My, What a Strange Trip It’s Been!

(Pittsburgh, PA) – The four members of the Colonials coaching staff have seen it all; from the incredible highs of winning a D-III National Championship in 2002, three consecutive D-I National Tournament bids, and back-to-back-to-back ECHL league championships, to the incredible low of going 9-22 in 2005 (which included a goal scored into their own net with the goalie pulled in the final game of the season).  And don't even get them started about the CO2 debacle at Nationals in 2009.  Through all these things, there was always one constant; since the inception of the program in 1995, at least one or more members of the current coaching staff had been involved with the team.  Now that time is over.

On Thursday, April 1, Head Coach Jason Evans officially resigned his position as coach of the Colonials.  With him went Associate Head Coach Jon Hanna, Assistant Coach Pete Shaffalo, and Goaltending Coach Sean Moloney.  For Evans, who had been with the program for over a decade as both a player and coach, the decision was not an easy one.  Said Evans, “The reason for our departure is that we’ve been unable to come to an understanding with the university as to the value of the program and what we bring to the table each year.  Having said that, it’s been a great ride, and I don’t want to dwell on the negative.  We’ve had a very good relationship with Student Life, the Club Sports/Intramural department, and the NCAA hockey team, which is really unheard of.  I think I can speak for the other coaches when I say that we would all come back in the future if the issues we’ve brought up with the school are addressed.  Even though we won’t be behind the bench, I know without a doubt that Jon and I won’t think twice about recommending RMU and the hockey program to prospective players.  We’re both alumni and love the school, and nothing will ever change that.”

The coaching staff leaves the program in a great position with 21 returning players, which should allow the Colonials to succeed in their new league, the ESCHL. A great deal of time has been put in before, during, and after the season to get the program where it is today.  The team’s 2010-2011 schedule has been finalized, and the coaching staff has already confirmed five recruits for the fall, including three impact players.  To ensure as seamless a transition as possible, Evans and Hanna will continue to speak to dozens of other freshmen recruits and pass along their information to the university until such time as a new coaching staff has been selected.

So far as what the future holds, Evans has already received head coaching offers from amateur, high school, junior, and college teams, but is undecided as to whether he’ll coach next season.  Hanna, who has been with the program since its inception in 1995, will continue to recruit and update the team’s website throughout the summer before leaving the program to concentrate on his growing family.  Shaffalo, who has been with the team since the 1998 season, has also been asked to coach several area high school and travel teams.  He will make his decision over the next few months as to where he’d like to go.  Moloney has already picked up where he left off, this time with the IUP Crimson Hawks ACHA D-I  team.

The entire coaching staff will greatly miss the players, and friends, they’ve made at RMU over the past 15 seasons.  They are looking forward to watching the team grow under the direction of a new coaching staff over the next few seasons, and wish all of the players nothing but the best.

Sincerely,

Jason Evans, Jon Hanna, Pete Shaffalo, Sean Moloney

Go RMU!