TROY, N.Y. - Former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) walk-on netminder Jeremy Coupal '12 will join the Nashville Predators of the NHL as the team's Video Cooardinator, this season. Coupal, who was a two-year member of the men's hockey team at RPI spent the 2012-13 season as a volunteer assistant coach at Bemidji State.

“I am so happy to see Jeremy earn this opportunity," said RPI head coach Seth Appert. "His story is a great testament to hard work, perseverance, passion and a high level of professionalism.  I look forward to watching another one of our Engineers have a successful career in the National Hockey League.”

"This opportunity is a big part thanks to the experience I got from my time at RPI," said Coupal. "Most importantly, it was the people within the program that allowed me to grow and learn as an athlete and as someone who was interested in becoming part of the hockey coaching community. I can't thank coach Appert enough for allowing me to help his staff with video my senior year and Kevin Anderson for teaching and mentoring me along the way. "

Coupal played in one game as a senior during the 2011-12 season, stopping the only shot he faced in 5:49 of ice time. A multiple ECAC Hockey All-Academic and Dean's List selection, the Industrial Management Engineering major started the school's American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) team in 2008-09 as the team's first president. Coupal was the team's starting goalie for two years before walking-on to the varsity squad.