General | 10/3/2025 9:30:00 PM
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders head coach Mark Carlson set the United States Hockey League (USHL) record for all-time, regular-season wins by a coach with 779 victories in his 1,500th game. The RoughRiders defeated the Lincoln Stars 3-2 on Friday at ImOn Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Through 26 seasons, Carlson has guided the RoughRiders to a 779-579-142 (W-L-T/OTL/SOL) record, winning the Anderson Cup in 2005, 2011, and 2016, and capturing the Clark Cup in 2005.
Currently the head coach, general manager, and team president for Cedar Rapids, Carlson has stood behind the bench for more games than any coach in the league and served as the RoughRiders' sole bench boss since the team's inaugural season in 1999-2000. He has helped develop more than 500 NCAA Division I college hockey players, nearly 40 NHL alumni, three Hobey Baker winners (Andy Miele, Adam Gaudette, Scott Perunovich), and two Stanley Cup champions (Ross Colton, Alec Martinez).
The record-breaking victory pushes Carlson ahead of P.K. O'Handley, who accrued 778 regular-season wins as a coach for the North Iowa Huskies and Waterloo Black Hawks before stepping down from his post in Waterloo following the 2020-21 season.
"We are proud to celebrate Mark for his tremendous accomplishment," said USHL President & Commissioner Glenn Hefferan. "His unwavering commitment to the USHL, our players, and the RoughRiders' faithful is a core piece to his success, and his ability to advocate for long-term player development has helped our league become a steady pipeline for NCAA and NHL talent."
A native of Lawrenceville, N.J., Carlson played at UMass-Lowell (1990-93) and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 11th round of the 1987 NHL Draft (215th overall). Before joining the RoughRiders, he coached at UMass-Lowell (1995-96) and Northeastern University (1996-99).
About the USHL
The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading 16–to 20-year-old junior hockey league. During the 2024-25 season, USHL alumni held over 50% of NCAA Division I roster spots, and over 25% of NHL players had USHL experience. With 10 first-round selections and 49 total picks in the 2024 NHL Draft, the USHL has developed the most draft choices of any junior hockey league since 2012.
Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 92% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel), Matthew Knies (Tri-City Storm), Adam Fantilli (Chicago Steel) and Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede). More.