TROY -- Seth Appert is staying on as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's head hockey coach.
   He informed the University of Denver Saturday to withdraw his name from consideration to replace 19-year Denver coach George Gwozdecky, who was fired on April 1 and whom Appert terms "my mentor."
   Appert has signed (or will sign) an eight-year contract extension with RPI through the 2020-21 season at an undisclosed pay raise.
   He chose not to into details of the financial aspects of the pact, or on the particulars of his discussions at Denver, where he was an assistant under Gwozdecky for nine years.
   Appert did express happiness to be staying in Troy and gave praise to RPI and president Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, Athletic Director Col. Jim Knowlton and Dr. Dr. Timothy Sams, Vice President for Student Life.
   "I'm thrilled about it," Appert said. "The level of trust and commitment Dr. Jackson and Jim Knowlton and Dr. Sams  ... I'm humbled by the trust and belief they've shown in me and these things matter to me at the highest level.
   "We still have a lot of work left to do at RPI," Appert added, "and I'm proud to be the guy leading the charge."
   More later.