Clearly, one of the premier sailing coaches in the nation, Scott Iklé has been at the helm of the Hobart and William Smith sailing program since 1993. The 1984 graduate of Hobart inherited a struggling team, built it into a consistent national championship contender, and reached the pinnacle of college sailing in 2005, not once, but twice.

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.

Over the past 10 years, HWS sailors have earned berths in 27 ICSA North American Championship events, including 13 top five finishes. In 2003-04, the Colleges qualified for four of the ICSA’s six North American events, including a second place finish in the Sloop and Team Race championships. In fact, Hobart sailors have finished second in the ICSA Sloop North American Championship in three of the past five seasons. Since 1996, 38 sailors have earned All-American honors under Iklé’s tutelage.

Iklé’s success at the collegiate level has not escaped the eyes of the international community. During the summer of 2003, he led the U.S. Sailing team at the Pan American games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. In 1999, Iklé served as an assistant coach for the U.S. team at the PanAm Games, while in 2002, he was appointed the head coach of the U.S. team at the International Sailing Federation World Sailing Games in Marseille, France.

In 2003, Iklé was named the US SAILING National Coach of the Year. Five years earlier, he received the US SAILING Developmental Coach of the Year award. 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.

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