Photographs from RPI football at their new football stadium and athletic sports complex.

This year was a “perfect storm” in many ways for me as a graduate of RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) as the newly combined Reunion and Homecoming was made on the opening of the new East Campus Athletic Village.  While it was technically an off year for my class (’83) going to see the new athletic facilities and being able to take in both a football and a hockey game on the same day was something I could not resist.  So I made the arrangements, and took my new 2010 Toyota Prius over 200 miles to my alma mater.

This photo essay will be about the football game.  In the past, football was not the big sport of RPI (hockey was and perhaps still is, although now we have both men’s and women’s teams, as well as a whole other bunch of great sports teams on the campus).  Football was either played somewhere over there, or in the middle of the campus in a field that wasn’t really all that comfortable.  All that has changed with the opening of the East Campus Athletic Village.

ECAV, as the new $92 million complex is known, is the latest in a decade-long physical transformation of Rensselaer. The project involves two phases. The grand opening signifies the end of Phase 1, which includes a multipurpose lighted stadium with field turf and seating for 5,200 and a 1,200 seat basketball arena.

Also, a fully equipped 4,800 square foot strength and conditioning center connects to a professional-caliber sports medicine suite, and within the arena are offices for athletics administrators and coaches, numerous meeting spaces, a new Athletics Hall of Fame, a pro shop and a café.  Renovations to the Houston Field House were also made. Phase 2 will feature an indoor pool, outdoor tennis courts, and an indoor sports facility complete with a track and tennis courts. The time frame for Phase 2 is still being developed.

Meanwhile, let’s look at the new stadium.  This is a beautiful stadium with seating, concession stands, enclosed spaces for the press and other dignitaries, and of course a huge jumbotron.  We have our team, our cheerleaders, our military honor guard / color corps, our band and of course our mixed a cappella group that sang the national anthem as well as a dance group that performed at half time.

In welcoming the audience of Rensselaer students, alumni, faculty, staff, coaches, student-athletes, family and friends, and members of the surrounding community to the grand opening ceremony, Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson also shared the reason for building the facility.

“It is often said that it is on the playing fields–and in other athletic venues — that leaders are made,” said President Jackson. “But at Rensselaer, athletics are only part of the equation, because Rensselaer already attracts students who have demonstrated leadership potential. Rensselaer develops that potential through the totality of the student experience–so that our graduates are prepared to become leaders in technologically rooted fields.”

Jackson also noted that “with this addition to the Troy campus, we continue to transform the student experience, to go beyond the standard, to excel–across the board, in all endeavors–and to do even more to create leaders. At the same time, with the initiation of the village concept, we bring our Rensselaer community together in a new way. Our goal — as with all that are doing to transform Rensselaer for the 21st century–is to create a unique residential undergraduate college within a world-class technological research university.”

We also played a game of football; here are some of the photos of the game.

Here is the news report of the game, fair and balanced.

TROY, N.Y. – The University of Rochester got three field goals from junior Zachary White-Stellato and the Yellowjackets controlled the clock for 41:40 to defeat #23 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 16-10, in a Liberty League game before a crowd of 4,112 at East Campus Stadium. Rochester, who held the ball for 13:03 of the fourth quarter alone, improves to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in the league. RPI is now 3-1 and 1-1.

White-Stellato (Albany, NY/Albany) connected on field goals of 39 and 24 yards in the second quarter and 25 yards in the fourth. Junior running back Clarence Onyiriuka (Painted Post, NY/Corning West) led the offense with 145 yards rushing on 31 carries, while sophomore quarterback Braezen Subick (Mahwah, NJ/Don Bosco Prep.) passed for 267 yards by completing 28 of 45 passes with a touchdown. He was intercepted twice.

RPI opened the scoring on its first drive, an 8-play, 59-yard effort that ended with a 5-yard run by junior Nick Costa (Yonkers, NY/Yonkers) at 10:01. Rochester came right back on its next possession when Subick (Mahwah, NJ/Don Bosco Prep.) found Elvis Njoku (Rochester, NY/West Irondequoit) for a 13-yard scoring strike.

A 39-yard field goal by White-Stellato capped a 9-play, 64-yard drive to give the Yellowjackets a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter. The two teams traded field goals – a 38 yarder by RPI’s Peter Nilson (Appleton, WI/Kimberly) and a 24-yarder by White-Stellato for a 13-10 halftime score.

White-Stellato accounted for the only points in the second half, in which Rochester controlled the ball for 24:03.

Offensively for RPI, freshman Tanner Boucher (Keene, NH/Keene) and sophomore #Julian Schnopp (Dalton, MA/Wahconah Regional) combined to pass for 130 yards on 5 of 17 passing. Junior Ray Davis (Worcester, MA/South High Community School) caught two balls for 70 yards.

Junior defensive back Tim Acker (Arlington, WA/Arlington) made a game-high 18 tackles, including 12 unassisted, to lead the Engineers. Defensive lineman Colin Elliott (Easthampton, MA/Williston Northampton) added 14 tackles, including five solos.

Sophomore Spencer Miller (Clifton Park, NY/Ballston Lake) had a team-best five tackles, including a 4-yard sack for the Yellowjackets, who host Susquehanna next Saturday at 1pm. RPI is idle next week.