Former RoadRunner and current RPI goalie Bryce Merriam is one of 208 student-athletes representing the ECAC Hockey’s 12 men’s programs that were named to the 2011-12 ECAC Hockey All-Academic team. Bryce joined the 'Runners in Santa Fe in 2006 and played parts of three seasons with the club, including the first two in Kansas. He is one of just 69 student athletes to have received the distinction in each of the last three seasons. Players are eligible for the All-Academic team if they earn a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or have a GPA over 3.00 over the past three semesters. Merriam checks in a with a 3.55 GPA as he works toward his degree in Business Management.
"Balancing hockey and schoolwork is something our program preaches and is a standard for our whole team", Merriam claims. That statement is proven in that 21 of his teammates were acknowledged in the same way. "We are all student-athletes and succeeding in both of those aspects is something that will open up many doors after college, whether it's in hockey or the business world." The pace of Division I hockey coupled with high level academics can be daunting. "It has been difficult at certain points in time to balance the two, but I've worked hard to put myself in position to succeed at both." He went on to add, "Balancing a full hockey schedule and full course load will help me after college no matter what I pursue."
Merriam, a native of Bethel Park, PA, holds a number of RoadRunner franchise goalie records, including games played (93), wins (59), career shutouts (9), and single season save pct (.917). His 2.00 goals against average in 2008-09 is a franchise best as well, a year in which he was named the teams Most Valuable Player. In his collegiate career, he has thus far posted a save pct of .904 and a solid goals against average of 2.54 over 46 games played. He is preparing to begin his senior season at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY.