TROY, N.Y. – The Liberty League has announced its weekly award winners in men's and women's indoor track & field and four Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athletes have been recognized. Kyle Barden and Justin Metzger were named the men's Track and Field Performers of the Week, respectively, while Cassie Fortini and Morgan Danner garnered the same honors on the women's side.

A senior out of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Barden helped RPI to its second straight indoor title, finishing first in all three events he competed at the Liberty League Championships. He won the 400-dash in a conference record time of 50.22 and then captured the 200-dash with a mark of 22.56.

This is the second consecutive weekly honor for the Spackenkill High School graduate, who also helped the 4x200 relay team to victory in a Liberty League record time of 1:32.43. As a team, RPI posted 178 points at the meet, topping St. Lawrence by four points for the title.

Metzger, a senior from Clifton Park, N.Y., had a record setting day at this year's league meet, capturing his third straight career indoor pole vault title in an NCAA Provisional, conference and school record mark of 4.93 meters.

A former standout at Shenendehowa High School, Metzger has now been named the Field Performer of the week five times this season, including each of the last two weeks. He has posted wins in four of the five meets he has competed, achieving NCAA Provisional marks three times.

A senior from Sandown, N.H., Fortini helped the RPI women win the team title at the Liberty League Championships, picking up two victories. She won the 400-dash in a time of 61.00 and helped the 4x400 relay team to first with a mark of 4:14.32.

This marks the first weekly honor of the season for the former Timberlane High School standout, who also finished sixth in the 200-dash (27.90). Like the men's squad, the Engineers' women edged St. Lawrence by four points for this year's title, posting 182 points.

Danner, who is a native of McLean, Va., earned Outstanding Women's Performer honors at the conference championships, finishing third or better in all four events she competed. A sophomore, she won her second straight indoor pole vault title with a height of 3.05 meters and also claimed victory in the long jump with a distance of 5.22 meters.

The Langley High School standout also finished third in the triple jump (10.22m) and helped the 4x200 relay team to second (1:53.21). This is the second Field Performer of the Week honor for Danner, who was honored on February 1.

The track & field teams are back in action on Saturday when they compete at the Marc Deneault Invitational, hosted by Cornell University (10am). Select members of each squad will then participate in the NYSCTC Multis, hosted at Cornell by Ithaca College (12pm).