Mark Bolding, who led Norwich University to the school's first NCAA Women's Division III Ice Hockey title, has been voted by his peers as the Division III Women's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year for the 2010-2011 season. The Cadets went 25-4-1, setting a school record for victories and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the school's brief four-year varsity history. The magical season ended with a 5-2 win over Rochester Institute of Technology in the NCAA final. Ironically, the season began with a 3-1 home loss to RIT in November.

Norwich dominated the ECAC East this year, going 17-0-1 to win the regular season title. The Cadets took a 17-game unbeaten streak into the ECAC East Tournament final, only to be defeated by Manhattanville, 4-2. However, Norwich rebounded with a 5-4 win over Gustavus Adolphus College in the NCAA semifinals before taking the title with the victory over RIT in the championship final.

Bolding, the 2010 AHCA Coach of the Year, has been at Norwich for nine seasons, the last four coaching the women's program at the varsity level. After an 11-9-2 first year, Bolding led Norwich to a 19 wins and the ECAC East title in 2009, qualifying the Cadets for their first NCAA Tournament appearance. Last year, the club repeated as ECAC East champion, shutting out both its semifinal and final opponents, en route to the NCAA Championship final. His four-year varsity record is 76-30-9.

A native of Red Deer, Alberta, Bolding is a 1995 graduate of Norwich, where he was a standout defenseman in a Hall of Fame playing career (inducted in the school's HOF in 2005). Before taking the reins of the women's program, Bolding served two stints as an assistant to men's head coch Mike McShane.

Keith Maurice and Holly Russo assisted Bolding this year. The runner-up for the award was Scott McDonald of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

The Coach of the Year Award is chosen by members of the American Hockey Coaches Association and will be presented on Friday, April 29, at the AHCA "Celebration of Women's Ice Hockey" banquet in Naples, Florida, as part of the annual AHCA Convention.