A native of Toronto, Ont., Brinkworth had 41 goals, including a school record nine hat tricks, and 30 assists for 71 points in 22 games as a sophomore – his first year eligible to play varsity hockey. He was the ECAC Sophomore of the Year.
He was then named ECAC Player of the Year and All-American following both his junior and senior years. In his second season he had 34 goals and 41 assists for 75 points – good for fifth in school history – in 23 games. The next year he had 70 points on 35 goals and 35 assists in 26 games as RPI’s captain.
Brinkworth, a three-time All-ECAC First Team honoree, ranks among the NCAA’s all-time leaders in several categories. He is third in goals per game in a career (1.54), fourth in goals per game in a season (1.86 in 1961-62), fifth in points per game in a career (3.04) and seventh in assists per game in a career (1.49).
Following college, Brinkworth played professionally in the Central Professional Hockey League (CPHL), the American Hockey League (AHL) and the International Hockey League (IHL). He won two Turner Cups in the IHL before retiring in 1974 after nine seasons and 335 points as a pro.
Last November he joined Adam Oates ’85, Joe Juneau ’91, Ned Harkness and Frank Chiarelli ’55 in the Rensselaer Hockey Ring of Honor.
Currently the head coach of the Florida Gulf Coast University club team, Brinkworth has led the team to five national championship appearances since joining FGCU in 2002.
The top 50 players in ECAC Hockey history were determined by a selection committee made up of former coaches and media members. The league will release the names of five players every two weeks throughout the season leading up the championship in March 18-19 in Atlantic City.
Bob Brinkworth - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Forward, (1961-64) - Toronto, Ontario
Two-Time All-America (1963-64) ... Two-Time ECAC Hockey Player of Year (1963-64) -- One of only two players (Scott Fusco, Harvard) to repeat as Player of Year ... Three-Time ECAC Hockey All-Conference First Team (1962-64) ... 1964 ECAC Hockey All-Tournament First Team ... 1962 Rookie of Year ... Co-Captain of Engineers’ 1964 Team ... 1964 ECAC Hockey Goals Leader (35 in 26 games) ... Led Engineers in Goals Three Consecutive Seasons, and Points Two Consecutive Seasons ... Netted 110 Goals and 106 Assists in 71 Collegiate Contests ... Scored a Career-Best 41 Goals in 1961-62 ... Registered a School-Tying Best 9 Hat Tricks in 1961-62 ... Ranks Third All-Time at RPI in Goals (110) and Points (216) ... One of Only Four Engineers to Average 3.00-Plus Points Per Contest (3.04) ... Ranks Among NCAA All-Time Leaders in Goals Per Game, Career (Third, 1.54); Goals Per Game, Season (Fourth, 1.86 in 1961-62); Points Per Game, Career (Fifth, 3.04); and Assists Per Game, Career (Seventh, 1.49) ... Inducted into RPI Hockey Ring of Honor in 2009 |
