Robert Morris had a successful club hockey team for several years before rumors started circulating in the early 2000s that the school would create an NCAA Division I program. In December 2002, reports first surfaced that the school was interested in purchasing the RMU Island Sports Center, which would house a men's and women's ice hockey team.[5] On August 8, 2003, the school officially purchased the 32-acre complex – complete with a 1,100-seat hockey arena – for $10 million.[6] The complex is located in Neville Island, only a few miles from RMU's campus in Moon Township.[5] Just 12 days later, on August 20, 2003, Robert Morris athletic director Susan Hofacre officially announced that the Colonials would field an NCAA men's ice hockey team for the 2004–05 season.[7] At the same time, the school added men's and women's lacrosse and women's field hockey as part of an expansion of the athletic department.[8] Two days later, the school hired former Western MichigandefencemanDerek Schooley as its first head coach.[7]
In January 2004, before the school had ever played a game, they were accepted into the College Hockey America conference.[7] Typically, most new NCAA schools play as an Independent in their first years, but a unique series of events led to RMU being immediately accepted into the conference. The fledgling six-team conference was first given an automatic bid to the 2003 NCAA tournament. However, in January 2004, CHA member Findlay announced it would drop hockey from its athletic program effective at the end of the 2003–04 season.[9] This left the CHA one team short of the six required to keep their automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.[10] As RMU was the only NCAA team not already attached to a conference, the CHA invited RMU to join immediately for the 2004–05 season. The school accepted on January 29, 2004.[7]
Schooley quickly moved to secure the Colonials' first recruiting class and hired two assistant coaches.[11] Nevertheless, the Colonials were predictably overmatched in their first year as an NCAA team. The young squad consisted of 22 freshmen and no seniors as Schooley built for the school's future.[12] In its first season, the Colonials finished last in the conference with an 8–21–4 record.
At the start of the 2005–06 season, the Colonials were reminded how much work the program needed to do when they were stunned by the Penn State University club team in a 3–2 exhibition loss prior to the season.[13] Two games later, however, RMU shocked CCHA member Western Michigan in a 5–2 victory that Schooley called "the biggest win for our program."[14] The Colonials improved to 12–20–3 in their second season while advancing to the CHA semifinals for the first time.[7]
In 2006–07, the Colonials improved yet again, finishing 14–19–2. On January 7, 2007, the Colonials beat nationally ranked Notre Dame for their first ever victory over a ranked team.[7] The squad advanced to the CHA tournament final, where they came up just short of qualifying for their first ever NCAA tournament against Alabama–Huntsville. The Colonials jumped out to a 4–0 first period lead and looked set for their first conference championship before the Chargers mounted a frantic comeback that ended with a 5–4 overtime victory.[15]
It was more of the same for the Colonials over the next two years. In 2007–08, the squad finished a school-record 15–15–4 (including a win over #8 ranked Boston University) but again came up short in the CHA tournament.[7] In 2008–09, the school finished only 10–19–7 before reaching the CHA tournament final against Bemidji State. Once again, the Colonials were left heartbroken, as they lost in overtime for the second time in three years.[16]
By this time, it was clear that the CHA men's division would soon disband. In 2006, Air Force left the league, leaving the conference with only five teams (one short of the six required to retain the NCAA autobid).[17] Given two years to keep their autobid before losing it, the CHA began the search for a sixth member – likely a club team, as all current Division I teams were already in a conference.[17] After no school expressed interest in joining, Wayne State announced just prior to the 2007–08 season that they would disband their team following the season.[18] Following Wayne State's departure, saving the CHA was all but impossible, and Robert Morris applied for membership into Atlantic Hockey (AHA). In January 2009, the AHA announced that both RMU and Niagara's applications were unanimously approved, paving the way for the schools to join the conference for the 2010–11 season.[19] Robert Morris and Penn State were the hosts of the inaugural Three Rivers Classic NCAA hockey tournament at the Consol Energy Center in December, 2012.[20]
On May 26, 2021, Robert Morris University announced it would be cutting the men's and women's ice hockey programs.[21] On December 17, 2021, it was announced the program would be reinstated for the 2023–24 season.[22]
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
The following is a list of people associated with the men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Robert Morris Colonials Hall of Fame (induction date in parentheses).[26]
The Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) was an NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates primarily in the northeastern United States. It participated in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference. Unlike several other college athletic conferences, Atlantic Hockey had no women's division, though it shared some organizational and administrative roles with the women's-only College Hockey America (CHA).
College Hockey America (CHA) was a college ice hockey conference in the United States. It participated in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The conference's final membership featured six women's teams, with three in Pennsylvania; two in New York, and one in Missouri.
Ryan Cruthers is a former professional ice hockey player and current head coach of the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League.
Derek Schooley is an American ice hockey head coach and former player. Since 2004 he has been the head coach for Robert Morris, with his tenure interrupted during the program's 2021-23 disbandment.
The Robert Morris Colonials are the athletic teams for Robert Morris University, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The Colonials compete in NCAA Division I. In 2020, the school joined the Horizon League as a full member after leaving the Northeast Conference (NEC). Several RMU sports that are not sponsored by the Horizon League play in other conferences. Football and men's lacrosse compete in the NEC, men's and women's ice hockey in Atlantic Hockey America, women's lacrosse in the Mid-American Conference, and women's rowing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The school colors are RMU Blue, RMU Red, and RMU Gray/Silver.
The RIT Tigers men's ice hockey team is a collegiate ice hockey team representing the Rochester Institute of Technology in suburban Rochester, New York, United States. The school's men's team competes in the Division I Atlantic Hockey America. The team has won two national championships, one each at the Division II and Division III levels. It lost in the semifinals of the Division I "Frozen Four" in 2010.
Robert Morris Colonials women's ice hockey is a college ice hockey program representing Robert Morris University in NCAA Division I as a member of the Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) conference.
NCAA Division I independent schools are teams that compete in NCAA ice hockey but are not members of a conference. There are several current schools who, at one time or another, competed as Division I independents.
Nathan Thomas Longpre is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently playing for SønderjyskE Ishockey in the Metal Ligaen. He has previously played in the American Hockey League for the Worcester Sharks, Chicago Wolves, Springfield Falcons and the Peoria Rivermen.
The Robert Morris Colonials women represented Robert Morris University in CHA women's ice hockey during the 2014-15 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. The Colonials finished conference play in fourth place, and were eliminated in the first round of the CHA Tournament by RIT. The RMU women were among the best in the nation in blocked shots
The Robert Morris Colonials women represented Robert Morris University in CHA women's ice hockey during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. The Colonials finished conference play in fourth place, and were eliminated in the semifinal of the CHA Tournament by Mercyhurst.
Brittany Howard is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. She played one season in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) for PWHL Toronto. She played college ice hockey at Robert Morris and was the first Colonial player to win the CHA Player of the Year award.
The 2019–20 Robert Morris Colonials men's ice hockey season is the 16th season of play for the program and the 10th season in the Atlantic Hockey conference. The Colonials represent Robert Morris University and are coached by Derek Schooley, in his 16th season.
The Robert Morris Colonials women represented Robert Morris University in CHA women's ice hockey during the 2013-14 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season. The Colonials finished conference play in second place, and were eliminated in the first round of the CHA Tournament by RIT.
The Robert Morris Colonials women represent Robert Morris University in CHA women's ice hockey during the 2020-21 NCAA Division I women's ice hockey season, the 16th overall in program history. Qualifying for the 2021 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Tournament, the program ranked as the #8 seed.
The 2020–21 Robert Morris Colonials men's ice hockey season was the 17th season of play for the program and the 11th season in the Atlantic Hockey conference. The Colonials represented Robert Morris University and were coached by Derek Schooley, in his 17th season.
The 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season began on October 2, 2021, and concluded with the NCAA championship on April 9, 2022. This was the 74th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held, and was US college hockey's 128th year overall.
The 2023–24 Robert Morris Colonials men's ice hockey season was the 18th season of play for the program and the 12th in Atlantic Hockey. The Colonials represented Robert Morris University, played their home games at the Clearview Arena and were coached by Derek Schooley in his 18th season.
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