With the construction of the East Campus Athletic Village well underway, there is just one thing left that our sports teams need—fans. Despite having Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey programs—our most prominent sport here at RPI—attendance at these games leaves something to be desired.
This past weekend, the men’s hockey team traveled to the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., to play in the annual Ice Breaker Invitational. I, along with a few other die-hard hockey fans, watched the tournament games on the projector screen in the Clubhouse Pub. What we saw this past weekend amazed us.
The Engineers, despite being wholly written off before the tournament as simply an also-ran, an unranked team among top 10 behemoths, impressed everyone. Yes, they lost both their games, but their play was inspiring. At one point in the first round of play, RPI held a 3-0 lead late in the second period against the then-sixth-ranked team in the country, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, in a Minnesota stadium. The men skated hard and fast, knocking their opponents on their heels. The freshmen recruits, especially, have been a shining beacon of hope for this season thus far—they have seen a good amount of playing time, and two of them had their first collegiate career goals this past weekend. This weekend has made many inside the world of men’s Division I hockey sit up and take notice of our program.
Men’s hockey is not the only program deserving of attention. The women’s team swept the pair of games against the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux this past weekend. The weekend before, the Engineers fought hard against then-eighth-ranked Boston College, ultimately losing in overtime. Despite the impressive start for the women, however, their games are marked by scant attendance.
While we may be known as a hockey school, our Division III sports should not be left in the dark to fend for themselves. Most notably of these is RPI’s football program, which has enjoyed success the past few years. This season, the Engineers are a perfect 5-0, good enough to be ranked 17th in the nation. The come-from-behind wins against St. Lawrence University and Hobart College have shown the determination and drive of our football team.
Though these are just a few of our sports enjoying unparalleled success, every single one of our student-athletes should be cheered on by the masses of RPI undergraduates. Their ability to perform well both in the classroom and on the field (or ice, as the case may be) deserves more credit than they are given. Go to sporting events and cheer on your fellow undergraduates; it will only lead to more success for the teams and RPI as a whole.
As always, you can contact me with any questions, concerns, or comments via e-mail at uc@rpi.edu or via AIM at TheUCPresident.
Let’s go Red!
