ECAC Hockey

April 21, 2010

RPI Extends Appert's Contract

TROY, N.Y. – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton has announced that the contract of head men’s hockey coach Seth Appert has been extended for two years. Appert’s agreement runs through the 2013-14 season.

“We are excited to extend Seth’s contract – he has done an excellent job turning our program around, and he has done it the right way,” said Knowlton. “The team continues to make strides on the ice, and the student-athletes are exceptional ambassadors for Rensselaer off the ice. Seth’s passion and dedication have made a difference and we are happy to see him continue his stay at RPI.”

“I would like to thank Dr. Jackson, Dr. Knowles and Jim Knowlton for the opportunity to continue to lead our hockey program,” said Appert. “The work we have put in both on and off the ice throughout the last four years has laid a strong foundation to build on in pursuit of another championship season at RPI. I look forward to meeting this challenge while continuing to recruit, develop and graduate student-athletes that we are all proud to call Engineers.”

Rensselaer is coming off a season in which it won the most games in Appert’s four-year tenure (18-17-4) and saw numerous players earn individual honors. Junior forward Chase Polacek was named a finalist for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award as the top U.S. collegiate player, and was chosen as an All-America First Team as well as the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year. Sophomore goaltender Allen York also earned All-ECAC Hockey recognition.

Freshman Jerry D’Amigo, who helped the U.S. win the World Junior Championship gold medal, was selected as the ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year and an All-Rookie Team honoree with classmate Brandon Pirri.

D’Amigo and Pirri are both forwards who made up a nationally-ranked recruiting class for Appert and his staff – the third straight distinction for the Engineers’ incoming classes.

Other highlights during Appert’s first three seasons include leading the Engineers to the ECAC Hockey quarterfinals in 2009, back-to-back titles in the Governor’s Cup Tournament — Rensselaer’s first championships of any kind since 1998 — and seeing six student-athletes drafted by National Hockey League (NHL) teams.

In addition to numerous All-League and All-Rookie honorees, there has been a Student-Athlete of the Year Award finalist and a Hockey Humanitarian Award finalist.

The 2010-11 Engineers return 21 players, including 15 forwards, three defensemen and three goaltenders. Among them are the top three scorers, including Polacek, who led the team with 52 points (26 goals, 26 assists), and Pirri, who had 43 points (11 goals, 32 assists).

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. He was also a coach in the 2008 NCAA Pontiac Skills Challenge and was named president of the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA), which has almost 1,400 members. He is currently in his second year of the three-year term as AHCA President.

A four-year letterwinner as a goaltender at Ferris State from 1992-96, Appert and his wife, Jill, have two daughters, Addison and Campbell.