Adam Oates was last on campus in 1985. Then, Oates was a management student who had just led the Engineers to the NCAA Championship, and was looking forward to an NHL career. Nineteen years, 1,337 NHL games, 1,079 assists, and 341 goals later Oates, one of the greatest players in RPI hockey history, will finally return to the Houston Field House for his induction into the RPI Athletic Hall of Fame. Oates will also enter the Institute’s Ring of Honor during the second intermission at the Engineers’ Black Friday match up with Clarkson on November 5, Athletic Director Ken Ralph announced.
“I am honored to be inducted into RPI’s Athletics Hall of Fame and excited to see the Ring of Honor started,” Oates, who is fifth on the NHL all-time assists list and 13th on the all-time points list, said. “I am looking forward to being back on campus, being at the rink and seeing some familiar faces.”
As if the Rensselaer men’s hockey team’s Black Friday match up with the rival Golden Knights wasn’t already big enough the retirement of Oates’ jersey will certainly add a spark to an already fiery atmosphere. Oates will have a custom Black Friday jersey auctioned off with the rest of the current Engineers’ uniforms during the game.
“We are extremely excited to have Adam back on campus,” said Ralph. “He is someone who has brought a lot of notoriety to the Institute and we are thrilled to show our appreciation. It should be a fun night.”
The second annual Black Friday game marks the opening of the men’s hockey team’s home ECAC schedule and first league contest overall.
Women’s Hockey starts D-I schedule early
For the Rensselaer women’s hockey team, this year’s season opener will seem a lot like next year’s. The Engineers will look to start their transition to Division I a little early this Saturday as they travel to Schenectady, N.Y. to take on the D-I Dutchwomen of Union at 2 pm. Rensselaer tied the Dutchwomen 4-4 in last year’s season opener.
Junior netminder Rosina Schiff and sophomore forward Julie Aho were named USCHO.com Division III preseason All-Americans. Schiff was chosen to the second team while Aho received honorable mention.
The Engineers will make their home debut four games into the season against the UMASS Boston Beacons on November 13 and 14, in two early, but crucial ECAC-East match up.
X-C average in home meet
The RPI men’s cross country squad finished sixth out of 13 participants led by Greg Mariano’s time of 27:18 which was good enough for 18th place overall in the men’s 8K in this Saturday’s home meet in Saratoga, N.Y.. Lauren Carter took the 16th spot in the women’s 5K with a time of 19:04, pacing the women to the seventh slot out of the 12 competing schools.
The team has two more meets scheduled: the NYSCTC championships this Saturday in Geneseo, N.Y. and the NCAA Championships in Canton, N.Y.
