Men's Awards / Women's Awards

TROY, N.Y. – The Liberty League has announced its year-end awards in men's and women's indoor track & field and two Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athletes along with head coach Colin Tory and his staff have been honored. Kyle Barden was named the conference's Track Performer of the Year, while David Kastner garnered Rookie of the Year honors. The Engineers coaching staff earned Coaching Staff of the Year on both the men's and women's sides.

Barden, a senior out of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., was a three-time champion at the Liberty League Indoor Championships, setting conference records in the 400-dash and the 4x200 relay as RPI won its second straight title. He also finished top-four in three events as the Engineers won the New York State Championship and was second in the 400-dash at ECAC's. He was a two-time Track Performer of the Week this season.

This is the first year-end honor of Barden, who is a 10-time Liberty League champion in his career, including six indoor titles. During his tenure, he has helped RPI claim three conference titles, including each of the last two from indoor, as well as the State Meet title in February. A 13-time Liberty League Track Performer of the Week selection, Barden, who is a former standout at Spackenkill High School, was also the New York State Meet Rookie of the Year in 2007.

A freshman out of West Islip, N.Y., Kastner had a solid effort in his rookie season, helping RPI to its two team titles at Liberty League and the NYSCTC. He finished sixth or higher in three of the four events he competed in at the conference meet and then placed sixth in the Pentathlon at the State Meet, while also finishing third and seventh in two other events.

Kastner, who was a two-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week this season, had a number of solid outings in addition to the indoor championships. Among his other top performances was at the multi-divisional Dartmouth Indoor Classic, where he was fifth in the 60-m hurdles and eighth in the high jump. The former West Islip High School standout finished 10th or higher in 13 of the 17 events he competed during the indoor season.

The Rensselaer coaching staff, which is led by 10th-year head coach Colin Tory, garnered Coaching Staff of the Year honors after guiding both squads to titles at the Liberty League Championships. The men's team also claimed top honors at this year's State Meet, while the women were third overall and first among league schools. Senior Justin Metzger (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) garnered National All-America honors for the second straight season, while a combined 22 Liberty League weekly honors were handed out to 14 different individuals. Additionally, 35 student-athletes were named to the Liberty League All-Academic team.

This is the second straight year-end indoor honor for the coaching staff, which was recognized on the women's side in 2009. The staff, which includes Camille Ross, Jen Adams, #John (Doc) Hudson#, Warren Lutes, Chris Donais, Allison Benson, and James Kennedy, also took home the conference honors on both sides during the 2009 outdoor campaign.

The outdoor track & field season opens on Saturday as the men's and women's squads host the RPI Early Outdoor Invitational. Action begins at 11am on Harkness Track & Field.