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TROY, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's hockey team held its annual year-end banquet and among the fesitivites were celebrations of the five seniors and the distribution of the year-end team awards. 

The team's highest honor is the Most Valuable Player Award and it was presented to junior forward Ryan Haggerty. Sophomore defenseman Chris Bradley was named the Best Defensive Player, while Jimmy DeVito earned the Freshman of the Year Award. Sophomore defenseman Craig Bokenfohr was selected as the Most Improved Player and the Scholar-Athlete of the Year, senior Brock Higgs was presented with the Ben Mayo Most Inspirational Player Award and sophomore Travis Fulton collected the Community Service Award. 

The Class of 2014, which in its time played on teams that were nationally-ranked in three of their four years, competed in the NCAA Tournament and helped the program to its highest league finish in 20 years, consists of Higgs, Bo Dolan, Guy Leboeuf, Johnny Rogic and Mark Tinordi. Dolan and Leboeuf are defensemen, while the other three are forwards.

In 35 games this season, Haggerty (Stamford, CT / U.S. National Development Team) led the Engineers in goals with 28 and poinst with 43 points. Ten of his goals came on the power play and six were game-winning markers. He also had a game-tying goal. He led the team in goals, points, power play goals and game-winning goals and ranked among the leaders in Division I in goals per game (0.80), game-winning goals, power play goals and points per game (1.23). Haggerty scored at least one goal in 19 games and had eight multiple-goal efforts. He opened the season with seven goals in his first four games, including a hat trick on October 19 and closed the campaign with four goals in three playoff games. He had at least one point in 26 of 35 contests, including 13 with more-than-one point. His game-high was three points, which he accomplished three times.

An All-ECAC Hockey First Team and the CCM Hockey National All-America East Second Team selection, Haggerty signed a free agent contract with the New York Rangers.

Bradley (Williamsville, NY / Youngstown Phantoms) was chosen as the Best Defensive Player after helping the Engineers hold the opposition to 2.70 goals per game and 29.4 shots per contest. RPI allowed two-or-fewer goals in 21 of 37 games, including two shutouts. Bradley also chipped in with three goals and nine assists for 12 points. He led the team's blueliners in goals and points. A freshman forward, DeVito (Bloomingdale, IL / Lincoln Stars) paced the team's five rookies with 25 games played. He had a goal and three assists for four points, along with 10 penalty minutes. 

Bokenfohr (Spruce Grove, AB / Camrose Kodiaks) played 16 games, collecting two assists and 17 penalty minutes. He played in each of the final 15 games after dressing only once prior to January 24. As a freshman, he suited up for five games, tallying one assist and two penalty minutes. Academically, Bokenfohr is a civil engineering major with a cumulative grade point average of 3.92.

The Ben Mayo Most Inspirational Player Award was presented to Higgs (Kingston, ON / Kingston Voyageurs), who overcame a serious neck injury during his freshman year to have a standout senior season and career. This year he played all 37 games this season, scoring 14 goals with 16 assists for 30 points. He was second on the team in goals and points and first in shorthanded goals (2) and penalty minutes (59). In 137 career games, he notched 91 points on 27 goals and 64 assists.

Higgs was recently selected as the recipient of the 2014 Men's Hockey Senior CLASS Award, as chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I men's hockey coaches, national hockey media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in Division I men's hockey. He is a business and management major who is also working on a master's degree in management, with a concentration in finance. He has a 3.67 cumulative grade point average and expects to graduate with both degrees in August 2014.

A sophomore, Fulton (Oakville, ON / Vaughan Vipers) has been active in the community in his time in Troy. He has participated in a variety of fundraising activities, supporting various other causes and participating in charitable events, including the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

The 2014-15 men's hockey season features 37 games beginning on October 4 against the University of Prince Edward Island in an exhibition game at the Houston Field House. The Engineers' slate includes 17 home games and at least 10 games against teams that played in the NCAA Tournament.