Bill Cleary – 1993 Legend of College Hockey
When thinking of Harvard hockey, Bill Cleary may be the first name to come into the minds of many people.
As an All-American player in the 1954-55 season, Cleary still holds four Harvard hockey records, scoring 89 points in just 21 games, including 42 goals, also a record. He scored in 15 consecutive games and once tallied 8 assists in one game.
In the same season, Harvard won the Beanpot and Ivy League titles and took third place at the NCAA tournament. That year, Cleary was named All-Ivy, All-East and New England MVP.
A member of the 1956 U.S. silver-medal Olympic team, Cleary was the leading scorer for the 1960 gold-medal team and was captain and MVP for the 1959 World Team.
Cleary is the most winning coach at Harvard, compiling a 324-201-22 record in 19 seasons through 1990, including Harvard’s only NCAA-sponsored title in 1989.
His teams have reached the final four of the NCAA tournament seven times and the championship game three times. Cleary was named the National Coach of the Year in 1982-83 and was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977. He was named to the 24-man Golden Years Dream Team, a squad comprised of Olympic hockey players from the last 50 years.
Cleary assumed the role of Athletic Director at the school February 14, 1990. He since has been appointed to a four-year term on the executive com¬mittee of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
Following his coaching duties, Cleary was awarded the 1991 Scheaffer Pen Award for his outstanding contributions to New England hockey. He also received the 1992 Jofa-Titan/USA Hockey Distinguished Achievement Award for his commitment to the success of amateur hockey.
Cleary resides in Auburndale, Mass. with his wife, Jo. Two of his children, Paula (’83) and Bill III (’85), also attended Harvard and Kate (’92) attended Boston College.