According to this morning's Troy Record, Dan Fridgen, assistant to departing
coach Buddy Powers, will be named head coach of the RPI Engineers.  In an
article by Tim Leonard, the Record indicates Fridgen met Monday with RPI AD
Bob Ducatte, with a decision as early as Wednesday.  Fridgen will meet today
with RPI president Dr. R. Byron Pipes and VP for student affairs Davis
Haviland on remaining.
 
Ducatte commented "I'm not going to make any comment on who's going to be
hired.  Dan is a very strong candidate...If I had my choice, I'd look for
someone with 10 years of coaching experience, one national championship, an
excellent recruiter and a good family life.  The prefect person is probably not
out there so we have to look."
 
According to the Record, Fridgen has nine years of coaching experience as
an assistant at Union for four years and another 5 years as an assistant at
RPI.  Leonard describes Fridgen as an excellent recruiter, and Fridgen has
indicated he would still make the road trips to recruit players.
 
Fridgen has NHL experience having played with the Hartford Whalers and their
Springfield affiliate for two seasons until his career was cut short by a
car accident.  Fridgen play collegiately at Colgate University (!) from 1978-82
and was the leading scorer on the 1982 team which advanced to the NCAA
quarterfinals.  Fridgen scored 37 goals and 31 assists that season.  His 114
career goals place him as Colgate's career leader, and he is third on Colgate's
all-time scoring list with 192 points.  He also holds the record for penalty
minutes, 164 in a season, and led the team in penalty minutes for three
straight seasons.
 
According to Ducatte "It could go very quickly or it could take two weeks.
Bowling Green took 2 1/2weeks.  Hockey's not like football or basketball where
there are hundreds of candidates out there.  We just started the process.
 
According to sr. defenseman Adam Bartell: "He's a pretty creative guy when it
comes to practice.  He makes the game fun for everybody.  He's a great guy to
have around the program, no matter what his involvement.  When you come to the
rink and see Fridge, you just smile.  He makes the game fun.
                    _
            "NYS   // Hockey"
        Go 'Gate  //   Brian Morris
          Go RPI //      Albany, NY
          ______// [log in to unmask]
         (______/