The Bowdoin Polar Bears are a Men’s Division III ice hockey team representing Bowdoin College, located in Brunswick, Maine from the New England Small College Athletic Conference. The team is based out of Sidney J. Watson Arena, which is located on the school’s campus. The men’s program was established for the 1919-20 season.

 

Quick Hits

• School: Bowdoin College
• Location: Brunswick, Maine
• School Founded: 1794
• Enrollment: 1,873
• Colors: Black, White, & Gray
• Home Arena: Sidney J. Watson Arena
• Arena Capacity: 1,900
• Rink Dimensions: 200′ x 90′
• Conference: New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)
• Head Coach: Ben Guite
• Conference Titles: 13 (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1989 co-champ, 1994 co-champ, 2007 co-champ, 2010, 2013)
• Conference Tournament Titles: 10 (1971, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1986, 1993, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2023)

Conferences

• Independent (1919-1964)
• ECAC Division II (1964-1985)
• ECAC East (1985-1999)
• New England Small College Athletic Conference (1999-present)

Arenas

• Delta Outdoor Rink (1919-1956)
• Dayton Arena (1956-2008)
• Sidney J. Watson Arena (2008-present)

Head Coaches

• No Formal Head Coach (1919-1921; 1922-1923) 10-13-1 (.438)
• Allen E. Morrell (1921-1922) 2-6-0 (.250)
• Benjamin F. Houser (1923-1930) 26-28-2 (.482)
• Charles Bowser & Linn S. Wells (1930-1931) 2-6-0 (.250)
  • co-coaches
• Linn S. Wells (1931-1941) 26-54-2 (.329)
• H. Taylor (1941-1942) 2-8-0 (.200)
• Daniel N. MacFayden (1946-1957) 50-71-2 (.415)
• C. Nels Corey (1957-1958) 5-15-1 (.262)
• C. Nels Corey/Sid Watson (1958-1959) 7-11-1 (.395)
  • co-coaches
• Sid Watson (1959-1983) 326-210-11 (.606)
• Terry Meagher (1983-2016) 542-253-58 (.669)
• Jamie Dumont (2016-2022) 42-70-8 (.383)
• Ben Guite (2022-present) 55-37-11 (.587)

Year by Year Results

Season	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts	Finish	Conference Tournament	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA
Independent Program										Overall Record
1919-20	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	2	3	0
1920-21	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	1	6	1
1921-22	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	2	6	0
1922-23	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	11	7	4	0
1923-24	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	4	2	2
1924-25	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	3	2	0
1925-26	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	4	4	0
1926-27	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9	4	5	0
1927-28	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	4	6	0
1928-29	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9	5	4	0
1929-30	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	7	2	5	0
1930-31	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	2	6	0
1931-32	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	1	7	0
1932-33	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	7	3	4	0
1933-34	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	5	3	2
1934-35	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	1	7	0
1935-36	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8	2	6	0
1936-37	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	7	1	6	0
1937-38	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	12	6	6	0
1938-39	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	6	4	0
1939-40	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	1	5	0
1940-41	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	0	6	0
1941-42	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	10	2	8	0
Program Suspended due to World War II
1946-47	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	11	3	8	0
1947-48	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	11	6	5	0
1948-49	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	12	4	8	0
1949-50	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	11	7	4	0
1950-51	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	12	6	5	1
1951-52	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	3	3	0
1952-53	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	11	4	7	0
1953-54	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9	6	2	1
1954-55	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9	2	7	0
1955-56	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	14	6	8	0
1956-57	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	17	3	14	0
1957-58	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	21	5	15	1
1958-59	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	19	7	11	1
1959-60	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	22	11	11	0
1960-61	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	20	15	5	0
1961-62	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	22	10	11	1
1962-63	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	19	6	13	0
1963-64	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	22	14	8	0
ECAC Division II										Overall Record
1964-65	14	9	5	0			0.643		Did not qualify	21	11	10	0
1965-67	13	9	3	1	74	41	0.731		Did not qualify	20	11	8	1	96	82
1965-67	12	8	4	0	70	37	0.667		Did not qualify	20	9	11	0	88	87
1967-68	15	9	5	1	79	48	0.633		Did not qualify	21	11	9	1
1968-69	16	12	3	1	74	45	0.781	1st	Did not qualify	21	14	6	1	90	68
1969-70	13	13	0	0	77	31	1	1st	W, SF 9-1 (Merrimack) L, F 4-1 (Vermont)	22	19	3	0
1970-71	16	14	2	0	94	34	0.875	1st	W, SF 8-2 (Norwich) W, F 5-4 OT (Vermont)	24	19	4	1
1971-72	15	14	1	0	99	44	0.933	1st	Did not qualify	21	17	4	0	124	78
1972-73	16	11	4	1	81	56	0.719	2nd	W, QF 5-4 OT (Williams) W, SF 9-3 (Massachusetts) L, F 8-1 (Vermont)	24	14	8	2
1973-74	14	6	8	0	60	53	0.429		Did not qualify	22	8	14	0
1974-75	16	11	5	0	87	72	0.688	2nd	W, QF 8-4 (Army) W, SF 3-2 OT (Middlebury) W, F 6-4 (Hamilton)	23	14	9	0
1975-76	16	13	3	0	107	66	0.813	3rd	W, QF 7-3 (Hamilton) W, SF 4-1 (Salem St) W, F 6-5 (Merrimack)	27	18	9	0
1976-77	15	13	2	0	102	47	0.867	3rd	L, QF 4-2 (Lowell)	23	16	7	0
1977-78	17	3	3	1	116	61	0.794	1st	W, QF 7-4 (Colby) W, SF 4-1 (Salem St.) W, F 3-0 (Merrimack)	26	19	6	1
1978-79	17	10	7	0			0.588	8th	L, QF 4-3 OT (Salem St.)	25	13	12	0
1979-80	18	14	2	2	99	47	0.833	1st	W, QF 5-2 (Colby) L, SF 5-4 OT (Merrimack)	26	19	5	2
1980-81	18	11	7	0			0.611	5th	W, QF 3-2 (New England Coll.) L, SF 6-3 (Lowell)	26	14	12	0
1981-82	19	11	8	0			0.579	6th	L, QF 7-4 (Merrimack)	25	13	12	0
1982-83	18	9	8	1	78	74	0.528	6th	L, QF 14-9 (Holy Cross)	25	11	13	1
1983-84	16	12	3	1			0.781	1st	W, QF 6-4 (UMass-Boston) W, 4-3 OT (Colby) L, F 4-1 (Babson)	26	19	6	1
1984-85	18	9	8	1	86	60	0.528	6th	W, QF 5-3 (Merrimack) L, SF 6-5 (Salem St.)	26	13	12	1
ECAC East										Overall Record
1985-86	19	17	2	0			0.895	1st	W, QF 7-1 (North Adams St.) W, SF 5-2 (Norwich) W, F 6-3 (Babson)	27	22	5	0
1986-87	22	19	3	0	103	60	0.864	2nd	W, QF 8-2 (Holy Cross) L, SF 6-3 (Babson)	26	21	5	0
1987-88	21	15	6	0	105	68	0.714	T-3rd	W, QF 4-2 (AIC) W, SF 3-2 (Babson) L, F 4-1 (Merrimack)	27	19	8	0
1988-89	20	17	2	1	115	62	0.875	T-1st	W, QF 5-1 (Middlebury) W, SF 7-4 (AIC) L, F 9-4 (Merrimack)	26	21	4	1
1989-90	18	12	4	2	99	69	0.722	3rd	W, QF 6-4 (Connecticut) L, SF 5-2 (Middlebury)	26	16	8	2
1990-91	21	8	11	2			0.429		L, QF 4-3 OT (Middlebury)	25	11	12	2
1991-92	22	14	8	0			0.636		L, QF 7-3 (Babson)	25	15	10	0
1992-93	23	13	8	2			0.609		W, QF 2-1 (Middlebury) W, SF 6-1 (Connecticut) W, F 6-2 (Salem St.)	26	16	8	2
1993-94	17	12	3	2	26		26	T-1st	W, QF 10-0 (AIC) W, SF 5-2 (Connecticut) L, F 6-3 (Salem St.)	26	18	5	3
1994-95	17	12	4	1	107	62	25	T-2nd	W, QF 6-0 (Holy Cross) W, SF 3-0 (Babson) L, F 7-1 (Salem St.)	26	19	5	2
1995-96	18	15	3	1			31	3rd	Declined to participate in order to play in NCAA tournament	26	18	7	1
1996-97	19	11	8	0	92	63	22	7th	W, FR 5-3 (Trinity) W, QF 2-1 2OT (Williams) W, SF 5-4 OT (Norwich) L, F 3-2 (Colby)	27	15	12	0
1997-98	19	11	6	2	73	57	24	T-6th	L, QF 5-1 (Salem St.)	25	13	10	2
1998-99	17	4	10	3	56	65	11	T-13th	Did not qualify	24	9	12	3	86	86
New England Small College Athletic Conference										Overall Record
1999-00	17	12	3	2	82	44	26	T-3rd	L, QF 5-4 OT (Hamilton)	24	17	5	2	116	67
2000-01	17	11	6	0	85	53	22	5th	W, QF 4-3 OT (Trinity) L, SF 3-0 (Amherst)	25	14	10	1	107	83
2001-02	19	14	2	3	96	38	31	2nd	W, QF 3-2 (Amherst) L, SF 3-2 OT (Trinity)	27	18	6	3	127	61
2002-03	19	11	3	5	86	55	27	4th	L, QF 6-3 (Hamilton)	24	13	6	5	116	74
2003-04	18	12	6	0	90	51	24	T-3rd	L, QF 4-0 (Hamilton)	24	16	8	0	119	66
2004-05	19	11	5	3	88	47	25	T-3rd	W, QF 6-4 (Amherst) W, SF 3-2 (Trinity) L, F 3-2 (Middlebury)	26	17	6	3	125	66
2005-06	19	10	6	3	67	49	23	T-3rd	W, QF 5-1 (Amherst) W, SF 3-1 (Trinity) L, F 4-2 (Middlebury)	27	17	7	3	109	69
2006-07	19	11	6	2	73	53	24	T-1st	W, QF 7-3 (Trinity) W, SF 6-3 (Amherst) L. F 4-2 (Middlebury)	26	16	7	3	111	68
2007-08	19	13	6	0	95	56	26	T-2nd	L, QF 5-2 (Trinity)	24	17	7	0	117	71
2008-09	19	8	9	2	63	60	18	6th	L, QF 3-2 OT (Williams)	25	11	12	2	87	72
2009-10	19	14	4	1	82	45	29	1st	W, QF 2-1 OT (Colby) W, SF 6-2 (Hamilton) L, F 3-2 (Middlebury)	27	19	7	1	116	72
2010-11	19	11	7	1	78	60	23	T-3rd	W, QF 4-3 OT (Amherst) W, SF 3-1 (Colby) W, F 5-2 (Williams)	28	19	8	1	121	85
2011-12	18	12	3	3	84	47	27	2nd	W, QF 2-1 (Trinity) L, SF 6-3 (Middlebury)	25	16	6	3	114	64
2012-13	18	13	3	2	76	47	28	1st	W, QF 5-3 (Hamilton) W, SF 4-2 (Middlebury) W, F 2-1 (Williams)	29	23	4	2	123	74
2013-14	18	9	8	1	62	57	19	5th	W, QF 6-3 (Middlebury) W, SF 5-4 (Trinity) W, F 3-2 2OT (Amherst)	28	17	9	2	109	81
2014-15	18	8	7	3	57	50	19	5th	L, QF 4-3 OT (Williams)	25	14	8	3	91	59
2015-16	18	9	5	4	53	42	22	3rd	L, QF 8-5 (Amherst)	25	13	8	4	80	70
2016-17	18	5	12	1	50	65	11	8th	L, QF 4-2 (Hamilton)	25	8	16	1	79	93
2017-18	18	5	13	0	40	65	10	9th	Did not qualify	24	8	16	0	52	77
2018-19	18	3	14	1	35	69	7	T-9th	Did not qualify	24	6	16	2	59	95
2019-20	18	8	9	1	49	60	17	T-5th	L, QF 5-1 (Hamilton)	24	11	12	1	66	76
2020-21	Season cancelled October 8th due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22	18	8	5	5	51	52	26.5	7th	L, FR 4-1 (Conn. College)	22	8	10	4	61	67
2022-23	18	6	9	3	40	54	22.5	T-6th	W, QF 2-1 OT (Trinity) W, SF 3-1 (Colby) W, F 3-2 OT (Williams)	28	15	10	3	77	66
2023-24	18	10	3	5	46	34	35	2nd	L, QF 5-1 (Middlebury)	25	14	7	4	68	54
2024-25	18	7	8	3	44	54	27	4th of 10	L, QF 2-1 OT (Tufts)	25	9	13	3	61	80
2025-26	18	13	4	1	57	33	38	2nd of 10	W, QF 3-1 (Amherst) L, SF 3-2 OT (Middlebury)	26	18	7	1	88	50

NCAA Tournament Appearances

Season	First Round	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Championship	Third Place (1984-1988; 1991-2001)
1996	N/A	L, 1-7, 3-7 (Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons)	--	--	--
2002	Bye	L, 0-3, 0-7 (Norwich Cadets)	--	--	N/A
2010	Bye	L, 9-2 (Oswego Lakers)	--	--	N/A
2011	W, 2-1 (Neumann Knights)	L, 7-5 (Oswego Lakers)	--	--	N/A
2013	W, 5-2 (UMass Dartmouth Corsairs)	L, 4-2 (Utica Pioneers)	--	--	N/A
2014	L, 4-3 (Oswego Lakers)	--	--	--	N/A
2023	L, 1-0 OT (Curry Colonels)	--	--	--	N/A
7 appearances

See Also

• Bowdoin Polar Bears men’s ice hockey website
• NESCAC men’s hockey website