Season Outlook: Engineers Enter Campaign with High Expectations

Photo by DSPics.com

By Amie Canfield
Sports information assistant

TROY, N.Y. -- Coming off the most successful season in its young Division I existence — advancing to the ECAC Hockey Championship Game — the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women’s ice hockey team has high expectations as it continues to establish itself as one of the league’s elite.

Entering their fourth season in arguably the toughest women’s hockey conference in the nation, the Engineers attempt to build off the tremendous late season success they enjoyed. After posting a 4-0-1 record in its final five regular season games, RPI defeated Princeton, 2 games to 0 on the road in the first round of the league playoffs, and then beat Harvard in the semifinals in Cambridge.

Despite a loss to Dartmouth in the championship game, Rensselaer’s place among the league’s elite has moved closer to reality.

For head coach John Burke and his team to continue the momentum during the 2009-10 season, the Engineers will rely heavily on the 16 returning players from last year’s squad. Among them are 11 forwards, including the team’s top four scorers, four defensemen and a goaltender. Seven newcomers, including three forwards, two blueliners and two goalies provide RPI the additional size, speed and depth necessary to excel in ECAC Hockey.

THE FORWARDS

The Engineers were led in scoring a season ago by Alisa Harrison (Vienna, VA/Washington Pride), a tenacious and talented offensive weapon who had 31 points while playing all 37 games. She was second on the team in goals with 12, including two on the power play and two game-winners, with a team-best 19 assists last year as a freshman. The team’s Rookie of the Year and an ECAC Hockey All-Rookie team selection, Harrison ranked 16th-nationally in points per game by a rookie (0.84).

Senior Whitney Naslund (Bloomington, MN/Bloomington-Jefferson) was second on the team in points with 29 and first in goals with 15. She also led in a number of other categories, including power play goals (4) and game-winning markers (4). A quick skater with solid vision, she was also second in assists with 14.

Senior captain Allison Wright (Oakville, ON/Oakville Ice), one of the team’s best two-way players, had her best season as a junior, posting 21 points on eight goals and 13 assists. She had three power play markers and a team-best four game-winning tallies.

Kendra Dunlop (Granum, AB/Warner Hockey School), a junior, had 18 points, including seven goals and 11 assists, to rank on the team in scoring. A strong skater with good puck-handling skills, she notched 12 points against league opponents.

Senior Allysen Weidner (Wichita, KS/Shattuck St. Mary’s), a winger who plays best when being aggressive in the offensive zone, returns after recording seven goals, including three on the power play, and seven assists for 14 points.

Sophomore Jill Vandegrift (St. Paul, MN/Minnesota Thoroughbreds), junior Sydney O’Keefe (Prior Lake, MN/Prior Lake) and sophomore Laura Guillemette (Ste. Marie-de-Beauce, PQ/Notre Dame) all provided valuable contributions. Offensively, Vandegrift had nine points (6 goals, 3 assists), O’Keefe added seven (2 goal, 5 assists) and Guillemette had four points (1 goal, 3 assists).

Senior Rossli Chace (Hampton Falls, NH/Governor Dummer Academy), junior Ashley Gaylord (Claverack, NY/Troy-Albany Ice Cats) and sophomore Kristen Jakubowski (Lake Placid, NY/Northwood School) return to expanded roles and to provide depth.

Joining the offensive front are Taylor Horton (St. Thomas, ON/Bluewater Hawks), Clare Padmore (Toronto, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros) and Audrey Stapleton (Barrington Hills, IL/Chicago Young Americans). All three are proven playmakers who can provide an offensive spark.

THE DEFENSEMEN

Rensselaer’s defense, which ranked 16th nationally in fewest points allowed per game (2.24) last season, returns a strong core of student-athletes, anchored by senior captain Laura Gersten (Queensbury, NY/Troy-Albany Ice Cats).

An assistant captain a year ago, she led the Engineers’ blueliners in scoring with 16 points on five goals, including the overtime game-winning goal against Harvard in the ECAC Hockey semifinals, and 11 assists. A versatile defenseman who skates well and can handle the puck while also playing a strong defensive game, she provides leadership on and off the ice.

Sophomore Sierra Vadner (Apple Valley, MN/Minnesota Thoroughbreds) had an outstanding freshman year, scoring 16 points en route to being named to the ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team. A player with excellent vision, her 14 assists were tops among the team’s blueliners and second on the team overall. She also added two goals, one of which came on the power play.

Also returning on defense are sophomores Amanda Castignetti (Anchorage, AK/Shattuck St. Mary’s) and Katie Daniels (Rockton, IL/Chicago Mission), both of whom made significant contributions last season. A good skater with a hard shot, Castignetti recorded 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists) while Daniels, who appeared in 30 games, added three assists.

The Engineers, who lost two defensemen to graduation, replenish the blueline in the form of Andie Le Donne (Toronto, ON/Durham Lightning) and Janessa Haller (Anoka, MN/Anoka). Both have solid strength, good stick-handling skills and an aggressiveness to their games.

THE GOALTENDERS

Three netminders dot the roster, led by junior Sonja van der Bliek (Toronto, ON/Toronto Jr. Aeros).

Appearing in 35 games, van der Bliek backstopped RPI’s success last season, posting an 18-13-4 overall record with a 2.10 goals against average with a .916 save percentage. She also had five shutouts.

An ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team selection and the team’s Most Valuable Player, van der Bliek became the program’s all-time single-season leader in games played, games started (35), minutes played (2146:29), wins (18), saves (820) and shutouts.

New to the cherry and white are freshmen Kristen Burney (Alta Loma, CA/Northwest Selects) and Shannon Ramelot (Bloomfield, MI/Honeybaked). Both bring a competitive edge, a solid work ethic and size. Burney stands 5’10” while Ramelot is 5’11’’.

THE COACHING STAFF

Burke returns for his seventh season with the Engineers. The program’s all-time winningest coach, he has compiled a 102-68-15 record, including a 19-14-4 mark (11-8-3 ECAC Hockey) in 2008-09. The Engineers were the sixth-seed in the league playoffs but advanced all the way to the championship game.

Rensselaer elevated to Division I in 2005-06 and has posted a 62-57-12 record in that time. The Engineers have advanced to the playoffs twice as a member of ECAC Hockey and four times in Burke’s tenure, which began in 2003.

Overall, 15 players have earned All-League honors, including two in 2008-09, and six have been named National All-America. Two others have earned National Academic All-America recognition.

Burke is assisted by Colette Youlen, who works with the forwards, and Brent Hill, an aide to the defense. Youlen is entering her fourth year while Hill begins his first with the program. Youlen, a former standout at Cornell, spent four years at the University of New Hampshire prior to arriving in Troy, while Hill, a former standout at St. Michael’s College, comes to RPI after spending two seasons as the director of player development for the Vermont Stars - Tier 1 Youth Girls Programs.

THE SCHEDULE

The Engineers, entering their fourth season in ECAC Hockey, play 34 games, including 18 at the Houston Field House in 2009-10.

RPI kicks off the season with an exhibition game at the Field House against the Bluewater Hawks on September 26. The regular season schedule begins at home the following weekend with games against Wayne State on October 2-3. The series against the Warriors marks the first of eight straight contests against College Hockey America foes.

RPI travels to Niagara for games on October 9-10, before returning home to open a four-game homestand. The Engineers face Mercyhurst, the 2009 national runner-up, for a two-game set on October 16-17 and welcome Syracuse for the first time the following weekend (Oct 23-24).

Rensselaer starts its 22-game ECAC Hockey schedule on the road at the end of October, traveling to Princeton (Oct. 30) and Quinnipiac (Oct. 31). League play continues over the next two weeks as RPI has its second four-game homestand of the year, this time against Colgate (Nov. 6), Cornell (Nov. 7), Yale (Nov. 13) and Brown (Nov. 14).

For the first time in program history, the Engineers travel to Durham, N.H., to face Hockey East foe New Hampshire (Nov. 21). They wrap up the month of November with a two-game set at Robert Morris (Nov. 27-28).

Rensselaer closes out the fall semester the following weekend, returning to the Capital Region for a home-and-home series against area-rival Union. The Engineers travel to Schenectady on December 5 and host the Dutchwomen the following day.

Following a month-long layoff, RPI welcomes league-rivals St. Lawrence (Jan. 8) and Clarkson (Jan. 9) to the Field House. Burke and his squad are on the road for its next four games, traveling to Brown (Jan. 15) and Yale (Jan. 16), before heading to Dartmouth (Jan. 22) and Harvard (Jan. 23).

After home games against Quinnipiac and Princeton (Jan. 29-30), the Engineers travel to the North Country to battle Clarkson and St. Lawrence (Feb. 5-6).

Rensselaer concludes the home portion of its schedule on February 12 and 13 as it battles Harvard and Dartmouth, respectively. The Engineers close out the regular season games in Central New York against Cornell and Colgate on February 19-20.

SCHEDULE NOTES

Rensselaer plays 12 non-league games, including the exhibition contest … Seven of those games are at home … Four of the teams on RPI’s schedule played in the 2009 NCAA Tournament ... They are Dartmouth, Mercyhurst, New Hampshire and St. Lawrence … The Engineers play one game against a Canadian team, one versus a Hockey East foe, 10 against College Hockey America opponents and 22 against ECAC Hockey teams … Rensselaer plays 15 games on Fridays, 18 on Saturdays and one on a Sunday … The Engineers play one game in September, 10 in October, seven in November, two in December, eight in January and six in February. … The league playoffs are from February 26 to March 7 … The NCAA Tournament runs from March 13 to March 21 ... Select games are broadcast live on WRPI, 91.5 FM, and on the Internet at www.wrpi.org ... Most home games will be webcast by B2 Networks on a pay-per-view basis.