Lange a Finalist for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award

Photo by DSPics.com

TROY, N.Y. -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athlete Mathias Lange has been named a finalist for the 2008-09 Men’s Hockey Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. A senior goaltender, he is one of 10 finalists for the award, which was initially developed in response to the trend of college basketball players leaving school early to turn professional. This is the third year the award has been extended to men’s hockey.

Lange, a management major with a sports psychology minor, carries a cumulative grade point average of 3.76. The Klagenfurt, Austria, native has been on the Dean’s List every semester, is a multiple ECAC Hockey All-Academic selection and is a member of the Management Honor Society.

He has served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and helped coordinate with the other seniors on the team the purchase of eight season tickets for distribution to underprivileged children in the Capital Region. Lange also participates in the ECAC Hockey Adopt-A-Player program in which he exchanges letters with area elementary school children.

A frequent volunteer with local youth hockey organizations, including Troy-Albany Youth Hockey Association, Lange has taken part in SAAC Kids’ Day on campus as well as each of the last three American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life events.

On the ice, the former New York Apple Core standout is a fourth-year starter. He is currently among the top three in school history in numerous career categories, including games played (104) and started (99) by a goalie as well as minutes played (5,999:03). He is first in ties with 17 and fifth in saves with 2,604. Lange has a career record of 29-54-17 with a 2.95 goals against average and an .898 save percentage.

As a freshman in 2005-06, he played in a school record 35 games, including 34 as a starter. His 2,041.24 minutes are second in history for a single season and his six ties (13-15-6) established a new mark. He was the league’s Rookie of the Week four times, a unanimous All-Rookie Team choice and the team’s Most Valuable Player. A member of numerous All-Tournament Teams throughout his career, he earned his second team MVP award following his junior year.

This season, Lange has played in 21 games, all as a starter, and posted a 5-14-2 record with a 3.28 goals against average and an .896 save percentage. In 14 ECAC Hockey contests, he is 5-8-1 with a 3.27 average and an .895 save percentage.

CLASS is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School. The award was launched during the 2001-02 season to honor the attributes of college senior athletes who remain committed to their university and pursue the many rewards that a senior season can bring.

This year’s 10 finalists will be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote beginning today and concluding March 26. Votes from coaches and media will be coupled with fan balloting to determine the recipient of the award. Fan voting can be done online at www.seniorclassaward.com as well as by text voting. To vote for Lange via text, fans must send the text code HOC6 to 839863. Standard text messaging rates apply.

The overall winner of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for hockey will be announced and presented with the distinctive trophy during the 2009 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four® in Washington, DC, in early April.