Seth Appert took over the men’s hockey program prior to the 2006-07 season and has produced a 144-193-47 record in that span while consistently having one of the toughest schedules in the nation.
The Engineers are coming off a season in which they went 18-15-7 overall and 8-7-7 in ECAC Hockey play, which was good for seventh place. Rensselaer defeated then-nationally first ranked Boston College, 2-1, in its home opener, before sweeping the season series with area-rival Union College, including a 5-2 win in the fourth annual Mayor's Cup at the Times Union Center. The Engineers swept a playoff series against Brown at the Houston Field House, before falling at Harvard. Senior goaltender Jason Kasdorf earned All-ECAC Hockey Second Team, while freshman Cam Hackett was named to the All-Rookie Team. Kasdorf signed with the Buffalo Sabres and made his NHL debut in the final week of regular season. Junior Riley Bourbonnais (15-11-26) led a balanced scoring attack that saw 13 players notch double-digit point totals.
In 2014-15, Rensselaer posted a 12-26-3 mark, including 8-12-2 in ECAC Hockey. The Engineers opened the season with a 3-2 win at Notre Dame, before sweeping Union College in conference play for the first time since 2003-04. RPI took a best-of-three series at Clarkson University in the First Round of the conference tournament, before bowing out at St. Lawrence University. Freshman Drew Melanson earned ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team honors after leading the team in scoring with nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points.
During the 2013-14 campaign, RPI went 15-16-6 overall and 8-9-5 in ECAC Hockey. The biggest highlight was a victory in the Mayor’s Cup Game at the Times Union Center, while the accomplishments of Ryan Haggerty, who ranked among the leaders in the nation in several offensive categories, including goals scored, were substantial. The junior forward was named a National All-America and subsequently signed a National Hockey League contract with the New York Rangers. Teammate Mike Zalewski, a sophomore, also moved onto the NHL following the season, playing two games with the Vancouver Canucks. He joined Jerry D’Amigo (Toronto Maple Leafs) as former RPI players to make their major league debuts.
In 2012-13, Appert led the Engineers to a second place finish in the ECAC Hockey standings – the highest for Rensselaer since the 1992-93 team was also the runner-up. RPI had a 12-7-3 league mark and an 18-14-5 overall record, finishing the regular season with a 10-2-0 record, including a six-game winning streak.
Appert, who had his contract extended in May 2013 and is now signed through 2020-21, was a finalist for the ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year Award, while two players earned year-end league accolades. Senior defenseman Nick Bailen was All-League First Team and National All-America First Team, while freshman Jason Kasdorf was the league’s Rookie of the Year and an All-ECAC Hockey Second Team honoree.
Academically, the Engineers posted a fall 2012 grade point average of 3.54, which was the highest among all of Rensselaer’s men’s teams and third overall. Twenty-six of 27 student-athletes earned Dean’s List (3.0 or better GPA), including four who had perfect 4.0 term GPAs. Bailen was selected as a National Academic All-America for the second time in his career.
The Engineers went 12-24-3 under Appert during the 2011-12 season, including a 7-12-3 record in ECAC Hockey play. RPI shouldered a tough stretch to open the season, but battled to make a solid run in the playoffs. Led by Bailen, Rensselaer posted a 2 games to 1 series win at Clarkson in the First Round of the ECAC Hockey Playoffs. The Engineers later fell in the Quarterfinals to area-rival Union. Additionally, goaltender Allen York made his NHL debut, playing numerous games for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 2010-11 season is Appert’s most successful as he led the Engineers to 20-13-5 record, including an 11-9-2 mark in ECAC Hockey play. RPI made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1995, facing North Dakota in the Midwest Regional.
Thirteen players recorded 10 or more points that year with eight notching at least 15. Leading the way for the second straight season was Chase Polacek, who repeated as one of the Final 10 players up for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award. He also added to his impressive career by being named a National All-America First Team selection and he became the third player in conference history to earn consecutive ECAC Hockey Player of the Year awards. Bailen was a National All-America Second Team honoree, while York was a repeat finalist for Goaltender of the Year in ECAC Hockey.
Appert guided the Engineers to an 18-17-4 overall record, including a 10-9-3 mark in ECAC Hockey in 2009-10. RPI earned home ice advantage in the First Round of the league playoffs for the first time since 2005-06 and eight players had 15 or more points. In addition to Polacek’s accolades, D’Amigo was the league’s Rookie of the Year, fellow freshman Brandon Pirri joined him on the All-Rookie Team and York was tabbed from his goaltender’s crease.
In 2008-09, the Engineers swept Dartmouth in the ECAC Hockey Playoffs on their way to the quarterfinals, where they were eliminated in a decisive third game. The team’s top four scorers were either freshmen or sophomores and one of those first-year players, Patrick Cullen, was on the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team.
Highlights during Appert’s first two seasons include leading the Engineers to back-to-back titles in the Governor’s Cup Tournament — Rensselaer’s first championships of any kind since 1998 — and garnering points against six nationally-ranked opponents. RPI enjoyed numerous stints in the national polls, including eight straight weeks in 2007-08.
Individually, RPI student-athletes have earned All-League and All-Rookie status as well as having a Student-Athlete of the Year Award finalist and a Hockey Humanitarian Award finalist.
Specifically in Appert’s first season, the Engineers captured the inaugural Governor’s Cup Championship and won at nationally-ranked Denver – Appert’s first career win, which came against his previous employer. Individually, senior Kirk MacDonald garnered the USCHO.com’s Unsung Hero Award, as well as several national community service honors.
In 2007-08, the Engineers captured the Governor’s Cup, senior forward Andrew Lord was a finalist for the ECAC Hockey Scholar-Athlete Award and Polacek was named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team.
In addition to his position at RPI, Appert served as an assistant coach for the 2007 U.S. Under-18 Select Team that competed in the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament and as the head coach of the team in 2008 and 2011. He was also a coach in the 2008 NCAA Pontiac Skills Challenge and served as president of the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA), which has almost 1,400 members.
Appert, the 12th head men’s hockey coach at RPI, spent nine seasons as an assistant coach at Denver, where he was responsible for recruiting, on-ice coaching, video breakdown and game analysis work. He also played a big role in the development of the Pioneers’ goaltenders.
A collegiate netminder at Ferris State University, Appert individually coached one All-America, two All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) honorees, two WCHA Playoff Most Valuable Players and two Frozen Four Most Outstanding Players at Denver.
Three goaltenders were NHL draft picks, including one Hobey Baker Award finalist. Each have played in the NHL in recent years.
Appert helped Denver sign numerous nationally-ranked recruiting classes during his nine-year tenure with the Pioneers. Among those he coached or recruited at Denver were the 2006 Hobey Baker Award winner, eight All-Americas, a WCHA Player of the Year, 22 All-WCHA picks, three WCHA Defensive Players of the Year, two WCHA Student-Athletes of the Year and 17 NHL draft picks. The Pioneers averaged over 23 wins per year during his tenure as an assistant coach and captured two NCAA National Championships, three WCHA playoff championships and two WCHA regular-season titles.
A four-year letterwinner at Ferris State from 1992-96, Appert and his wife, Jill, have two daughters, Addison and Campbell.
Last updated: June 14, 2016
