Why play for RMU?
History of RMU Hockey
Robert Morris University has fielded an ice hockey team since the 1995 season, when the Colonials joined the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Hockey Association (now College Hockey East). Within two years of starting the program, RMU won their first WPCHA championship in 1998. After two runner-up finishes and one more WPCHA title over the next three seasons, the Colonials decided to go independent while joining the D-III ranks of the ACHA. The move proved to be fortuitous. The Colonials finished that season ranked number one in the country after defeating defending champion University of Wyoming in the ACHA D-III national championship game in Atlanta, Georgia. The rest, they say, is history.
The win caught the attention of university officials, and within two years Robert Morris University became the first western Pennsylvanian school to add NCAA D-I men’s hockey. With more and more student athletes coming to RMU for a top-notch education and to play hockey, it was decided by the then-current coaching staff to move the D-III team up to the D-I club level and to create another team at the D-III level. To date, RMU remains one of the few schools in the country to have men’s hockey teams competing at the NCAA D-I, D-I club, and D-III club levels, all of which are successful.
About our D-I Club Team
Our D-I club team competes at the ACHA D-I level, where we’re a member of the Eastern Collegiate Hockey league, comprised of the University at Buffalo, Mercyhurst College, Niagara University, University of Rochester, SUNY-Canton, and Syracuse University.
We’re currently ranked #16 in the country and recently won our first ECHL league championship. We’ve compiled a 19-1-2 record in the ECHL over the past two seasons, during which we’ve also qualified twice for the ACHA D-I national championship.
We are also one of a handful of ACHA D-I programs with an NCAA D-I team at the same school. We are fortunate to have a very good relationship with NCAA head coach Derek Schooley, and since the inception of the NCAA program we have had three players move up to join his team (Shawn Bakke, Joey Olsen, Karac Davis) and numerous others invited to his month-long training camp.
Our team is made up primarily of Junior A and Junior B players that we've recruited from around the country. Our furthest recruit is freshman Luke Bennett from Alaska, who was recently named the ECHL Rookie of the Year (the second-straight year one of our players has won the award).
Why play for RMU?
- RMU Island Sports Center (32-acre multipurpose facility owned by the university)
- Three ice rinks, one inline rink
- On the ice five days a week (three practices, two games)
- 8:00 A.M. practices on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
- Weight-training facility at the rink
- Weight training three days a week with Scott Umberger (personal trainer and cousin of current NHLer R.J. Umberger)
- Month-long training camp beginning in September, culminating in tryouts the first week of October
- 35-game schedule, not including ECHL playoffs and the ACHA National tournament
- Professional, fully stocked travel case with skate sharpener for all home and away games
- Dedicated coaches, staff, and trainers for all home and away games
- Hotel rooms and stipends provided for all road trips
- Game jerseys provided (home and away)
- Practice jerseys provided
- Socks, shells, helmets, gloves, warm-up suits, t-shirts, and winter jackets provided
- Charter buses to all away games
- Two consecutive ACHA D-I National tournament appearances
- 2007 ECHL regular season champions
- 2008 ECHL regular season champions
- 2008 ECHL champions
Coaching History, Records, and Awards
2003-2004
19-14-0
ACHA #20 in the Country
Head Coach Bryan Mikulich
Associate Head Coach Jon Hanna
Assistant Coach John Castracane
Assistant Coach Mario Venneri
2004-2005
10-21-1
Head Coach Jason Evans
Associate Head Coach Jon Hanna
2005-2006
15-14-1
Head Coach Jason Evans
Associate Head Coach Jon Hanna
Assistant Coach Pete Shaffalo
2006-2007
20-5-4
ECHL Regular Season Champions
ECHL Coach of the Year Jason Evans
ECHL Rookie of the Year Nick Verch
ACHA #15 in the Country
Head Coach Jason Evans
Associate Head Coach Jon Hanna
Assistant Coach Pete Shaffalo
Goaltender Coach Sean Moloney
2007-2008
21-13-1
ECHL Champions
ECHL Coach of the Year Jason Evans
ECHL Rookie of the Year Luke Bennett
ACHA #16 in the Country
Head Coach Jason Evans
Associate Head Coach Jon Hanna
Assistant Coach Pete Shaffalo
Goaltender Coach Sean Moloney
If you’re interested in becoming a Colonial, please go to the Recruiting tab and fill out the recruiting form.
