RPI Class of 2014 Introduced

Photo by Sara Melikian

TROY, N.Y. – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) head men’s hockey coach Seth Appert has announced the team’s Class of 2014. The group of seven student-athletes includes three forwards and four defensemen. Four are from the United States while three hail from Canada.

“I am excited to announce the RPI class of 2014. These seven young men bring toughness, talent and depth to our program. Bryan Vines and Jim Montgomery did an outstanding job putting the class together as this group positions us to compete for an ECAC Hockey Championship.”

Below is an alphabetical list of Rensselaer’s recruits with their 2010-11 regular season statistics, 2010-11 playoff statistics and a quote from Coach Appert:

Nick Bailen LD 5-10 195 Fredonia, NY/Indiana Ice
• 58 regular season games … 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points … 97 penalty minutes.
• 9 playoff games … 0 goals and 4 assists for 4 points … 6 penalty minutes
“Nick is a competitive and skilled defenseman who can play against the opposition’s top lines and run a power play. He comes with great experience having played four successful years in the USHL and an outstanding season at Bowling Green.”

Bo Dolan RD 5-11 185 St. Paul, MN/Penticton Vees
• 39 regular season games … 9 goals and 16 assists for 25 points … 41 penalty minutes.
• 16 playoff games … 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points … 25 penalty minutes.
“Bo is a great addition for our program. He is a mobile, puck-moving defenseman who adds to our attacking style of play. More importantly, he is a fierce competitor and a winner.”

Brock Higgs LC 5-11 185 Kingston, ON/Kingston Voyageurs
• 48 regular season games … 22 goals and 34 assists for 56 points … 82 penalty minutes.
• 17 playoff games … 6 goals and 12 assists for 18 points … 16 penalty minutes
“Brock is a smart, skilled and competitive offensive player. He has good offensive instincts and creativity but he is at his best in the corners and scoring in the tough areas around the front of the net. He has had two very successful seasons in Kingston with strong playoff performances in both.”

Patrick Koudys LD 6-4 200 Hamilton, ON/Burlington Cougars
• 50 regular season games … 5 goals and 28 assists for 33 points … 42 penalty minutes.
• 12 playoff games … 0 goals and 1 assist for 1 point … 16 penalty minutes.
“Patrick is big, young and very talented. He has the hockey intelligence, skill level and work ethic to become an elite defenseman. He comes very well coached by RPI alum Mark Jooris ’86.”

Guy Leboeuf LD 6-4 190 West Palm Beach, FL/Cornwall Colts
• 62 regular season games … 10 goals and 19 assists for 29 points … 66 penalty minutes.
• 12 playoff games … 1 goal and 5 assists for 6 points … 12 penalty minutes
“Guy is a big, talented defenseman who is starting to come into his own as a hockey player. He has the size and skill level to be a very strong defenseman on both sides of the puck.”

Johnny Rogic LC 6-0 190 North Vancouver, BC/Alberni Valley Bulldogs
• 59 regular season games … 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 points … 36 penalty minutes.
• 13 playoff games … 6 goals and 4 assists for 10 points … 8 penalty minutes.
“Johnny is a very versatile and fast forward. He has the competitiveness and intelligence to play against opponents’ top lines but is also extremely fast and creates offense in different ways. He is a winner and was well coached by RPI alum Nolan Graham ’03.”

Matt Tinordi LW 6-0 200 Severna Park, MD/Olds Grizzlys
• 59 regular season games … 23 goals and 22 assists for 45 points … 69 penalty minutes.
• 3 playoff games … 0 goals and 1 assist for 1 point … 2 penalty minutes.
“Matt is an intelligent power forward. He has the mind and stick to make offensive plays but thrives in the physical element of the game and around the front of the opponent net. He he had a very strong second half of the season for Olds.”

Also eligible for the Engineers in 2010-11 is forward Greg Burgdoerfer ’13. The twin brother of former Engineers defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer ’10, Greg is a transfer from Air Force Academy who was forced to sit out last season due to NCAA regulations. The East Setauket, N.Y., native played 30 games for the Falcons in 2008-09, earning three goals, three assists and 35 penalty minutes in helping the team to the NCAA Tournament.

NOTES: Bailen attended Bowling Green University in 2008-09 before returning to the United States Hockey League last season. He had 16 points (6 goals, 10 assists) and 56 penalty minutes in 37 games for the Falcons … Koudys (pronounced cow-DICE) is the cousin of former Engineers forward Randy Koudys ’84. Jooris, his former coach, helped RPI to the 1985 NCAA Championship … Tinordi is the son of longtime NHL defenseman Mark Tinordi, who played 663 games with the New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, Dallas Stars and Washington Capitals. He is a former teammate of current Engineers forward Patrick Cullen ’12.