Nick Bailen

Classroom

Nick is a dual major in Business and Management and Economics with a cumulative grade point average of 3.91. He is in the process of putting together his thesis as a requirement for his economics major and will choose between macroeconomic theory dealing in the effects of hospital care or Neroeconomics. Upon graduating in May, he is interested in earning a MHA, Masters in Health Care Administration, while playing professional hockey. It is his goal to one day be a COO of a hospital or care center.

A CoSIDA National Academic All-America Third Team choice as a junior, Nick has had an internship with LeverPoint Management, a boutique fund administration firm that has been providing customized solutions for private equity firms since 1995. LeverPoint currently oversee more than 40 funds that range in size from $50M to $4B. While interning, Nick worked with the private equity and treasury departments on a variety of projects.

Nick, who has been an All-Academic selection each year eligible, has also worked in Rensselaer’s Financial Aid Office. In that role he works closely with both financial aid and the bursar, helping create files and gathering a variety of information.

Character

Nick has overcome the stress caused by transferring, having left Bowling Green State University following a freshman year due to the turmoil that BGSU underwent with regards to its hockey program. He chose to return to the USHL with the Indiana Ice and obtained an A.A.S from Jamestown Community College in General Studies while doing so. It was necessary for him to continue his education in order to be eligible to play for RPI, where he has consistently been on the Dean’s List and became a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society.

During his time in college, he elected to spend the summers at school, most recently the past two summers at RPI in Troy, to train with his teammates while doing an internship. He believed that was necessary as a way to develop himself while also getting ready physically for the upcoming season. The hard work paid off because Nick won the team’s overall strength and conditioning test with the highest overall scores in a number of events.

Community

As a member of the RPI hockey team, he has been involved in community service since arriving on campus. He is currently a group leader in the team’s relationship with Troy Amateur Youth Hockey Association. He leads his group of teammates to area rinks once a month and spends time on the ice teaching local hockey players, who range from 5 to 13 years old, the fundamentals of the sport.
Nick and his teammates also assist the RPI Newman Center with their fundraising activities each fall and they spend time supporting various causes and participating in charitable events, including the City of Troy’s Turkey Trot, the United Way and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

Competition

Through 23 games this year, Nick has posted five goals and 11 assists for 16 points. He is currently second on the team in assists and third in points. Four of his goals have come on the power play, which ranks seventh in ECAC Hockey. He is third in the league, and 20th nationally, in points per game by a defenseman (0.70). Nick, who has been nominated for ECAC Hockey Player of the Week on multiple occasions, has at least one point in 10 games and multiple points in four contests for the Engineers.

Nick came into the 2012-13 season having played 114 career games, tallying 21 goals and 53 assists for 74 points. He has earned numerous accolades in college, most notably being named All-ECAC Hockey First Team and AHCA National All-America Second Team following his sophomore season. That year he had eight goals and 28 assists for 36 points in 36 games, helping the Engineers play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1995. He was second on the team in goals, including three power play markers, assists and points and ranked among the league and national leaders among defensemen.  During the season he was the league’s Player of the Week once and chosen to the RPI Invitational All-Tournament Team.

Last season Nick was again among the top scorers on the team (7 goals, 15 assists) and in the league among defensemen. Six of his goals were on the power play, one was shorthanded and four were game-winners as he helped the Engineers to the second round of the ECAC Hockey Playoffs.