Marshall Named Manhattanville Men's Hockey Coach

PURCHASE, N.Y. ? In the span of two years, Arlen Marshall has risen from graduate assistant coach, to assistant coach to head coach of the Manhattanville College men’s ice hockey team.

The 27-year-old former Manhattanville hockey standout was promoted to the top position by his former coach, Director of Athletics Keith Levinthal. He replaces Eric Lang, who resigned earlier this summer.

“Words couldn’t describe what I felt,” Marshall said of the call from Levinthal saying that he was being named head coach. “I was happy, but also relieved, and then I was anxious to get started.”

Marshall has been working diligently, preparing for the 2012-13 season, beginning with recruiting trips in September. Practice begins Oct. 15, and Marshall leads his team onto the ice Nov. 2 for the season-opener.

In 2010, after playing four years for Levinthal, Marshall began working in the communications field. Five weeks into his new job, he received a call from Levinthal asking if he would be interested in coaching.

Marshall learned under Levinthal, the architect of the program and first head coach, before his mentor stepped down two years ago. Marshall is planning to incorporate what he learned from Levinthal into his coaching style.

“Keith was very detail-oriented and instilled team discipline,” said Marshall, who first met Levinthal in 2005. “He made sure that he always had the 20 guys on the same page.”

Marshall also learned about preparation and applied this to his interview. Even though he is a Manhattanville graduate, he did not go into the interview looking for preferential treatment. Marshall wanted to earn the job on his merit, résumé and interview.

“I went into the interview with a professional mindset, just like any other candidate,” Marshall said. “When I finished with my interview, I felt I got all of my points across. I knew I was up against some stiff competition, so I wanted to put it in their hands to make a tough decision.”

The transition to head coach should be a smooth one for Marshall. The players, many of whom he recruited, know Marshall well.

“I will bring continuity to the players,” he said. “They know me and my tendencies and I know them. I spoke to all of the players and the feedback has been very positive.”

Marshall has enjoyed his first two years as a college coach, calling them “one of the best experiences I’ve had in my life, so far. Hopefully, it gets better.”

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