Press release from RPI's SID

NATHAN MARSTERS NAMED MEN'S HOCKEY MVP
McNeely, Basiuk, Barr and Valentin also honored at year-end banquet

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's hockey team held its
annual end-of-the-year banquet, where the 2003-04 team award winners
were
announced. Among those honored were senior goaltender Nathan Marsters,
who
was named the Most Valuable Player, and junior defenseman Matt McNeely,
who
won the Most Improved Player Award. Senior co-captains Ben Barr and
Scott
Basiuk were the recipients of the Coaches Award and sophomore Alexander
Valentin earned the Scholar-Athlete Award.

A native of Grimsby, Ont., Marsters played 35 games, posting a 21-13-1
record with a 2.15 goals against average, a .922 save percentage and
five
shutouts. He ranked among the leaders in the Eastern College Athletic
Conference (ECAC) in all five categories. In 21 conference games,
Marsters, who was named to the All-ECAC Second Team, was 13-7-1 with a
1.85
average and a .933 percentage.

A former ECAC All-Rookie Team selection, Marsters concluded his career
ranked first in school history in numerous categories, including games
played by a goaltender (115), minutes (6637:48) and saves (3,118). He is
second all-time in wins with 57 (57-50-6) and third in shutouts (10).
This
is the second time Marsters has won the MVP award, having also earned it
following his freshman season.

McNeely, a defenseman, had six goals, including one on the power play,
and
seven assists for 13 points in 37 games this season. Nine of his points
(4
goals, 5 assists) came in 22 ECAC games. Heading into this season, the
Almonte, Ont., native had a goal and six assists in 47 career games. He
tallied a goal and an assist in 21 games as a freshman and five helpers
in
26 games as a sophomore.

A forward from Faribault, Minn., Barr served as a captain this season.
He
played all 39 games, scoring eight goals with 17 assists for 25 points.
He
had two power play goals, two shorthanded goals and three
game-winners. The team's MVP and Coaches Award recipient in 2002-03,
Barr
notched 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in 22 ECAC games.

Basiuk, an All-ECAC Second Team defenseman, had 26 points, including 11
goals and 15 assists, in 38 games. He scored eight times with the man
advantage while three of his goals were game-winners. A second-year
captain from Prince Albert, Sask., Basiuk was third on the team in goals
and fourth in points. In 22 ECAC contests, he had seven goals, including
six on the power play, and seven assists.

Valentin, a defenseman from Kosice, Slovakia, earned the Scholar-Athlete
Award, which is presented to the player with the highest cumulative
grade
point average over a minimum of three semesters at Rensselaer. A
management major, he played in 23 games this season, tallying two goals
and
ten assists. Valentin had nine points (2 goals, 7 assists) in 13 league
games.

Rensselaer finished the season with a 22-15-2 overall record and a
13-8-1
league mark. The Engineers were fourth in the ECAC with 27 points and
advanced to the ECAC Quarterfinals.