Troy, N.Y. - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Director of Athletics Ken Ralph has announced the signing of Head Men's Hockey Coach Dan Fridgen to a three-year contract extension. Financial terms of the pact, which will keep Fridgen at Rensselaer through 2005-06, were not disclosed.

"We are thrilled to have Dan signed for the next three years," Ralph said. "In his tenure we have seen some of the best college hockey players in the nation play in Troy. With a bright, talented core of players we currently have on the roster, I think we will see even more exciting - and successful - hockey at the Houston Field House."

"I couldn't be happier," Fridgen said. "This is a job I thoroughly enjoy and can't imagine being anywhere else. To be the head coach at an Institute with the tradition and reputation of Rensselaer is truly an honor."

Fridgen, who became the tenth head coach of the RPI men's hockey program in July of 1994, is in his ninth season at the helm. He owns a 157-126-27 (.550), including four 20-win seasons. The Engineers have finished in the top three in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) standings four times and the team has played in the league playoffs every season. RPI has finished in the top three in the ECAC Tournament on five occasions, including in 1994-95 when they won the championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Individually, ten Engineers have earned All-ECAC honors, including six First Team selections. Six have been named to the ECAC All-Rookie Team and seven have earned All-Tournament Team recognition. Additionally, six Engineers have been selected as National All-Americans, including three First Team members, and three RPI players have been named finalists for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, which is presented annually to the top player in college hockey. There have also been two Verizon National Academic All-Americans, including an Academic All-American of the Year, and a finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award, presented annually to college hockey's finest citizen.

Fridgen's mentoring success has also carried into the professional ranks as the Engineers have seen 11 players selected in the National Hockey League Entry Draft and more than 20 former players go on to play professionally.

Prior to his appointment as head coach at Rensselaer, Fridgen spent five years at RPI as an assistant to Buddy Powers. As the primary recruiter during that time, Fridgen helped build a program that won nearly 100 games, advanced to the ECAC post-season tournament each year, the ECAC semi-finals three times and the championship game twice. He began his coaching career at Union College as an assistant to Charlie Morrison and later to Bruce Delventhal.

A 1982 graduate of Colgate University, Fridgen, 43, was a three-time captain for the Raiders. He finished his collegiate career ranked among the school's leaders in goals (114), points (192) and penalty minutes (387) and he held 15 school records. After graduation, he played two years of professional hockey, including 13 games with the Hartford Whalers of the NHL.

Fridgen will lead the Engineers back into action with two home games this weekend. They will play his alma mater, Colgate, on Friday night before Cornell, the fourth-ranked team in the nation, visits the Houston Field House on Saturday. Both games will begin at 7pm.

Contact: Theresa Bourgeois
Phone: (518) 276-2840
E-mail: bourgt@rpi.edu