it could coach and opportunities to move forward,” he said. “It got me into the game, and a lot of people said Lake Superior State starting hockey in 1966 was crazy but I thought the opposite.”

He moved to Bowling Green in 1973 before taking the head coaching job at Michigan State in 1979, which wasn’t an easy decision but proved a great one in the end.

“Going there from Bowling Green was a decision that was a tough one because I left a pretty good team at Bowling Green and took over a rebuilding one at Michigan State,” he said. “But at that point, the school and the surrounding state of Michigan had some really good players.”

Mason built the Spartans into a perennial contender, culminating with the national title in 1986. He led MSU to 17 CCHA regular-season and playoff titles and also coached 23 teams to the NCAA tournament. In addition, Mason coached 50 former Spartans who went on to careers in the NHL.

“I had the privilege of working with Ron on several levels – I was one of his early recruits to Michigan State, I coached alongside him, worked with him as an administrator, and that relationship has been special to me in each of those situations,” said current MSU head coach Tom Anastos in a release from the team. “Ron Mason has made an incredible impact on the game in so many ways. His winning speaks for itself. “In my opinion, Ron’s ability to develop talent, inspire coaches and push others around him to get better, and putting what’s best for the game as his highest priority are the things that I feel have been his greatest contributions to hockey.

“It’s all about the surroundings you’re involved with — if it’s very positive you’re going to be successful and I was lucky to be in that position at Michigan State.”

Details on when the election ceremony will take place have yet to be released.