TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Athletics Hall of Fame Selection Committee has chosen five former student-athletes for induction into the Athletics Hall of Fame. The Class of 2020 consists of Julianne Bass ’09 (softball), Marc Cavosie ’03 (hockey), Matt Murley ’02 (hockey), Alex Penny ’11 (soccer) and Sonja van der Bliek ’11 (ice hockey).
The group of five combined to lead their teams to 300 wins and a .617 winning percentage during their careers, including a school record for single season victories in softball (36-6 in 2006), three 20-win seasons in men’s hockey and two NCAA Tournament appearances in men’s soccer, which included the first advancement by the Engineers. There are nine All-League honors among the group with two, Cavosie and Penny, earning year-end conference awards. Three student-athletes were team captains, two for multiple seasons.
“The Hall of Fame Class of 2020 is one of the most accomplished in the history of RPI Athletics,” said Dr. Lee McElroy, Associate Vice President & Director of Athletics. “Julianne, Sonja, Marc, Matt and Alex will be honored for their excellence in athletics, academics and leadership.. They truly represent the Rensselaer family, which continues to transform and change the world.”
JULIANNE BASS ’09 (Softball)
Costa Mesa, Calif. / Newport Harbor … Civil EngineeringJulianne Bass
Catcher/Outfielder … 2006: Played all 41 games … School record 62 hits … Batted team-high .443 with team-best 13 doubles and six home runs … Scored 41 runs and knocked in team-high 35 … Stole one base … Slugging percentage of .664, on-base percentage of .448 and fielding percentage of .984 … Liberty League Rookie of the Week three times … Liberty League Performer of the Week once … ECAC Upstate Player of the Week once … All-Liberty League First Team … NFCA All-Northeast Region Second Team … Team was 36-6 … Played in NCAA Tournament … School record for wins … 2007: Started all 35 games … Batted .414 with eight doubles, one triple and nine home runs … Scored 28 runs and knocked in 34 … SLG of .748, on-base of .472 and fielding of .971 … All-Liberty League First Team … NFCA All-Northeast Region Second Team … Team was 25-10 … 2008: Captain … Played all 40 games, starting 39 … Batted .386 with six doubles, one triple and eight home runs … Scored 27 runs and knocked in 31 … Stole three bases … SLG of .638, on-base of .410 and fielding of .968 … Liberty League Performer of the Week once … All-Liberty League First Team … Liberty League All-Academic … Team was 27-13 … 2009: Captain … Played 39 games, starting each … Batted .312 with team-high 14 doubles and three home runs … Scored 28 runs and knocked in 26 … SLG of .496, on-base of .326 and fielding of 1.000 … All-Liberty League Honorable Mention … Liberty League All-Academic … Team was 26-14 … Career: Captain twice … All-League four times … All-Region twice.
MARC CAVOSIE ’03 (Hockey)
Cohoes, N.Y. / Albany Academy … Management
Marc Cavosie
Forward … 1999-00: Played 33 games … Twelve goals and 18 assists for 30 points … Five power play goals and three shorthanded goals … Three game-winning goals … Had 13 penalties for 26 minutes … ECAC Rookie of the Week twice … ECAC Player of the Week once … USCHO National Player of the Week once … ECAC All-Rookie Team … Selected in fourth round, 99th overall, by Minnesota Wild in 2000 NHL Entry Draft … Team was 22-13-2 … 2000-01: Played 28 games … Thirteen goals and 16 assists for 29 points … Four power play goals and one shorthanded goal … One game-winning goal … Two hat tricks … Had 18 penalties for 47 minutes … ECAC Honor Roll three times … ECAC Player of the Week once … Team was 17-15-2 … Played for U.S. in World Junior Championship (6 points in 7 games) … 2001-02: Played 36 games … Had 23 goals and team-high 27 assists for ECAC-leading 50 points … Team-highs of nine power play goals, two shorthanded goals and four game-winning goals … Two hat tricks … Eighteen penalties for 44 minutes … All-ECAC First Team … ECAC Player of the Year … AHCA East All-America First Team … Hobey Baker Award finalist … Team was 20-13-4 … Other: Rensselaer Male Freshman Athlete of the Year … Currently assistant coach for Rensselaer women’s ice hockey team.
MATT MURLEY ’02 (Hockey)
Troy, N.Y. / Syracuse Jr. Crunch … ManagementMatt Murley
Forward … 1998-99: Played 36 games … Had 17 goals and 32 assists for 49 points … Twelve penalties for 32 minutes … ECAC Rookie of the Week twice … ECAC All-Rookie Team … Selected in second round, 51st overall. by Pittsburgh Penguins in 1999 NHL Entry Draft (highest ever in school history) … Team was 23-12-2 … 1999-00: Played 35 games … Nine goals and team-high 29 assists for 38 points … Three power play goals and two shorthanded goals … One game-winning goal … Had 17 penalties for 42 minutes … Team was 22-13-2 … 2000-01: Assistant captain … Played all 34 games … League-high 24 goals and 18 assists for team-high 42 points … Team-best nine power play goals … Two game-winning goals … Two hat tricks, including four goals against Massachusetts … Had 17 penalties for 34 minutes … ECAC Honor Roll five times … ECAC Player of the Week twice … ECAC All-Academic … Team was 17-15-2 … 2001-02: Captain … Played 32 games … League-high 24 goals and 22 assists for 46 points … Eight power play goals and one shorthanded goal … Two game-winning goals … One hat trick … Thirteen penalties for 36 minutes … All-ECAC First Team … ECAC All-Tournament Team … AHCA East All-America Second Team … Team was 20-13-4 … Other: Rensselaer Male Freshman Athlete of the Year … Graduated ranked 12th in career assists (101), 15th in career goals (74) and 11th in career points (175) in school history … Played 62 NHL games with Penguins and Phoenix Coyotes.
ALEX PENNY ’11 (Soccer)
Northport, N.Y. / Northport … Information Technology and Web Science
Alex Penny
Goalkeeper … 2007: Played 16 games, 14 as starter … Had 8-3-2 record with 0.75 goals against average and .828 save percentage … Eight shutouts … Made 53 saves in 1328:02 … Team was 10-6-4 … Won ECAC Upstate Tournament (No. 8 seed) … 2008: Started all 20 games … Had 12-6-1 record with 0.67 goals against average and .845 save percentage … Nine shutouts … Made 71 saves in 1753:14 … Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week three times … ECAC Upstate Defensive Player of the Week twice … All-Liberty League Honorable Mention … Team was 13-6-1 … Played in NCAA Tournament … 2009: Played 18 games, starting each … Had 13-3-2 record with 0.54 goals against average and .877 save percentage … First in Liberty League and 10th in nation in GAA … Fourteenth nationally in save percentage … Liberty League-high 10 shutouts … Made 71 saves in 1672:35 … Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week seven times … ECAC Upstate Defensive Player of the Week four times … All-Liberty League First Team … All-ECAC Upstate First Team … Team was 14-3-2 … Played in NCAA Tournament, advancing for first time in school history … 2010: Captain … Started all 19 games … Had 9-4-5 record with 0.69 goals against average and an .846 save percentage … Liberty League-high 10 shutouts … Made Liberty League-leading 77 saves in 1826:29 (every minute of every game) … Liberty League Defensive Player of the Week twice … All-Liberty League First Team … Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year … NSCAA All-East Region Third Team … Team was 9-5-5 … Career: All-League three times … Other: Upon graduation, held school records for career games played (73), games started (71), minutes (6581:14), goals against average (0.66), wins (42-17-10) and shutouts (37) … Single season records in games (20), starts (20), minutes (1826:49), goals against average (0.54), wins (13 twice) and shutouts (10 twice).
SONJA VAN DER BLIEK ’11 (Ice Hockey)
Toronto, Ont. / Toronto Jr. Aeros … Business and ManagementSonja van der Bliek
Goaltender … 2007-08: Played 15 games, 14 as starter … Was 9-4-2 with four shutouts … Had 1.33 goals against average and .939 save percentage … Played 899:11 minutes with 309 saves … ECAC Hockey League Weekly Honor Roll six times … ECAC Hockey League All-Academic … Team was 13-15-5 … 2008-09: Played school record 35 games, all starts (school record) … Was 18-13-4 record with five shutouts … School record for single season wins … Had 2.10 goals against average and .916 save percentage … Played 2146:29 minutes with school record 820 saves … ECAC Hockey Weekly Honor Roll five times … ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week three times … ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team … ECAC Hockey All-Academic … Team was 19-14-4 … 2009-10: Played school record 35 games, all starts (school record) … Was 15-15-5 record with school record seven shutouts … Had 1.85 goals against average and .924 save percentage … Played school record 2173:20 minutes with 817 saves … ECAC Weekly Honor Roll seven times … ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week twice … Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award nominee … Team was 16-15-6 … 2010-11: Played 32 games, 31 as starter … Was 10-18-4 with one shutout … Had 2.84 goals against average and .893 save percentage … Played 1814:28 minutes with 716 saves … ECAC Hockey Weekly Honor Roll once … Team was 10-18-7 … Other: Upon graduation, held school career records in games played (117), games started (115), wins (52), saves (2662), minutes (7033:28) and shutouts (17).
Each of the former student-athletes will be inducted at Rensselaer’s Annual Hall of Fame Banquet, which will be held on April 18 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Troy (6pm). Anyone interested in attending the ceremony, including former teammates, should contact Sachi Vines, director of marketing & promotions, at (518) 276-4855 or via email at [email protected].
