Entering his 34th season at the helm of Hobart and William Smith Sailing, Scott Iklé has built one of the nation's premier sailing programs. The 1984 graduate of Hobart inherited a struggling team, built it into a consistent national championship contender.
Under Iklé, HWS has earned berths in 89 Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association National Championships. HWS has produced 31 top five finishes. Iklé’s sailors captured the program's first national championship with a first place finish in the 2005 Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA)/Layline North American Team Race Championship. Three days later, Hobart and William Smith captured the ICSA/Gill North American Coed Dinghy Championship. In 2013-14, Arielle deLisser '14 took second place at the ICSA Women's Singlehanded Championship, the best ever finish by a William Smith sailor.
Since 1996, 71 sailors have earned All-American recognition under Iklé’s tutelage, including Trevor Moore '07, the 2007 ICSA Sailor of the Year. In the classroom, Iklé's charges have won 62 ICSA All-Academic honors.
In 2018, Iklé was named the MAISA Coach of the Year and the S1D/Gill Coach of the Year award as the national coach of the year. His sailors put together a strong campaign qualifying for all three of the spring ICSA's National Championships, finishing in the top five in all three regattas. William Smith captured the MAISA Women's Championship to kick off the championship season for the Herons. William Smith opened the national championship week with a third place finish at the ICSA/Sperry Women's Dinghy National Championship, the best finish in program history. The Herons won A Division by 25 points. Over the weekend, HWS finished third out of 16 teams at the LaserPerformance Team Race Championship, matching the program's best finish since the national championship. HWS closed out the weekend with a fourth of 18 teams at the ICSA/Gill Coed National Championship.
Iklé’s success at the collegiate level has not escaped the eyes of the international community. He was a part of Team USA's support staff at three Pan American Games, serving as head coach in 2003 and Team Leader in 2007. In 2002, he was appointed the head coach of the U.S. team at the International Sailing Federation World Sailing Games in Marseille, France. He served as an assistant coach for Mexico at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, mentoring Hector Guzman '20, who competed for Mexico during the games.
Widely respected for his coaching talents, Iklé has earned the Graham Hall Award for outstanding service by a college sailing professional (2014), US SAILING’s “Doc” Counsilman Science Award (2006), National Coach of the Year Award (2003), and Developmental Coach of the Year Award (1998). In addition, Iklé has served the sport of sailing as a U.S. Sailing Certified Judge, President of the American 505 Class, and board member of various junior sailing associations. He’s also a frequent contributor to Sailing World magazine.
An experienced sailor, Iklé has won numerous regatta championships on the International, North American, National, and District levels in various different 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.
