The only head coach in the history of the Hobart and William Smith varsity sailing program, Scott Iklé has served his alma mater since 1993. He inherited a team that struggled to be competitive and built it into a consistent national powerhouse.
Since 1996, Iklé’s sailors have earned 51 invitations to national championship regattas, finishing in the top five 19 times. HWS sailing has captured two national championships under his guidance, bringing home the 2005 ICSA Team Race title and the 2005 ICSA Coed Dinghy championship. Iklé’s teams have also won 15 MAISA championships.
Iklé has mentored 49 All-Americans, including 2007 Everett B. Morris Trophy (College Sailor of the Year) winner Trevor Moore ’07. He has inspired several of his student-athletes to pursue careers in coaching, including the head coaches at Cornell, Dartmouth, George Washington, Roger Williams, Stanford, and Vermont.
Widely respected by his peers, Iklé has earned US SAILING›s “Doc” Counsilman Science Award, National Coach of the Year Award, and Developmental Coach of the Year Award. In addition, he has served the sport of sailing as a US SAILING certified judge, president of the American 505 Class, and a board member for various junior sailing associations. Iklé has coached Team USA at three PanAm Games and served as head coach of Team USA at the 2002 ISF World Sailing Games in Marseille, France.
An experienced sailor, Iklé has won numerous championships on the International, North American, National, and District levels in various classes, including the Laser, 49er, Lightning, 505, FD, One Ton, International Fifty Foot, Mum 30, and Maxi Classes. An accomplished fleet racer, he’s had international success in match and team racing.
Iklé holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Hobart and a master’s degree in environmental studies from Long Island University.
