Senior Celebration Series: Golf

At Rensselaer, we are proud to recognize the student-athletes who are members of the Class of 2021. We thank them for their hard work, dedication and tremendous efforts in representing the Institute in a first-class manner academically and athletically. We wish them well in all their future endeavors. 

WILLIAM ASAI

Honolulu, Hawaii | Computer Science

WHAT OTHERS SAY:

• Will is someone who always has a smile on his face, whether he was playing well or not. He is someone you need on an athletic team to build the team rapport. His mentality on and off the golf course is something I envy and he had an impact on every person that was on this team.
• Will is the type of guy you always want to be around. He is a great guy and will do great wherever life takes him. 
• From a coach: Sometimes I wonder if Will literally has ice in his veins. His ability to stay composed and respectful even in moments where it could be easy to lose control is remarkable. Will also provided the team an awesome dose of culture due to his background and world travels. Will's demeanor made him extremely approachable and coachable.

GRIFFIN CHENARD

North Hampton, New Hampshire | Biomedical Engineering

Favorite RPI Athletics Memory: My most memorable experience as an RPI athlete was either winning Liberty Leagues this spring or attending the Liberty League basketball championship last winter. Both events meant so much to each team and the environment and comradery are things I will never forget.

What Makes Rensselaer So Special: RPI is so special because it allows you to receive a recognized engineering degree while also being part of a school that prides itself on the student-athletes. The environment amongst the student-athletes in unmatched and everyone truly wants each other to succeed and thrive in their individual sports.

Post-Graduation Plans: Work for a biomedical device company called Baril Corporation, which is located just outside of Boston.

WHAT OTHERS SAY:

• Griffin has taught me so much in the two years I have known him. I immediately noticed his ability to stay calm and collected on the golf course. I then learned more about his unbelievable work ethic and dedication to biomedical engineering as I got to know Griff more. I tried to take these qualities and apply them towards my own life and academic career. I now see him as a brother who would do anything for me. Griffin is going to do great things at his job after graduation and I can't wait to stay in touch and play some golf together down the road.
• Griffin always exhibited determination and drive on the course. We could always count on him during the tough rounds to post a good score. 
• Griff is a guy who leads by example. It is always a good time when you are with him, on and off the course.
• From a coach: Griffin has one of the most masterful short games I have ever seen on the golf course. I think it is less due to skill, but more so to his ability to never give less than 100% effort. He also handled strife with grace during his career, and it was beautiful to see him lean on support from his teammates when needed. Griffin's work ethic will surely make him a leader in anything he decides to pursue after RPI.

HENRY LUTZ

Farmville, Virginia | Chemical Engineering

Favorite RPI Athletics Memory: When the team won our first conference title this past May.

What Makes Rensselaer So Special: The high degree of collaboration between students. This was especially evident when students would help each other in curved classes which typically inspire a competitive environment.

Post-Graduation Plans: I am going to the University of Florida for graduate school in Chemical Engineering.

WHAT OTHERS SAY:

• Henry is one of the most kind and intelligent individuals I have ever met. He was always looking out for each of his teammates and valued the comradery of the team.
• Henry is one of the smartest people I have ever met. He is going to do amazing things in the future and I am proud to have met him. 
• From a coach: Henry is the most brilliant and academically passionate person I have ever met. What is special about him is he doesn't keep his intellect to himself. Throughout his RPI career he provided tutoring through ALAC and has expressed that it's because he loves teaching and witnessing students understanding new concepts. Henry will be pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Florida and I cannot wait to see how his mind goes on to change the world there.

RYAN QUINN

North Hampton, New Hampshire | Chemical Engineering

WHAT OTHERS SAY:

• Ryan set a great example for everyone on the team. His passion for this program and our success is unmatched and it showed throughout his time at RPI. Ryan and I have been close since we were young and he played a large part in my success and enjoyment of RPI as a whole.
• Ryan is the best golfer I’ve had the privilege of knowing personally and exhibited true dedication to the game over the past four years.
• Ryan is a great leader and a great senior captain. He led by example and taught me many things in how to handle adversity on and off of the golf course.
• When I first came to RPI, I looked up to Ryan because of his team leadership, hard work and ability to connect with anyone he met. He is now one of my closest friends and he continues to impress me every day with his attitude towards what he wants to accomplish. Ryan is going to be missed very much here at school and on the team. I am excited to stay in touch with him and see all the great things he accomplishes in the future.
• From a coach: Ryan has been instrumental in transforming RPI Golf from a solid northeast competitor in 2017 to a team that can compete at the national level. He is the program's first National All-American. In his four years, he has matured significantly, which has translated to better and more consistent play each year of his career. Ryan always brought fire and competitiveness to all team activities and I cannot wait to see how that fire flourishes further after RPI.

• Austin Rupp is a great leader and was one of the reasons I came to RPI. He made me feel a part of the team right away during my visit and is an amazing guy overall. 
• From a coach: Austin possesses leadership qualities that cannot be taught; he has led by examples and garners trust from his teammates. He also demonstrated a clutch gene and an ability to go low that has never been seen in the RPI golf program, setting a school record in the last round of the 2020 BSN Dataw Island Invitational. Austin's quiet and humble leadership style made him an ideal person to coach and he will make an excellent addition to any organization after RPI.

My four years at RPI would not have been the same if it wasn't for my fellow senior teammates. My class was fully involved in the golf team from the second we stepped on campus and we formed a bond with each other throughout our four years. Our competitive and hardworking nature allowed us to thrive on the course and on campus. - Griffin Chenard '21

The Class of 2021 was my first class of freshmen when I became coach in 2017. As a 23-year old at the time, it could have been easy for this group to discredit me and think I wasn't a worthy coach. Instead, they embraced me as their leader, have never disrespected me and have become some of my great friends along the way. I am so honored to have coached this class of five outstanding young men. This is the Class of 2021, arguably the most impactful class in RPI Golf history. - Jamie Jackson '16, head coach

Attention Rensselaer student-athletes, coaches & staff: Should you wish to add any information or provide comments, please click HERE and submit the form.

as of May 26, 2021