Southern Maine Athletics

The seventh head coach in the 40-year history of the University of Southern Maine men’s ice hockey program, Ed Harding, was named head coach in April 2015 after taking over as interim head coach at the midway point of the 2014-15 season.  Harding is a former USM player (1985-88) and assistant coach (1993-96).

Harding has an impressive coaching background and was the head coach at North Yarmouth Academy (2010-11) before joining the coaching staff at the University of Southern Maine.  Prior to his time at NYA, Harding had a six-year run with the Lewiston Maineiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.  He began his association with the Maineiacs as an assistant coach for two seasons (2003-05) before moving into the dual role of assistant general manager/assistant coach for the next two seasons (2005-07).  Harding served as the Maineiacs head coach and general manager for two years (2007-09).

Harding began his coaching career in 1989 filling the head coaching position at Greely High School (Cumberland, Maine) for four seasons (1989-93).  He came back to USM as an assistant coach for three seasons. (1993-96).  In 1996, Harding became the first coach and general manager of the Flagstaff Mountaineers (WSJHL), guiding the Mountaineers to two league championships and a combined 66-10-3 record.  Harding also had coaching stints with the Portland Pirates (volunteer assistant, 1998-99), Arkansas Riverblades (assistant coach, 1999-2000) and the Tulsa Crude (head coach; 2001-02).

Since taking over the Huskies’ men’s ice hockey program, Harding’s student-athletes have had tremendous success on and off of the ice. At the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, 15 members of the men’s ice hockey program earned New England Hockey Conference All-Academic honors.  Several Huskies have gone on to extend their playing careers professionally, including recent graduates Brendan Dowler ’22 who signed with the Danbury Hat Tricks of The Federal Prospects Hockey League and 2021-22 captain Maverick Lynes, who signed with the Binghamton Black Bears of the FPHL.

A three-time captain for the Huskies, Harding played two seasons (1985-87) for former coach Gordie Clark and one season under Jeff Beaney (1987-88).  During his three seasons wearing a Huskies jersey, Harding scored 37 goals and dished out 33 assists for 70 points.  He was inducted into the Husky Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014.  After his playing days at USM, Harding split one professional season between the Maine Mariners and the Johnstown Chiefs (1988-89).