Cedar Rapids Coach Mark Carlson About To Become USHL's All-Time Wins Leader
Cedar Rapids Coach Mark Carlson About To Become USHL's All-Time Wins Leader
Mark Carlson needs just one more win to become the USHL’s all-time winningest coach, which he can accomplish this weekend in Cedar Rapids.
There’s an old adage that records are meant to be broken. For Cedar Rapids head coach Mark Carlson, that’s exactly the case, as his next victory will make him the USHL’s all-time winningest coach.
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Carlson is currently tied with former Waterloo Black Hawks bench boss P.K. O’Handley with 778 career wins. He’ll have two opportunities to break the record this weekend as Cedar Rapids hosts Lincoln on Friday and Saturday.
Saturday’s game will be streamed for free on FloHockey’s social media channels including YouTube, Facebook and X (see details below). Should Carlson break the record Friday night, he will be honored before Saturday's game. If he breaks the record on Saturday, he is expected to be honored following the game.
Carlson, 56, is three games into his 26th season. The New Jersey native has been the RoughRiders’ lone leader since the franchise’s inception in 1999.
Cedar Rapids went 19-34-5 in its inaugural 1999-00 campaign, but soon found its footing in the USHL. The team has won three Anderson Cups as regular-season champions and a Clark Cup in 2005. The RoughRiders are 2-0-1 to start this season and earned a 9-1 win over Omaha last time out.
Carlson broke the USHL’s record for all-time regular-season games coached last February and currently has 1,498 under his belt – all with Cedar Rapids.
He’s been named the USHL Coach of the Year three times (2005, 2011, 2016) and led the RoughRiders to the playoffs in 19 of his 25 previous seasons. The playoffs were cancelled (2020) in one of those six years as well and Cedar Rapids did not play the 2020-21 season due to their arena being damaged by a powerful Derecho – which is not included in Carlson’s 26 seasons.
“I’m just thankful for all the people that have helped me along the way and played a role in getting our organization to where it is today,” Carlson said last February. “It’s really not about me at all but more importantly, I think it’s a great celebration of our organization and a reflection of all the people over all the years that have helped us. I’m really proud of what all we’ve been able to accomplish.”
Congratulations to Head Coach Mark Carlson on tying the all-time record for most regular-season wins in USHL history! That win was number 778 and counting! #LetsRide #778 pic.twitter.com/nAdiC0Ah5I
— Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (@RidertownUSA) September 28, 2025
Carlson started his coaching career at his alma mater, UMass-Lowell (1995-96), and spent three years at Northeastern (1996-99) before venturing to the Midwest. In addition to leading the RoughRiders over the past two and a half decades, Carlson led Team USA to a pair of gold medals at the World Junior A Challenge (2008 & 2009).
Cedar Rapids has produced 41 NHL draft picks in Carlson’s tenure and 40 former RoughRiders have reached the NHL, including Justin Abdelkader, Ross Colton and Alex Stalock – among others. A full list is included below.
The club has also produced three Hobey Baker winners – Scott Perunovich (2020), Adam Gaudette (2018), Andy Miele (2011) – multiple All-Americans and numerous impact players at the NCAA or pro level.
Eric Pohlkamp (SJS), Ryan Walsh (BOS) and Zaccharya Wisdom (SEA) are among the former RoughRiders currently in the NCAA and hope to one day join that NHL list as well. And the list of young men Carlson has impacted, both on and off the ice, is seemingly never-ending.
While he’s often quick to deflect the attention, the spotlight will be squarely on Carlson this weekend — deservedly so. He’s one of just 10 USHL coaches to even surpass the 350-win mark, let alone 700, or 778. And with one more victory, he’ll stand all alone.
All-Time RoughRiders In The NHL (NHL Debut Team)
- Justin Abdelkader - Detroit Red Wings
- Jack Ahcan - Boston Bruins
- Richard Bachman - Dallas Stars
- Gavin Bayreuther - Dallas Stars
- Callahan Burke - Colorado Avalanche
- Pat Cannone - Minnesota Wild
- Ross Colton - Tampa Bay Lightning
- Anthony DeAngelo - Arizona Coyotes
- Matt Donovan - New York Islanders
- Adam Gaudette - Vancouver Canucks
- John Gilmour - New York Rangers
- Troy Grosenick - San Jose Sharks
- Justin Hryckowian - Dallas Stars
- Nick Lappin - New Jersey Devils
- Alex Lyon - Philadelphia Flyers
- Sam Malinski - Colorado Avalanche
- Alec Martinez - Los Angeles Kings
- Gerald Mayhew - Minnesota Wild
- Aidan McDonough - Vancouver Canucks
- Hugh McGing - St. Louis Blues
- Marc McLaughlin - Boston Bruins
- Jayson Megna - Pittsburgh Penguins
- Andy Miele - Phoenix Coyotes
- David Moss - Calgary Flames
- Jiri Patera - Vegas Golden Knights
- Derek Peltier - Colorado Avalanche
- Scott Perunovich - St. Louis Blues
- Jason Polin - Colorado Avalanche
- Andrew Poturalski - Carolina Hurricanes
- Ivan Provorov - Philadelphia Flyers
- Teddy Purcell - Los Angeles Kings
- Mitch Reinke - St. Louis Blues
- Jerad Rosburg - Dallas Stars
- Max Sasson - Vancouver Canucks
- Nathan Smith - Arizona Coyotes
- Alex Stalock - San Jose Sharks
- Matt Tennyson - San Jose Sharks
- Casey Wellman - Minnesota Wild
- Chris Wideman - Ottawa Senators
- Tommy Wingles - San Jose Sharks
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