Two Capital Region natives among the team’s Class of 2006
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) head men’s hockey coach Dan Fridgen has announced that nine student-athletes will make up the program’s Class of 2006. Among those expected to join the team beginning this fall are five forwards and four defensemen. Five of the players are from the United States, including two who hail from the Capital Region, three are from Canada and one was born in Slovakia.
“We are very excited about this year’s class,” Fridgen said. “We expect each of them to come in and work hard to provide depth to the program. More importantly, however, is that they are capable of doing well in the classroom as well as in the community.”
Below is an alphabetical list of Rensselaer’s recruits:
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Previous Team (League)
Kevin Croxton F 6-2 185 Calgary, AB/Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL)
Brad Farynuk D 6-0 200 Enderby, BC/Vernon Vipers (BCJHL)
Chris Hussey F 5-10 180 Plymouth, MN/Avon Old Farms (NEPSA)
Greg Kemp F 5-10 185 Loudonville, NY/Cap. Dist. Selects (EJHL)
Kirk MacDonald F 6-2 210 Victoria, BC/Victoria Salsa (BCJHL)
Keith McWilliams D 6-0 200 Valencia, CA/Omaha Lancers (USHL)
Scott Romfo D 5-11 180 Blaine, MN/Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Alexander Valentin D 6-0 190 Kosice, Slovakia/Cedar Rapids Roughriders(USHL)
Mark Yurkewecz F 6-1 180 Troy, NY/Cushing Academy (NEPSA)
The 2002-03 Engineers return 16 players from last year’s squad that went 20-13-4 and advanced to the semi-finals of the ECAC Tournament. Among those coming back are goaltender Nathan Marsters, who was 15-9-3 with a 2.58 goals against average last season as a sophomore, and forward Carson Butterwick, the team’s top returning scorer. Last year as a junior, Butterwick tallied 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 35 games.
RPI will open its 101st season at the two-day IceBreaker Tournament on Friday, Oct. 11, with Wisconsin, Boston University and Northern Michigan. The Engineers will play homestanding Wisconsin (8:30pm) in the first round before battling either the Terriers or the Wildcats the next night. Rensselaer will then make its home debut on Friday, Oct. 18, against UMass Lowell (7pm). One change to RPI’s schedule is the 26th Annual Big Red Freakout! will be played on Saturday, Feb. 8, against Brown instead of Saturday, Feb. 15, as originally announced.
