RPI Ring of Honor to Include Chiarelli

Frank Chiarelli (right), shown scoring against Minnesota in the 1954 NCAA Championship, will become the fourth member of RPI's prestigious Ring of Honor.

TROY, N.Y. - Frank Chiarelli, a four-time National All-America and the holder of three NCAA scoring records, will be inducted into the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Hockey Ring of Honor.  A 1955 graduate, Chiarelli will become the fourth honoree in an intermission ceremony on February 1.

"I am thrilled to be selected," said Chiarelli from his native Ottawa.  "Certainly to be there with Ned (Harkness) is a very high honor.  And to be with (Joe) Juneau and (Adam) Oates is exclusive company."

As a forward from 1951-55, Chiarelli had 155 goals and 110 assists for 265 points in only 80 games.  His single season totals were:

             Jersey No.      Season        GP       G       A     PTS      PEN PIM   PTS/GP

                           18    1951-52         18       55      24       79             3       6      4.39

                             8    1952-53         20       36      32       68             4       8      3.40

                             8    1953-54         23       35      27       62             9     21      2.70

                             8    1954-55         19       29      27       56             4       8      2.95

Chiarelli led the Engineers in goals three times, assists once and points twice.  He twice scored a school record seven goals in a game and remains the school single season record holder for goals (55), goals per game (3.06 in 1951-52), hat tricks (9) and points per game (4.39 in 1951-52).  He is also third in points in a season (79).

A captain as a junior and senior, Chiarelli holds RPI career records for goals, goals per game (1.94), hat tricks (23) and points and ranks third in points per game (3.31) and fifth in overall assists.

He is the NCAA Division I record holder for goals per game in a career, goals per game in a season and points per game in a season.  He is also fifth in goals in a season (55) and sixth in goals per game in a season (1.80 in 1952-53).

Chiarelli was named a First Team All-America in 1952-53 and Second Team each of his other three years.  He was also selected to the RPI Invitational All-Tournament Team three times. Also a standout baseball player, he is a member of Rensselaer's Athletics Hall of Fame.

As a team during Chiarelli's career, the Engineers posted a 57-23-3 record for a .705 winning percentage, including the 1954 NCAA Championship and a place in the 1953 Frozen Four.  He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament First Team in 1954 and the Second Team in 1953.

RPI hosts Quinnipiac University on February 1 at 7pm and Chiarelli will be honored during the second intermission.  He will join his former coach, Ned Harkness, and Adam Oates '85 and Joe Juneau '91 in the prestigious Ring of Honor.