TROY, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) department of athletics' 2008-09 year-end awards have been announced and seven student-athletes have been recognized. The Male and Female Freshmen of the Year are men's hockey forward Patrick Cullen and women's ice hockey forward Alisa Harrison. The Female Athlete of the Year is women's basketball standout Whitney Coleman and softball pitcher/first baseman Jen Bach while the Male Athlete of the Year is men's basketball's Sam Simmons. Jimmy Robertson, who excelled at quarterback, is the Male Career Athlete while field hockey/track & field standout Kristiina Baker earned the Female Career Athlete.

Cullen, a native of Washington, D.C., played in all 36 games for the Engineers as a freshman, tallying 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points. He posted a team-best eight goals with nine assists for 17 points in 22 ECAC Hockey contests and was second in the league in points among freshmen. Named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team, the former Indianapolis Ice standout was also a league All-Academic selection and earned the team's Most Outstanding Freshman Award.

Harrison, who hails from Vienna, Va., saw action in all 37 games during her rookie season. She led the team in points with 31 and had a team-best 19 assists. Among her 12 goals were two power play tallies and two game-winning markers. A former standout with the Washington Pride, Harrison ranked 16th nationally in points per game by a rookie (0.84) and was third in ECAC Hockey in rookie scoring. She was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team and was the team's Rookie of the Year.

In 24 games, Coleman, a native of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., averaged a team-high 16.7 points per game with 6.4 boards per contest. A captain, she led the team in blocks (12), was second in assists (62) and had 32 steals while averaging a team-best 32.2 minutes per game for the Engineers, who played in the Liberty League Tournament semi-finals. Coleman, an Etiwanda High School graduate, moved into 10th all-time on the career scoring list with 1,039 points and is 13th in career rebounding with 435. She was an All-League First Team selection and a D3Hoops.com All-Region First Team honoree.

A first baseman/pitcher out of Lansdale, Pa., Bach played in 38 games and led the team in batting average (.448), runs scored (40), home runs (9), runs batted in (40), total bases (94), slugging percentage (.752) and on-base percentage (.517). She had 56 hits, including nine doubles and a triple and set the program's single season record in total bases. An All-Liberty League Honorable Mention selection as a utility player, Bach appeared as a pitcher in 21 games, going 8-5 with a 2.67 earned run average. The Gwynedd Mercy Academy graduate, who earned All-Northeast Region Second Team and All-ECAC Upstate honors, recorded 68 strikeouts to 19 walks in 89.0 innings.

Simmons, a forward out of Newburgh, N.Y., started 27 games during his senior. He led the team in scoring (18.4), rebounding (8.1) and steals (46) while finishing second in assists (46) and blocks (32). The Liberty League Player of the Year, Simmons led the league in points, rebounds and offensive rebounds (3.59 per game) while averaging a team-high 31.2 minutes per contest. The Newburgh Free Academy graduate concluded his career with 1,403 career points, good for third all-time in program history and was fifth in career rebounding with 692 boards. Simmons, who helped lead RPI to the Liberty League Championship, was named the tournament Most Valuable Player and was selected to the All-Tournament Team. He was an All-Liberty League First Team, ECAC Upstate First Team and D3Hoops.com All-Region First Team selection.

Robertson, the Male Career Athlete, finished his career as the school record holder for career completion percentage (60.2%), attempts (1,259), completions (758), yards passing (9,632) and total offense (10,157). The Yonkers, N.Y., native, who started 39 games in his career, completed 206 of 336 passes (61.3%) for 2,585 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2008. An All-Liberty League First Team selection, he carried the ball 80 times for 186 yards and three TD's.

The Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Year and a National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society selection, Robertson helped RPI go 8-2, winning the ECAC North Atlantic Championship Game. A former standout at Iona Prep, he helped lead RPI to a 31-9 record during his tenure, which included an NCAA Tournament appearance and three ECAC Championships. He earned numerous All-League honors during his four years and was a multiple Liberty League All-Academic selection.

A native of Bolton, Mass., Baker was selected as the Female Career Athlete after a successful career in both field hockey and track & field. As a forward in field hockey team, she led the team in goals (8), assists (4) and points (12) in 2008. An All-Liberty League Second Team selection, Baker helped the Engineers rank as high as #17 in the nation. She competed in 52 career games, tallying 19 goals and nine assists for 47 points during her three year tenure.

Baker had one of her best track & field seasons as a senior, capturing two individual titles and two relay victories at the Liberty League Outdoor Championship and one title at the New York State Outdoor Championships. The Liberty League Outdoor Track Performer of the Year in 2009, the Nashoba Regional High School graduate captured numerous league, state and regional titles in multiple events.