As this year’s graduating class looks back on its college years, six of its members will be wondering what they would have done without the challenges faced alongside their teammates and without the family they’ve found here at RPI. From October until March, these six seniors could be found on the ice almost every weekend, contributing everything they could to the Engineers. As Ryan Swanson, Oren Eizenman, Kirk MacDonald, Kevin Broad, Jake Luthi, and Tommy Green leave RPI, they do so with many fond memories—and leave just as many behind for the rest of the team and the Rensselaer community.
The team’s favorite moments on the ice came largely from the Big Red Freakout! games, in which they were able to experience the maximum in school spirit and support from the fans at the Houston Field House. The 2002 Freakout! was Green’s first exposure to what Rensselaer had to offer. “It was a great experience, and it made me feel like RPI was the place I wanted to be,” he said of watching the game as a potential recruit. The last four years of Freakout! have been great for the team and the fans: an awesome come-from-behind win over Clarkson in 2004, a last-second game-winning goal against Brown in 2005, a solid win (again against Brown) in 2006, and this year’s tie against Saint Lawrence University. MacDonald scored the game-winning goal in the 2005 Freakout! with only 8.3 seconds left in regulation play, a victory that stands out in the minds of many fans to this day.
Of course, their careers have had other high points too. MacDonald pointed to last year’s shutout of tough rival Cornell University, and Broad pointed to this year’s game against Boston University for a number of reasons. Foremost among these was MacDonald’s return to the team after a year on a medical leave. “We were all real excited for him,” Broad said. The sold-out crowd at the Field House felt much the same way, giving MacDonald a standing ovation as he stepped onto the ice for the season. The Engineers proceeded to kick-off their home season with a 4-4 tie against the Boston University Terriers, who were ranked third nationally at the time.
The seniors all had some changes to make for their last year of college hockey, when new Head Coach Seth Appert took over the reins of the Engineers from long-time Head Coach Dan Fridgen. “It was a step in the right direction for the program,” Broad said of the new coaching staff. “Their energy and passion for the sport were contagious.” Eizenman told of some difficulty transitioning into Appert’s style of play, but said that it was helpful in the end. “I learned different things from both coaches.” MacDonald called the new staff and the new playing style “a dominant force … I’m proud to say I was here for the start of that.”
Naturally, the team made some great memories off the ice as well. They were like a family to each other for four years, offering camaraderie and support to each other whenever it was needed. Many of the graduating seniors had trouble deciding on one specific experience that stood out, but spoke very highly of the team’s cohesiveness off the ice. Whether it was impromptu games of basketball or soccer or “just hanging out with the guys,” as MacDonald said, the team was always together.
Being on the team completely transformed their college experience. “I can’t imagine it,” Eizenman said of how college could have been without hockey. “Every Monday is just five days until the next game.” Broad was initially impressed with the closeness of the RPI hockey community when he was recruited; this was a defining factor in the remainder of the players’ college career.
The seniors acknowledged that they had some help while on the team—many mentioned the senior members when they first arrived here at Rensselaer. Kevin Broad is still in touch with Ben Barr and Scott Basiuk, the two captains from his freshman year. Kirk MacDonald told of how the senior class “took [him] under their wing … I wanted to be that way for the freshmen.” The support from fans was also greatly appreciated. “A special thanks for all the support that our fans, the Red Army, and the Pep Band have given us over the past four years .… They should be excited about the future of RPI hockey,” Broad added.
What comes next? For the seniors, the future can lead anywhere. Although MacDonald mentioned that he has the opportunity to keep ascending through hockey leagues, he mentioned that his main goal was to get to play Division I college hockey. “These were the best years of my hockey career.” Eizenman also mentioned that he would “test the waters” of professional hockey. However, he added some other plans: “Whenever my playing days are done, I think I might like to go to law school.”
And for the remainder of the team, things are looking up. This year’s freshman defensive core will be stronger and more mature, and the next year’s recruits are outstanding. MacDonald said it best: “You can see the improvement each day … be prepared for some special things.” However, the class of 2007 has left its mark on the team; it will be hard to replace in the years to come.
